Meta: Choosing a lunch box can be difficult since there are so many different options on the market. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of the best lunch boxes and bags for boys and girls. Whether you’ve got a little soldier or a princess on your hands, these lunch boxes will keep them fed and happy through the school day.
Picking the best lunch box can be a bit stressful due to all the options on the market. That’s why we’ve gone through and created a list of the best lunch boxes and bags available to you. These are all either gender-neutral or come with options for both boys and girls, so no matter what your child’s tastes or inclinations are, there’s a great option here.
There are many different options on the market. Right now, bento boxes are very popular, as they offer internalized compartments and automatic portion sizing. However, there are also plenty of “traditional” lunch bags available as well. It all depends on your tastes.
Using a lunch box or bag that can be reused saves money in the long run, and it also can provide extra protection for the food. Some lunch boxes and bags are insulated, and some are even freezable.
Some of the lunch boxes are gender-neutral by virtue of their construction (that is, stainless steel really isn’t masculine or feminine), and some of them come with options that could be more girly (pink) or more boyish (green or blue). But they all will work with either boys or girls.
We wanted to make sure to include both bento and non-bento options for parents who might have a preference toward one or the other. We also wanted to give a variety of price points, from high-end to budget-conscious. All of these lunch boxes and bags are a great value.
Bento boxes are all the rage right now for both kids and adults when it comes to taking food around. Bento boxes are great because the portion sizes are already built into the container, so you don’t have to worry about overloading on any sort of food. The LunchBot Bento Trio Large Stainless-Steel Food Container is fantastic since the stainless steel insures that the lunch is kept in a safe, BPA-free environment.
The LunchBot Bento Trio Container is made of stainless steel, making it strong and easy to use. It’s safe for the dishwasher, so keeping it clean is a breeze. Plus, it’s attractive and gender-neutral. If your child bashes or drops the LunchBot Bento Trio Container, it’ll definitely hold up over time. It is great for little kids with butter fingers.
PROS
Again, the LunchBot Bento Trio Large Stainless-Steel Food Container is gender neutral, strong, and easy to wash. Using the LunchBot Bento Container means that you can carry tons of different main dishes and side dishes without the need for plastic bags, so it’s good for the environment while keeping food separated which is good for even the pickiest eaters.
CONS
The major con to the LunchBot Bento Container is that it’s not watertight, so anything with broth should be avoided. Plus, there is no handle for easy carrying.
The LunchBot Bento Trio Large Stainless-Steel Food Container is available on Amazon and comes with Prime.
Moving right along with the bento boxes since they are very popular, we have the Bentigo Kids Leakproof Lunch Box. Unlike the LunchBots Bento, the Bentigo Kids Leakproof Lunch Box is, as it says, leakproof so that you can pack things with dressings and broth with confidence. It also has three different color options: green, blue, and purple.
The Bentigo Kids Leakproof Lunch Box even comes with a little compartment that’s meant for dressings and dips, so you can be confident that when you pack ranch with your child’s baby carrots, the inside of his or her backpack won’t turn into a ranch-y mess. The trays in the Bentigo Lunch Box are also safe for the dishwasher and the microwave.
PROS
It’s nice that the Bentigo Kids Leakproof Lunch Box comes in different colors, so if you have multiple kids, it’s easy to keep everybody’s lunch straight. Plus, the fact that it’s microwavable means that hot lunches are a possibility with it as well. The leakproof nature is reassuring because if there is a mess, it will all be kept inside the box.
CONS
The Bentigo Kids Leakproof Lunch Box doesn’t come with a handle for easy carrying, however. Plus, keep in mind that it’s meant for pretty young children, as the portions are small. Expect this to be appropriate for kids up to 8 years of age. Then you’ll need to graduate to something larger.
The Bentigo Kids Leakproof Lunch Box can be bought on Amazon and comes with Prime.
Not everybody is crazy about Bento boxes, and you might have older children who need to be fed with something a bit more substantial than the previous two options. The Personal Lunch Bag from Embark is a great option for both female and male students, owing to its gender-neutral theme.
The Personal Lunch Bag from Embark is insulated and comes along with a convenient carry handle. The two-color choices are both gender neutral. The Lunch Bag is a great bag that can be bought when a child is in elementary school and grow up with them all through high school (assuming that it doesn’t get misplaced, of course).
PROS
The Personal Lunch Bag from Embark is a sturdy, insulated option that comes with a great price tag.
CONS
The Bentigo Kids Leakproof Lunch Box doesn’t come with a handle for easy carrying, however. Plus, keep in mind that it’s meant for pretty young children, as the portions are small. Expect this to be appropriate for kids up to 8 years of age. Then you’ll need to graduate to something larger.
The Personal Lunch Bag from Embark is available online at Target and can also be found in Target locations nationwide.
Here’s a gender-neutral and stylish option that’s perfect for kids and adults of all ages. This is a canvas, insulated lunch bag that will stand the test of time and look great doing it. It has handles so it can be carried on its own, but the profile means that it will also slip into a backpack easily if desired.
The LL Bean Lunch Bag has a slightly-rugged-yet-stylish slim profile appearance. It’s very-well constructed and will definitely hold up against the test of time. It’s got a great mesh pocket on the inside cover that’s wonderful for utensils or flat packs of seasoning or dressing. The large interior will ensure that the hungriest of kids stay full, but this is a great option for adults, as well.
PROS
The LL Bean Lunch Bag is durable and can hold a lot of food. The profile with handles means that it can be easily carried in a bag or held separately. The mesh pocket is a really nice addition that helps keep everything organized.
CONS
Again, this isn’t a Bento Box, so you’ll have to make sure that everything is packed separately. This may be a little too much lunch box for a younger child, as well. Plus, while the color options are certainly good-looking, they’re a little more mature than some younger kids may like.
The LL Bean Lunch Bag can be bought at LLBean.com.
If you’re tired of dealing with the hassle of additional freezer packs, then the Packit Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure is a great choice for the needs of your child. You can pop the Packit Freezable Lunch Bag into the freezer overnight, and the gel in the actual bag will freeze and act as a way to keep food safely cooled. This is a great solution if you’re concerned about the safety of ice packs.
The Packit Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure comes in a bewildering array of colors, so you can be certain that your child gets a bag that is personalized to his or her tastes. Plus, the lack of ice packs will certainly make packing their lunches in the morning easier. It comes with a handle for separate carrying, but the profile will fit well into a bag.
The major con may be if you’re packing something that also needs to be kept hot (like soup in a thermos). Packing a thermos into a cold bag might not be particularly ideal.
PROS
The Packit Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure comes in a bewildering array of colors, so you can be certain that your child gets a bag that is personalized to his or her tastes. Plus, the lack of ice packs will certainly make packing their lunches in the morning easier. It comes with a handle for separate carrying, but the profile will fit well into a bag.
CONS
The major con may be if you’re packing something that also needs to be kept hot (like soup in a thermos). Packing a thermos into a cold bag might not be particularly ideal.
The Packit Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure can be bought on Amazon and does come with Prime.
products | Details | price |
|---|---|---|
1. LunchBots Bento Trio Large Stainless-Steel Food Container | Material: Stainless Steel Holds liquids: No Color options: 1 Prime: Yes | |
2. Bentigo Kids Leakproof Lunch Box | Material: Plastic Holds Liquids: Yes Color Options: 3 Prime: Yes | |
3. Personal Lunch Bag from Embark | Material: Plastic (soft-sided) Holds Liquids: No Color Options: 2 Prime: No | |
4. LL Bean Lunch Bag | Material: Canvas and Plastic Holds Liquids: No Color Options: 3 Prime: No | |
5. Packit Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure | Material: Plastic (soft-sided) Holds Liquids: No Color Options: 39 Prime: No |
While all of these options have their pros and cons, we really have to hand it to the Packit Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure for the fact that it does double-duty. We like how it takes away the need for ice packs, and this means that the ice pack is much less likely to be lost, thrown away, or forgotten in the freezer. If it’s built-in, that’s extra convenience.
We also love how the bag comes in such a wide variety of colors. Whether your child is more of a basic black sort of person or if they want their lunch box to be covered in owls, the Packit Bag has them covered. We also like how it has a handle but yet is slim profile enough to fit inside a bag. The zip closure is also a very nice feature that ensures the contents of the bag don’t end up spilling out into the backpack it might be sitting in.
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