The Best Lunchboxes for Kids

(Scroll to the bottom for 5 top tips to make lunchtime at school easier on your child.)

Photo by Vanessa Loring from Pexels

Alright guys, it’s time to talk lunch boxes. Every year, when camp is over and school is around the corner, I begin to rethink my lunch box strategy. How annoying is making the lunches?! Every night as I dump out the previous day’s lunch remnants and refill the lunch boxes, I feel like the Dunkin Donuts guy…. “Time to make the donuts…”.

I have been making lunches for ten years. In those ten years, I’ve learned a thing or two and I am going to share it here. Here are the lunch boxes that we use and have used for a long time. I am giving you the pros and cons of each.

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PLANET BOX

• Sturdy and lasts forever

• Dishwasher Safe

• Leak Proof

• Makes packing lunches really easy- just fill the compartments, no fiddling with lids and wraps.

• Does not fit a standard lunch box case. You have to order theirs.

• It is simple to control portion size and add variety.

• Very Pricey. I would be very upset if this got lost. I held off on buying one for many, many years for this reason. Now I have one for each kid.

THE YUMBOX LUNCHBOX

• Super easy to open and close for even the littlest hands.

• Compartments are completely airtight and I have never had a leaking issue.

• Makes packing lunches really easy- just fill the compartments, no fiddling with lids and wraps.

• It is simple to control portion size and add variety.

• Comes apart easily and all goes right in the dishwasher.

• Fits inside a standard lunchbox case.

• This is the lunch box I reach for time and time again.

• The only con here is that it is too small for my 13 year old. (He would bring the entire refrigerator if he could).

OMIEBOX HOT AND COLD BENTO LUNCHBOX

• Multi temperature compartments with the use of the insulated thermos insert allows you to take warm and cold food in the same bento lunchbox.

• The sections are custom, so you can remove the thermos leaving room for a large sandwich instead.

• Fits a standard lunchbox case OR you can take it on it’s own using the handle. It is insulated, so you don’t need to add ice packs. The side compartment fits a juice box well.

• Durable. We have had these lunchboxes for YEARS and they’ve been dragged and dropped. The might look a little worse for the wear but they still work great.

• Dishwasher safe on the top rack.

• The Thermos is only keeps food hot or cold for four hours, making it ideal for half-day preschoolers, but not so great when lunch time is after that time frame.

• I love that you can customize the smaller compartments, but I don’t love that they are not leak proof.

EASY LUNCHBOX

• Inexpensive and durable. These were the first bento we ever used, and we continue to use them today.

• I am not upset if they get lost because they aren’t as expensive as the other bento boxes we own.

• They fit easily in a standard lunchbox case.

• You can add these silicon muffin liners to make more sections in the large compartment.

• Holds a sandwich with room.

• The plastic discolors over time and needs to be replaced.

• They are hand-washable. The dishwasher will warp them… I speak from experience.

• The compartments are not leakproof.

FAVORITE LUNCHBOXES AND ACCESORIES

Click the button below for all of our tried and true lunch box and snack accessories. If you reached into our cabinet, this is exactly what you would find.

*These are affiliate links, meaning that I get a small kickback from Amazon, but it costs you nothing.

5 Tips to Make Lunchtime at School Easier:

Is your little one off to a full day of school? Will she be eating lunch at her new school? Here are some tips to make lunchtime predictable and successful for your child.  

1. Use a simple lunch box.  Cut everything up, unwrap it all.

2. Simple, easy-to-eat foods.  Nothing complicated or over the top.  Trust me, the teachers do not think you are a better mother if you pack the fanciest or healthiest lunch.  Pack a  nutritious lunch that your child can eat independently in a timely manner.

3. Pack foods you want your child to eat in any order THEY choose.  If you will be upset that they ate dessert and not their apple slices, don’t pack dessert. Save it for when they get home.  They are exercising their independence when they eat lunch at school.  If you pack all foods that are acceptable to you, it is ok for them to choose the order in which they want to eat it.  

4. Lower your expectations and expect them to come home hungry! School lunch is mostly just about being social and only a little bit about eating.  Knowing that, pack a punch with the snack you plan for when they arrive home.  

5. PRACTICE! Use your child’s lunch box at home. Show them what their lunch box with their name on it looks like. Have them practice opening and closing the latches and containers at home.  Get them completely comfortable with it.  No surprises on that first day.  This is one unknown that you can get in front of.  

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