How to choose a kids school lunchbox

Photo: Little Lunch Love

Lunches looked a lot different when I went to school. My sandwiches were put in a ziplock bag and tossed into a brown paper bag along with a piece of fruit and a granola bar. When it was time to retrieve my lunch from my backpack, the sandwich was usually smushed, the banana was beaten up and oozing and the granola bar.. well, thank goodness for the granola bar!

​Now, kids go to school with their lunches packed in all sorts of fancy lunch boxes which I love not only because they’re great for the environment but because they make lunch FUN!

But how do you choose the right one? Well, that depends on a few things...

• If your child is new to school this year (like my son Brookson yay!) look for a lunchbox that’s easy to open. Have your little practice eating out of the lunchbox BEFORE they start school and show them the right way to open & close it  (ie. not upside down)! The lunch room is a busy place and kids don’t get  a lot of time to eat so you want them to be confident and independent.
• What does your child like to eat? Ie. sandwiches, snack foods, leftover, hot foods? Depending on what they like, look for lunchboxes with compartments/divisions  that will fit those foods.
• Choose a lunchbox that can contain spills. And if the one you want doesn’t, then look for smaller leakproof containers that will fit inside and hold any yogurt, applesauce, dipping sauces you want to pack.
• Choose something dishwasher safe and save yourself some time! Most lunchboxes can be washed on the top rack in your dishwasher but always check the FAQ section to be sure! 

In addition to the tips above, I've created a simple lunchbox comparison chart (below)  featuring the 5 lunchbox brands I use. There's additional information about each lunchbox below the chart. I hope this information helps you pick the right lunchbox for your little :)

Have a question? Leave me a comment below or send me (Jenny) an email at [email protected].

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Lunchbox Comparison Chart

CLICK CHART TO ENLARGE

Image, information and opinions by Little Lunch Love

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LITTLE LUNCH BOX CO.

Photo: Little Lunch Love

​Designed in Australia by a busy mother on the quest for the perfect lunch box, The Little Lunch Box Co lunch box comes in a variety of colours and patterns and is suitable for all ages. They offer two sizes with a couple of compartment options, Bento Two, Bento Three and Bento Five. 

The Bento Five
I have The Bento Five that was designed specifically for children who prefer variety or who are fussy eaters. It allows me to pack endless combinations of foods such as fruit, veggies and dip, cheese and crackers and yogurt and granola which can all be packed side by side without the risk of spoiling.

This product is  BPA Free, dishwasher safe, able to store wet foods * Please refer to their packing instructions for an explanation of wet foods, easy for little hands to open, lightweight medium in size at 17.5cm x 17.5cm x 5.6cm. Little Lunch Box Co. recommends using an insulated bag with an ice pack to keep contents cool.

YUMBOX

Photo: Little Lunch Love

​Designed in France by mama-duo Maia and Daniela who wanted:

• a lunch box housing a bento-like tray with one lid that sealed all compartments
• designated food groups to encourage and assist parents in packing a balanced meal
• built-in portion control
• a cool design and illustrations to make this little box more of an adventure in good nutrition than just plain old lunch

I own two of these babies (the Yumbox Panino and the Yumbox Original) because they’re light, compact and super easy for my kids to open and close. 

​The Yumbox Panino
The Yumbox Panino  has a 4-compartment food tray and is the box for you if your little loves a sandwich or salad style lunch. It has one large sandwich size section (2 cups) with two smaller 1/2 cup sides plus a 1 oz dip/treat well.

​The Yumbox Original 
The Yumbox Original 6-compartment food tray, is perfect for toddlers through age 8 who like variety. It accommodates five 1/2 cup portions plus one dip/treat well. The illustrated trays are a helpful guide if your child wants to pack their own lunch (ya right lol) They are also a helpful guide for me when I’m feeling a bit stumped on what I should pack. 

​This product is BPA-Free, Phthalates-free and are CPSIA and FDA compliant. It is dishwasher safe, able to store wet foods * Please refer to their FAQ page to learn how to pack wet foods, easy for little hands to open, lightweight (1 lbs 1.5 oz.) and compact in size at 8.5 (l) x 6.5 (w) x 1.8 (h) inches. YumBox recommends using an insulated bag with an ice pack to keep contents cool.

LUNCHBOTS

Photo: Little Lunch Love

The company was started by Jacqueline Linder, a mom who was concerned about chemicals in plastic leaching into her food. So, she started LunchBots and they now offer an extensive collection of stainless steel containers (super strong and super non-toxic) including bento containers with a variety of compartments, leak Proof containers and insulated containers. 
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Bento Cinco

I own the Bento Cinco container because it’s perfect for both children and adults who have a healthy appetite. The two larger compartments are perfect for a sandwich/salad, chicken/rice combos and the three smaller compartments fit fruits, veg, trail mix, baked goods etc. So basically, it can fit enough food in it to satisfy anyone for the entire day. 

I also love that it's slim enough to fit in almost every lunch bag and that it's lightweight & extremely durable.

This product is made from durable food-grade 18/8 stainless steel with no linings, no toxins, no BPA and no phthalates. The Large Bento Container is NOT able to store wet foods, however they have other options available that can accommodate wet foods. It is dishwasher safe, weighs 17 oz and compact in size at 8" x 6" x 1.75" | Large sections: 4" x 3.5" | Small sections: 2.7" x 2.5"  *LunchBots recommends using an insulated bag with an ice pack to keep contents cool.

OMIEBOX

Photo: Little Lunch Love

Created with love by two parents on opposite sides of the world, Nancy Yen (Founder & CEO) and Robin Big (Creative Director) set out to create a new kind of lunch system that would help kids eat better. 

OmieBox is the first insulated bento lunch box for kids that stores hot and cold food together. The bento compartments are double walled, air insulated and leak-proof, so it keeps fruits and vegetables cool and fresh. Hot items go inside the thermos (which is wide a low for little fingers) but what’s cool is you can remove the thermos compartment and pack a sandwich if you wish instead!

It also has a handle so it’s the only container you need to store and transport food to school. Oh and its available in 5 super beautiful colours. I have the green one Yay! 

​OmieBox is made of ABS, PP, silicon, and 18/8 food grade stainless steel. It is is BPA‐free, Phthalates‐free. It is also CPSIA and FDA compliant. It is dishwasher safe leak‐proof *Please refer to their FAQ page to learn how to pack wet foods* but it weighs a touch heavy at 1.9 lbs with the vacuum insulated container, and 1.2 lbs without. It’s a small price to pay for an insulated hot/cold lunchbox and so worth it! 

BENTGO KIDS

Photo: Little Lunch Love

This bento-style lunch box is designed specifically for kids who are on the go thanks to its drop-proof, rubber-coated edges and sturdy design! It also features 5 practical compartments portioned perfectly for a child’s appetite which are sealed and leak-proof, meaning you can fill them with both dry and wet foods without worrying about them leaking into each other.

This Bento Kids lunch box is perfect for sending a half sandwich or salad along with some veggies, cheese and crackers and dip! I also love it to send leftovers (if your kids don't mind eating them cold).

The Bento Kids lunchbox features two easy to open and close latches and rubber coated edges for a sturdy drop-proof design. It also features a removable, dishwasher-safe (top-shelf), microwave and freezer safe tray for convenient packing and cleaning.

​It is made from Food grade plastic and contains no BPA, Vinyl, Lead, or PVC.