I was sitting at my computer the other day, watching my kids demolish a tub of Chex Mix, when I noticed that familiar little Box Tops for Education graphic on the package.
It immediately brought me back to elementary school, when we would carefully clip the cardboard squares from cereal boxes and other pantry staples, collect them in plastic bags and proudly bring them into school. There were classroom contests, collection sheets and plenty of reminders not to throw away a box before checking it first.
For a moment, I wondered: Are Box Tops still a thing? And what other items have that nostalgic little tag?
While Chex Mix caught my eye, there are actually more than 350 participating products.
Some of the brands you probably already have in your pantry or refrigerator include:
- Cheerios
- Chex cereals
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch
- Lucky Charms
- Nature Valley granola bars
- Annie’s snacks and mac & cheese
- Yoplait yogurt
- Old El Paso taco shells and kits
- Totino’s pizza products
- Fiber One
- Bugles
- Gardetto’s
- Lysol cleaning products
- Paper Mate school supplies
So the answer is yes—Box Tops for Education is still very much alive and well, but the program looks very different now.
Goodbye Scissors. Hello Smartphone.
In 2019, Box Tops for Education transitioned to a primarily digital program. Instead of clipping cardboard squares, families can earn money for their school by scanning grocery receipts with the free Box Tops app.
The process is simple: buy participating products, open the app and scan your receipt within 14 days. The app identifies eligible purchases and credits the earnings to the school you selected.
Families who shop at participating retailers may also be able to connect their accounts and earn automatically on qualifying purchases.
Does It Actually Make a Difference?
Since launching in 1996, Box Tops for Education has helped schools earn hundreds of millions of dollars for classroom supplies, technology, library books, playground equipment and other needs.
Most qualifying products earn 10 cents for your selected school. That may not sound like much, but when families participate consistently throughout the school year, those small amounts can add up.
Why It Feels Like Box Tops Disappeared
Many parents assume the program ended because students no longer walk into school carrying bags filled with clipped cardboard.
The fundraising is still happening, but it is much less visible.
Instead of children collecting and counting Box Tops in the classroom, parents now handle most of the process through their phones. It is certainly more convenient, but it does not have quite the same nostalgic excitement as clipping them at the kitchen table.
Is It Worth Doing?
For families already purchasing participating products, scanning a receipt takes less than a minute.
A variety of familiar grocery and household brands participate, and the app regularly offers bonus opportunities that can increase the amount earned for your school.
It may not feel like much when you scan one receipt, but dozens or even hundreds of families doing the same thing can make a meaningful difference.
A Small Habit That Adds Up
Schools are constantly finding ways to stretch their budgets. Box Tops earnings may help purchase books, art supplies, classroom materials, technology or playground equipment.
The program may have traded cardboard clippings for smartphones, but the purpose is still the same: turning everyday purchases into extra support for local schools.
So the next time your kids are tearing through a snack and you spot that familiar Box Tops logo, do not toss the receipt just yet. A quick scan could help your child’s school—and give you a little flashback to those days of clipping squares from cereal boxes.
