Back-to-School, Last Call! Last-Minute School Essentials That Save Time and Money
Target makes last-minute back-to-school shopping easy with stylish looks, school essentials, and parent-approved lunchbox favorites—all in one convenient stop.
NEW YORK, Aug. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The back-to-school countdown is on, and parents everywhere are still scrambling to grab supplies, snacks, and outfits before the first bell rings. Lifestyle Expert and mom Anna De Souza conducted a satellite media tour in partnership with Target and D S Simon Media to share her top tips for tackling last-minute shopping stress-free.
According to lifestyle expert Anna De Souza, Target makes last-minute shopping simple with solutions like the 20-for-$20 school supply list, Good & Gather™ lunchbox favorites, and Room Essentials™ dorm must-haves. These options help families save time, money, and energy, ensuring kids head into the school year confident and prepared.
Smart and Affordable Supplies
Target has everything parents need to get their kids ready for school, with school supplies starting at just 35 cents. Even in the final days of shopping, the retailer remains committed to providing value and is holding on to 2024 pricing on select supplies so families and teachers can save big. Parents can also take advantage of thousands of items under $5, including Target’s popular $5 backpack, now available in new colors and prints. With the 20-for-$20 essentials list, families can grab classroom must-haves like up&up™ wood pencils, washable glue, kids’ scissors, Mondo Llama™ colored pencils and crayons, BIC® pens, Dealworthy™ folders and composition books, Sterilite pencil boxes, and loose-leaf paper—all in one stop.
Kid-Approved Foods
When it comes to prepping lunches, Target’s Good & Gather™ brand helps parents feel good about what they pack. From the beginning, Good & Gather’s promise has been simple: quality ingredients, thoughtfully chosen. That means no artificial flavors, no synthetic colors, no artificial sweeteners and no high-fructose corn syrup, Good & Gather offers nutritious and budget-friendly lunchbox and food options kids actually enjoy. Favorites include organic apple carrot and apple spinach applesauce pouches, pomegranate and strawberry fruit strips, strawberry banana yogurt pouches, Sunbutter no-crust sandwiches, and fresh mandarins. With lunchbox items starting at just $3, it’s easy to fuel kids for a full day of learning.
Stylish Looks for Every Age
Sending kids back to the classroom with confidence is top of mind for parents. Target offers fashionable, yet affordable, pieces across its popular brands, including Cat & Jack™, art class™, Wild Fable, Goodfellow & Co, Universal Thread, and A New Day. Options like Cat & Jack™ tees and uniform pants or fleece skorts and hoodies from art class™ fleece are comfortable, versatile, and wallet-friendly.
Dorm Room Ready
For older kids heading off to college, Target’s Room Essentials™ brand makes outfitting a dorm simple and affordable with prices starting at just $1 for students to create a functional, stylish space on a budget. Must-haves include organizer task lamps, shower caddies, washcloths and bath towels, collapsible dorm storage ottomans, stoneware mugs, and Sharp® table clocks.
Extra Ways to Save
- Teacher and Student Discount – Verified teachers and college students receive a one-time 20% off storewide with Target Circle.
- Target Circle Card – Cardholders save an extra 5% every day.
- Same-Day Options – With Drive Up and Order Pickup, parents can order online and pick up within hours. Through September 13, teachers and students can join Target Circle 360 at 50% off a year-long membership for unlimited same-day delivery on orders over $35—a perfect way to get weekly groceries and dorm or classroom essentials delivered straight to their door. Members can shop from their local stores through the Shipt Marketplace using their Target credentials with no markup or delivery fees.
Visit one of Target’s nearly 2,000 store locations, Target.com or the Target app for the latest deals, Target Circle promotions and last-minute back-to-school finds.
BIO: About Anna De Souza
Anna De Souza is a television host, digital and broadcast journalist, producer, editor, (and mom to many!) covering lifestyle, technology, and beauty. Uncovering tomorrow’s trends today, Anna is lucky enough to test wearables that calculate calories through your skin, and slather on beauty innovations that may soon earn its keep in a bathroom cabinet near you.
When not snacking her way through the cobblestone streets of Philadelphia with her hubs, twin daughters, and baby boy — you can catch Anna hosting Anna’s Answers on Yahoo! Life, writing, producing, and editing Get It Together, Crazy Kitchens, and Kids in the Kitchen for Today All Day, and co-hosting shopping segments for Inside Edition.
Anna has contributed to The TODAY Show, the Dr. Oz Show, The Doctors, Daily Mail TV, Access Hollywood, Good Morning America, the Rachael Ray Show, New York LIVE on NBC, FOX & Friends, Good Day Philadelphia, the PIX Morning News, Martha Stewart Radio, Fast Company, U.S. News & World Report, Allure, the New York Post, has covered the red carpet live, and repped several brands on QVC. She’s served as a media spokesperson for national brands Target, Sam’s Club, eBay, Mercari, KAY Jewelers, Jared, and more.
Anna has penned essays on IVF and infertility as well as health-centered pieces focusing on stroke and stroke awareness after suffering a retinal stroke while pregnant with her daughters.
She and her family have appeared in national advertisements for Verizon, Skip Hop, Chicco, Walmart, Stride Rite, Brother Printers, Ubbi, Panasonic, Ocean Prime, and more.
Anna began her career in the magazine and book publishing industry handling communications on behalf of Fitness, More, and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines and for fashionable coffee-table book giants Assouline, Rizzoli, and Abrams Books. Born in Rio de Janeiro and fluent in Brazilian Portuguese, she graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers University as a member of Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
About D S Simon Media:
The firm is well known as a leader in the satellite media tour industry and produces tours from its studio and multiple control rooms at its New York headquarters. Clients include top brands in healthcare, technology, travel, financial services, consumer goods, entertainment, retail and non-profits. Established in 1986 the firm has won more than 100 industry awards.
About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a property of D S Simon Media. The video included and release was part of a media tour that was produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of Target.
Media Contact:
Michael O’Donnell
D S Simon Media
212-736-2727
modonnell@dssimon.com
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1e542c6d-83ca-4171-99b8-8c2a60f85039
