The Curator: 12 best back-to-school deals to shop right now

Not every school lunch needs to be a sandwich. This insulated food jar is made for soup, pasta, leftovers and other warm favourites, keeping food hot for up to five hours. It can also keep cold foods chilled, while the foldable spoon stores right inside the lid. One less utensil to remember? We’ll take it.

A good lunch box can make busy school mornings–and even busier lunches–a little easier. This bento-style option features five perfectly portioned compartments to keep sandwiches, fruit and snacks separated, while its leakproof design helps prevent spills from making their way into backpacks. It’s also durable enough for everyday use and dishwasher-safe when the lunch box inevitably comes home looking a little worse for wear.

A new backpack can make heading back to school feel a little more exciting, especially when it features you kid’s favourite character. This Disney Cars backpack has a main zippered compartment, front pocket and two side mesh pockets for easy access to smaller essentials. Padded, adjustable straps make it comfortable for little shoulders, while the included pencil case is a handy bonus!

For high school and college students, a reliable calculator is one of those supplies that’s worth having before the first assignment lands. This Sharp model features 146 scientific functions and supports everything from pre-algebra and algebra to trigonometry and general science–so maybe you won’t be getting those late-night “how do I do this?” homework questions.

Lockers can become a black hole for school supplies surprisingly quickly–especially when kids are rushing between classes. This locker kit gives them a few simple tools to keep everything in its place, including a whiteboard, dry erase marker, mirror, magnetic storage cup and two magnets. The whiteboard is handy for homework reminders and to-do lists, while the magnetic cup helps keep smaller supplies from disappearing into the abyss.

If your household goes through pencils at an impressive rate, an electric sharpener can be a useful addition to the homework station. This sharpener has three settings for different pencil types and can sharpen a new pencil in about five seconds. It’s USB-powered or can run on two AA batteries–easy to keep ready for homework, school projects and beyond.

Few things are more frustrating than discovering a soaked lunch bag halfway through the day. This insulated stainless steel bottle features a leakproof straw lid that helps keep spills contained, while double-wall insulation keeps drinks cold until the final bell. It’s dishwasher-safe, durable and sized just right for little hands.

A fresh set of notebooks signals the start of a new school year. This six-pack comes in soft pastel shades that make it easy to colour-code subjects, while college-ruled pages resist ink bleed-through for tidy notes. Perforated pages tear out cleanly when assignments need to be handed in.

Because, somehow, kids can never have too many markers. This 20-count pack features super tips that create both thin and thick lines, for whatever project comes you child’s way. Bonus: They’re washable, nontoxic–so you can stock up without worrying quite so much about what ends up on the table, or the floor.

Mistakes happen, especially when you’re taking notes at full speed. Thanks to this correction tape, covering errors with a clean, dry line you can write over immediately has never been easier. And we love the ease of the tear-resistant film tape.

For students who colour-code their notes, these slim Sharpie highlighters are a handy pencil-case staple. And what’s not to love about the softer pastel shades? The narrow chisel tips work for highlighting, underlining and adding quick notes–and the ink is designed to resist smearing.

The first stop after school? The sink. This gentle foaming hand soap is made with 98 per cent naturally derived ingredients and creates a rich lather that makes handwashing a little more fun. The pear and vanilla scent is a hit with kids, while the easy-to-use pump encourages independent handwashing.