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    Home > How To's

    Best Lunch Boxes

    Published: Jul 15, 2021 · Modified: Jun 21, 2022 · by Jess Smith · · 13 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Looking for the best lunch boxes for kids? Look no further. Keep reading for everything you need to select the best lunch box for your unique kid. 

    In this post, you'll find a comparison of Bentgo Kids, Bentology Classic 6-Piece, Fit Strong & Healthy, LunchBots Cinco, PlanetBox Rover, Pottery Barn Recycled Bento Box, Yumbox Original, and Ziploc.

    I also compared how these lunch boxes fit in popular insulated lunch bags - L.L. Bean Classic, Packit Freezable Classic, Pottery Barn Fairfax Classic, and Pottery Barn Mackenzie Cold Pack. 

    Jump straight to what you need by clicking below. 

    Jump to:
    • Why I Wrote This Post
    • Comparison of 8 Best Lunch Boxes
    • My Take on the “Best” Lunch Box
    • Comparison of 4 Insulated Lunch Bags
    • Will it Fit? Which Lunch Boxes Fit in Insulated Lunch Bags
    • What Fits Inside - Classic Lunches (with a sandwich)
    • What Fits Inside - Bento / Snack-style Lunches 
    • Best for kids who like variety
    • Best for packing a whole sandwich
    • Best for hot foods
    • Best for kids with big appetites
    • Best for packing multiple meals at once / meal prep
    • Best budget lunch box 
    • Best for packing dips
    • Best for kids 5 and under
    • Best for customizing
    • 💬 Comments

    Why I Wrote This Post

    When my twin daughters entered kindergarten, I put $25 into their school lunch accounts. Today, as they enter second grade, they each still have $25. My children (by their choice) have always requested a lunch from home. I wanted the most efficient way to get something healthy, filling, and a tiny bit fun packed for my kids every day. Packing lunches isn’t my favorite task but I like that it saves money, reduces waste, and insures I can offer them the fruits and vegetables I know they'll eat. 

    It all starts with choosing the right lunch box. To solve the riddle, I polled Facebook, Instagram, and reached out to friends. I heard from almost 100 people with kids ages 1 to 13. They had lots of opinions (all of which I incorporated into my recommendations below)!

    Based on parents' feedback, I narrowed the review down to the 8 most popular lunch boxes and 4 most popular insulated lunch bags. I purchased all of them and used them to pack lunches for my three kids for several months. Below is what I found!

    Comparison of 8 Best Lunch Boxes

    Note: These are the hard-sided containers that hold food. Scroll down to the bottom of the post to see how these fit inside popular soft-sided lunch bags.

    Bentgo Kids

    • Pros - Lots of bright colors; easiest for young kids to open; stays firmly shut and keeps food in each section separate even when stored on its side; comes apart easily for washing
    • Cons - Doesn’t hold a lot of food, so may not work for older kids (or kids with bigger appetites); several parents told me that the latches on their Bentgo Kids boxes broke within the first year of use (in all cases, the company replaced the broken latches for free)

    Bentology Classic 6-Piece

    • Pros - Offers many ways to customize; stays firmly shut and keeps food in each section separate even when stored on its side; has a space for utensils
    • Cons - Small pieces can be hard to keep track of and wash; internal containers are challenging for young kids to open
    Bentology Bento Lunch Box - Green and Blue

    Fit Strong & Healthy 3-Compartment Bento

    • Pros - Simple design that would work for kids and adults; snaps firmly shut; removable compartments for easy customization and washing; affordable
    • Cons - Only 3 divided spaces that are deep but not wide; spaces for food are not sealed, so moisture can leak between spaces

    LunchBots Large Cinco

    • Pros - Stainless steel construction feels like it will last forever; top and bottom come fully apart, so it easily fits in the dishwasher
    • Cons - Difficult for young kids to open; doesn’t latch tightly; spaces for food are not sealed, so moisture can leak between spaces

    PlanetBox Rover

    • Pros - Stainless steel construction feels like it will last forever; can hold a lot of food
    • Cons - Heavy; top and bottom are attached, so it takes up a lot of space in the dishwasher and is slightly unwieldy to use at the lunch table; spaces for food are not sealed, so moisture can leak between spaces

    Pottery Barn Recycled Bento Box

    • Pros - Lightweight; simple design; can hold a lot of food
    • Cons - The top and bottom are attached, so it takes up a lot of space in the dishwasher and is slightly unwieldy at the lunch table; spaces for food are not sealed, so moisture can leak between spaces

    Yumbox Original

    • Pros - Lots of bright designs; easy for young kids to open; stays firmly shut and keeps food in each section separate even when stored on its side; comes easily apart for washing
    • Cons - The top and bottom are attached, so it takes up a lot of space in the dishwasher; lots of nooks and crannies to wash and dry

    Ziploc Lunch Containers

    • Pros - Simple and very lightweight design; most affordable of all the options reviewed; comes easily apart for washing; latch feels tight when sealed
    • Cons - Less sturdy than other options so will need to be replaced from time-to time; spaces for food are not sealed, so moisture can leak between spaces
    Comparison of 8 Best Lunch Boxes
      Bentgo
    Kids
    Bentology
    Classic 6-Piece
    Fit Strong & Healthy
    3-Compartment Bento
    LunchBots
    Large Cinco
    PlanetBox
    Rover
    Pottery Barn
    Spencer Bento Box
    Yumbox
    Original
    Ziploc
    Lunch Container
    Photo (click to enlarge)
    Price per unit $24.99 $12.99 $6.66
    (sold in sets of 3)
    $41.99 $55.95 $16.50 $28.00 $1.75
    (sold in sets of 2)
    Where to buy Amazon
    Target
    Bentgo
    Amazon
    Bentology
    Amazon Amazon
    LunchBots
    PlanetBox Pottery Barn
    (also in stainless
    steel)
    Amazon
    YumBox
    Amazon
    Target
    Dimensions 6.5 x 8.5 x 2 8.75 x 7 x 2.25 8 x 5 x 2.75 6.5 x 8 x 1.8 10 x 7.5 x 1.5 8.5 x 7 x 2.5 8.5 x 6.5 x 2 6.5 x 9 x 2.5
    Material Plastic (BPA-free) Plastic (BPA-free) Plastic (BPA-free) Stainless Steel Stainless Steel Plastic (BPA-free) Plastic (BPA-free) Plastic (BPA-free)
    Weight 1 lb 4 oz 13 oz 7 oz 15 oz 1 lb 4 oz 12 oz 1 lb 1 oz 2 oz
    Compartments 5 5 3 5 5 5 6 3
    Total Volume for Food 3 cups 4.1 cups 4.8 cups 5 cups 4.8 cups 7.3 cups 3.5 cups 4 cups
    Color / Design Options 12 7 1 1 1 7 10 1
    Removable insert? Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes No
    Holds dip? Yes Yes No Yes (add-on needed) Yes (add-on needed) No Yes No
    Holds utensils? No Yes No No Yes No No No
    Dishwasher safe? Tray only Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Tray only Yes
    Microwave safe? Tray only (max 3 minutes) No No No No No No No
    Easy to Open

     

    (as determined by my almost-two-year-old)

    Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No

    My Take on the “Best” Lunch Box

    The winners in my book were the Ziploc and the Yumbox Original. My style of packing lunches is usually bento or snack-style, and I like that Yumbox has many compartments, allowing for the most variety. I frequently pack dips, and I love that it keeps dips separate without every spilling into other compartments. The Yumbox is very well made. We have been using the original two I purchased for three years and they show very little wear and tear. Since this post was first published, I purchased the Yumbox Tapas for myself and have been packing my lunches in it on days when we're at the park or on the go. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved Ziploc lunch containers which are widely available and super affordable. I love having these around! The nestle nicely so take up very little space and are perfect for any lunches that don't have wet ingredients or dips - like the "classic" sandwich-based lunch shown below. 

    Worth mentioning is that I also really like the Bentgo Kids for the same reasons as the Yumbox. The Yumbox only beat it out because it holds a bit more food and feels more solid. Several parents I polled told me that the latches that connect the lower and upper sections on their Bentgo Kids broke in the first year of use. (Note: In call cases Bentgo replaced those latches for free.)

    Curious what my kids think?

    • Clara (8 years old) - She loves the Fit Strong & Healthy. Clara would happily eat the same thing for lunch each day, and she likes seeing exactly what she’s getting before she opens it. 
    • Molly (8 years old) - Molly loves variety and her favorite box is the Pottery Barn Recycled Bento. She loves the extra divided space that holds a “surprise”. (I think she believes I'll always pack treats in this “surprise” space which probably gives it a leg up.)
    • June (4 years old) - June loves the Bentgo Kids. She is always thrilled when she spots this bright, easy-to-open lunch box in the fridge. The spaces are just the right size for little hands to navigate.

    Insulated lunch boxes for kids - L.L. Bean Classic, Packit Freezable Classic, Pottery Barn Fairfax Classic, and Pottery Barn Mackenzie Cold Pack.

    Comparison of 4 Insulated Lunch Bags

    One of the things I wanted to include in this post is an illustration of which lunch boxes fit in which lunch bags. Before my daughters started school I purchased the Pottery Barn Mackenzie Classic Lunch Box for the Yumbox Original. Online the dimensions seemed to indicate that it would fit, but in reality, the hard-sided interior of the Mackenzie Classic meant that these two did NOT work together. I ended up returning the Mackenzie Classic and buying the Mackenzie Cold Pack (shown below). I really wanted to save you that headache. See below for confirmation of which lunch boxes fit in which lunch bags.

    L.L. Bean Classic Lunch Box - Green
    PackIt Freezable Classic Lunch Box
    Pottery Barn Fairfax Classic Lunch Box / Bag
    Pottery Barn Mackenzie Cold Pack Lunch Box / Bag

    Comparison of 4 Popular Insulated Lunch Bags

      L.L. Bean
    Classic
    Packit
    Freezable Classic
    Pottery Barn
    Fairfax Classic
    Pottery Barn
    Mackenzie Cold Pack

     

     

    Price $19.95 $19.99 $24.99 $32.5
    Where to buy L.L. Bean Amazon Pottery Barn Pottery Barn
    Dimensions (Interior) 9.5 x 3.75 x 7 10.3 x 4.3 x 8.3 8.5 x 3.5 x 7.5 9 x 3.5 x 7.5
    Weight 5.5 oz 1 lb 8 oz 8 oz 8.5 oz
    Color / Design Options 10+ 10+ 10+ 10+
    Designated Space for Water Bottle No No Yes Yes

     

    Will it Fit? Which Lunch Boxes Fit in Insulated Lunch Bags

      L.L Bean
    Classic
    Packit
    Freezable Classic
    Pottery Barn
    Fairfax Classic
    Pottery Barn
    Mackenzie Cold Pack
    Does the Company make its own lunch bag?
    Bentgo
    Kids
    Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes. Click here.
    Bentology
    Classic 6-Piece
    No Yes (very tight fit) Yes Yes. Click here.
    Fit Strong & Healthy
    3-Compartment Bento
    Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    LunchBots
    Large Cinco
    Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes. Click here.
    PlanetBox
    Rover
    No  (very tight fit) No No Yes. Click here.
    Pottery Barn
    Spencer Bento Box
    No Yes Yes Yes Yes - fits in any of the Pottery
    Barn brand lunch bags
    Yumbox
    Original
    Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes. Click here.
    Ziploc
    Lunch Container
    (tight fit) Yes Yes Yes No

    What Fits Inside - Classic Lunches (with a sandwich)

    Here’s what each of these lunch boxes look like when packed with the following “classic” lunch:

    • Whole PBJ sandwich
    • Grapes
    • Baby Carrots (with Ranch Dressing only in lunch boxes that provide a no-spill spice for dip)
    • Animal Crackers
    Bentgo Kids packed with Classic Lunch
    Bentology packed with Classic Lunch
    Fit Strong and Healthy Lunch Box packed with Classic Lunch
    LunchBots Cinco packed with Classic Lunch
    Planetbox Rover packed with Classic Lunch
    Pottery Barn Spencer packed with Classic Lunch
    Yumbox Classic packed with Classic Lunch
    Ziploc Divided Lunch Box with packed with Classic Lunch
    What Does it Hold?
    “Classic” Lunch
    Bentgo
    Kids
    Bentology
    Classic 6-Piece
    Fit Strong & Healthy
    3-Compartment Bento
    LunchBots
    Large Cinco
    PlanetBox
    Rover
    Pottery Barn
    Recycled Bento Box
    Yumbox
    Original
    Ziploc
    Lunch Container

    What Fits Inside - Bento / Snack-style Lunches 

    Here’s what each of these lunch boxes look like when packed with the following Bento or “snack-style” lunch:

    • Whole Grain Crackers with a Laughing Cow Cheese
    • Strawberries
    • Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
    • Salad with chopped cucumbers and tomatoes
    • Cashews
    • Jelly Beans
    Bentgo Kids packed with Bento lunch
    Bentology packed with Bento lunch
    Fit Strong and Healthy lunch box packed with Bento lunch
    LunchBots Cinco packed with Bento lunch
    Planetbox Rover packed with Bento lunch
    Pottery Barn Spencer Lunch Box packed with Bento lunch
    Yumbox Classic packed with Bento lunch
    Ziploc lunch box packed with Bento lunch
    What Does it Hold?
    Bento-Style Lunch
    Bentgo
    Kids
    Bentology
    Classic 6-Piece
    Fit Strong & Healthy
    3-Compartment Bento
    LunchBots
    Large Cinco
    PlanetBox
    Rover
    Pottery Barn
    Recycle Bento Box
    Yumbox
    Original
    Ziploc
    Lunch Container

    Best for kids who like variety

    If you or your kids like to pack a variety of items, the best options are the ones with the most divided spaces like the Yumbox Original (with 6 compartments) or the Bentgo Kids, Bentology, LunchBots Large Cinco, PlanetBox Rover, or Pottery Barn Recycled Bento Box (all with 5 compartments). 

    Best for packing a whole sandwich

    The best options for packing a whole sandwich are the Bentology 6-piece Bento Box, PlanetBox Rover, and Ziploc Lunch Container. A sandwich sliced into quarters can also easily fit in the Fit Strong & Healthy 3-compartment Bento or Pottery Barn Recycled Bento.

    Best for hot foods

    None of the lunch boxes reviewed are designed to keep hot food hot, but if you’re looking to pack a hot item, the OmieBox Bento Box with Leakproof Thermos is a good option. Several kids in my daughters’ class use this lunch box, and it seems to hold the food at a warm temperature. No five-year-old I've met could open the thermos section without adult help, so keep that in mind, or do a few practice runs before sending your kids off with this option. The LunchBots 8oz Thermos is a solid thermos that takes up very little space and is a good option for packing a side of warm or chilled food outside of the lunchbox.

    Best for kids with big appetites

    If you need to pack a big lunch, it's hard to beat the Pottery Barn Recycled Bento. This thing holds SO. MUCH. FOOD. It has over 7 cups of volume, which is far more than any other lunch box I tested. The compartments in this lunch box are deep and it makes efficient use of them. 

    Pottery Barn Spencer Bento Lunch Box

    Best for packing multiple meals at once / meal prep

    If you are looking to pack multiple lunches at once, the more affordable, minimalist lunch box options are great for this. The Fit Strong & Healthy 3-compartment Bento and the Ziploc Lunch Containers come in packs with multiple lunch boxes and can easily be stacked in the fridge. When I polled parents, two parents also use these Meal Prep Containers from Amazon which are similar in size to the Ziploc containers and come in a pack of 10. All three of these options seal firmly, stack easily, and are easy to wash. 

    Best budget lunch box 

    If you have a kid who often leaves their lunch box at school or might accidentally throw it out, it’s hard to beat the Ziploc Lunch Containers. They sell these at the grocery store and they’re super affordable, so it’s no big deal to replace them. 

    Best for packing dips

    Many kids love dipping! A little space for peanut butter, Ranch dressing, hummus, or Nutella can make lunch a bit more fun. Bentgo Kids and Yumbox Original come with built-in spaces for dips. Bentology comes with a small sealed removable container for dips. The LunchBots Large Cinco and PlanetBox Rover have optional inserts for dips (that can be purchased separately) and come with tight-fitting lids.

    Best for kids 5 and under

    Bentgo Kids, Yumbox Original, and Pottery Barn Recycled Bento are so easy to open and offer lots of finger food flexibility so they make great options for young kids. LunchBots Large Cinco and PlanetBox Rover are also finger-food friendly but they are slightly more difficult to open and both are quite heavy.

    Best for customizing

    The removable compartments of the Bentology 6-piece Bento make it super easy to customize. You can use the lunch box with no containers, some containers, or all of the containers and they can each be removed and rearranged. 

    Best of luck if you’re shopping for a lunch box! If you use any of these or another lunch box, I'd love to hear about it in the comments. (Or, if you have questions, ask them in the comments, and I’ll add them to the post.)

    Need Inspiration? Check out these lunch packing Instagram accounts:

    • Dictator Lunches  
    • School LunchBox  
    • Kid Lunch Box 
    • Lunches + Littles  
    • Pretty Practical Mom
    • Goody Goody Lunch Box 

    *I was not compensated for writing this post. It does include affiliate links.*

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    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Frank Lou

      July 06, 2020 at 11:30 pm

      Thank you, very helpful article. I will use it for my children to use.

      Reply
    2. Timothy Maloy

      August 13, 2020 at 9:09 pm

      Thank you for your article, which was very interesting and helpful to me. I will recommend it to more people.

      Reply
    3. Morgan

      July 10, 2021 at 12:27 pm

      Thank you SO much for this, half way through the article I was thinking hmm I wonder if this will fit in the pottery barn lunch bag and then bam you covered that also! So thorough and appreciated!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        July 13, 2021 at 8:42 am

        So glad you found what you needed Morgan! We're republishing the post this week since many of us (me included) are on the hunt for lunch boxes for next year.

        Reply
    4. Sarah

      July 21, 2021 at 6:32 pm

      This is so helpful! Did you test the Pottery Barn Mackenzie classic lunchbox with the hard interior? We have an older one with a soft interior that fits more boxes than the new one seems to. Thank you for all this investigating and testing!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        July 22, 2021 at 8:54 am

        I did! The Mackenzie Classic with the hard interior was slightly too small for the Yumbox. Technically we could have squeezed it in, but couldn't have easily fit anything else and it was awkward for the kids to put the lunchbox back in. So any of the boxes that are smaller than Yumbox might work, but the larger ones definitely won't. I find the Mackenzie cold pack to be much more versatile and easy to pack, even though it's a bit larger to carry.

        Reply
        • Sarah

          July 22, 2021 at 8:39 pm

          Thank you so much for responding! Your information helps so much. Unfortunately, I just bought the monogrammed Mackenzie classic and they didn’t have the cold pack in the style to match his backpack. Thank you for your help!

          Reply
          • Jess Smith

            July 23, 2021 at 8:59 am

            The Mackenzie classic is so nice, especially with the monogram! Even though not all of these lunch boxes will fit in it, it's a good size, and the hard sides are so great for keeping lunch in individual containers from getting squished. It's a good one!

            Reply
    5. Justine N

      July 28, 2021 at 9:12 pm

      Absolutely loved your article! Thank you so much for all the information your provided! Extremely thorough and well written. Definitely sharing post to spread the knowledge!

      Reply
    6. Casey

      August 01, 2021 at 6:39 pm

      This was an amazingly helpful article. Thanks for taking the time!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        August 03, 2021 at 1:47 pm

        So glad it was helpful!

        Reply
    7. Gissette Taveras

      September 05, 2021 at 6:57 am

      So helpful and will be sharing with all my parents friends. I read above that you tested the PB Mackenzie classic. Like the poster above, we’ve already personalized our three lunchboxes and now have to make it work. I see sadly the Yumbox does not fit. Did you try the Bentgo with the Mackenzie Classic? Did it fit? Do you recommend any other bento containers that deals in moisture that will fit this lunchbox? Thank you!!!!!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        September 09, 2021 at 9:25 am

        The Bentgo has very similar dimensions to the Yumbox, so it will fit, but it's sort of awkward - the walls of the Mackenzie are slightly sloped so the Bentgo won't nestle right down inside of the box. You might check out some of the smaller Lunch Bots containers. The Cinco would work but again would be a sort of awkward fit, but the smaller Lunch Bots containers would fit nicely and you could use their little add-on containers for things like dips and fruit that would add too much moisture to the box. I love all the little Yumbox Dip containers - they're easy to wash and the lids stay on.

        Reply

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