Buying kids lunch boxes used to be simple, you would go to your local Supermarket and there would be four maybe five options, in different bright colours and room for an icepack if you were lucky!
Though simple these old school lunchboxes were also wasteful, with everything inside needing to be individually wrapped using a lot of unnecessary plastic. These days there are thousands of options, with innovative designs to avoid excess waste and keep your food super fresh. We look at the current options for kids school lunch boxes and weigh up each one to see which is the best one for your child!
What to look for in a Kids School Lunch Box?:
When I bought my son’s first lunchbox for prep I thought I had hit the lottery! I found a cool bento-style lunchbox with an icepack, a cool dinosaur design that he loved and guess what? It was on sale! I was so excited I got it home and put a label on it straight away. The week before school my husband had the super clever idea of going on a picnic and taking the lunchbox so that our son could practice using it. When I packed it I had a little trouble opening and closing it but I just thought it was because it was new, I packed it full of healthy snacks and we were off.
At the picnic, I presented it to my son excitedly and waited to watch him open it… but he couldn’t. He struggled for a few minutes until it became obvious it was completely wedged. I ended up having to use a knife to get it open and when the lid finally sprung free it propelled yogurt all over me.
So after that huge fail, I went back to the drawing board, did some serious research and eventually ended up with a fantastic school lunchbox that is still going strong in term 4. Here are some things to consider when you are looking for your child’s next lunchbox:
What Lunch Box Suits Your School?
- Does your school have a zero-waste policy? If so you might need a lunchbox with lots of compartments so you can avoid plastic wrap or ziplock bags.
- Is your child’s lunchbox kept inside the classroom or outside in the heat? If it is in the heat you may need something with extra insulation or room for an ice brick.
What Type of Lunch Box Suits Your Child’s Appetite?
Is your child a grazer? They may like a bento-style box with lots of options. Or if you have a big eater like my kids then you may need a larger style lunchbox with room for a sandwich and backup snacks.
What Type of School Lunches Do You Plan On Sending?
Will you be sending yogurt and dips? If so you may like the look of the leakproof lunchboxes.
Is the Lunch Box Easy To Clean?
Is it dishwasher safe? Does it have lots of hidden crevices where mould can hide?
Is The Lunch Box Child Friendly?
- Can your child open and close it with ease? Is it light and easy to carry?
- Is it free from toxins? It is important to avoid lunchboxes that contain BPA, PVC, phthalates and lead.
Will The Lunch Box Keep Food Fresh And Intact?
- Is it well sealed to afford food going stale? Is the section well separated to avoid spillage?
The Bento Box Buying Guide:
Bento boxes are a fantastic option for school lunches, not only do they keep food separate and fresh they also minimise plastic waste. When buying a Bento Box it is important to look for these features:
- Bento boxes should have a leakproof lid that fits in with the compartments to prevent things from spilling into each other.
- Make sure that the size of the compartments suits what you intend to pack, there is nothing worse than wasting your time playing snack.
- Choose a bento box made from durable material like plastic or aluminium so that it lasts.
1. Yumbox Original 6 Lunch Box
The Yumbox Original 6 Lunch Box is a very popular bento-style lunch box and for good reason, it eliminated waste, it comes in super cute designs that kids love and it is incredibly practical. All of the compartments are labelled which actually comes in handy when you are trying to think of what to pack.
- Capacity: Each compartment holds 1/2 cup serving.
- Dimensions: 21.5cm x 15cm x 5cm & weighs 600g.
- Colours: Lila Purple, Nevis Blue, Pink Stardust & Yellow Sunburst
- Compartments: 6
- Leakproof: Yes for yogurts and dips, no for watery things like soup.
- Cost: $42.95 View Retailer >
What You Should Know: The Yumbox Original 6 Lunch Box is BPA and Phthalates free. It is important to teach your little ones to close their Yumbox properly by, pressing down on the lid with the palm of their hand and snapping the latch to the closed position to create a seal.
Stockist: Biome Eco Store
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2. Go Green Snack Box 5 Compartment
The Go Green Snack Box 5 Compartment is perfect if your child has a small school bag. It is smaller than other options but can still fit a substantial amount of food. Kids will love the modern design and the easy-to-use lock mechanism which makes opening and closing it a breeze.
- Capacity: Holds 4.5 cups of food.
- Dimensions: 24.5 x 16 x 5.5cm
- Colours: Green, blue, purple & pink.
- Compartments: 5
- Leakproof: 100%
- Cost: $37.00
What You Should Know: The Go Green Snack Box 5 Compartment is not dishwasher safe so it will need to be hand-washed. It is also BPA, lead, bleach and phthalate-free.
Stockist: Biome Eco Store
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3. Green Essentials Sustain-A-Bento Trio
The Green Essentials – Sustain-A-Bento Trio is a fantastic option for big eaters as it has a large compartment for sandwiches, muffins, you could even fit separate containers in there if needed. Made from Stainless Steel, the Green Essentials Sustain-A-Bento Trio is the ultimate eco-friendly school lunch box that will last and last and last!
- Capacity: 1.8L capacity
- Dimensions: 23cm
- Colour: Stainless Steel
- Compartments: 3
- Leakproof: No
- Cost: $39.95
What You Should Know: The Green Essentials – Sustain-A-Bento Trio is made from food-grade stainless steel, it is zero-waste and is toxin-free and plastic-free.
Stockist: Biome Eco Stores
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4. Monbento: Tresor Kids Bento Box
The Monbento: Tresor Kids Bento Box is the ultimate in storage compartments and functionality. It’s even customisable, with different tokens that can go on top of the lid! How cute is that! This Bento box has 1 large compartment and 2 smaller containers.
- Capacity: Unknown
- Dimensions: 16 cm L × 9.2 H × 10.4 W cm
- Colours: Pink and Green
- Compartments: 3
- Leakproof: Unknown
- Cost: $45.00
What You Should Know: This lunch box comes with a 3-year warranty. It isn’t known if it is leakproof. This bento box is BPA free and was designed in France (Fancy!)
Stockists:
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5. Husk Home Bento Box
If sustainability is something you value, then the Husk Home Bento Box is perfect! Husk Home is a boutique located in Queensland, so nothing better than supporting an Australian business. This lunch box is made of 70% biodegradable wheat straw, reducing the use of plastic. It consists of 4 compartments, the Husk Home Bento Box was created with healthy portions in mind. The Husk Home lunch box even comes with an e-book full of ideas of bento box ideas.
- Capacity: 1.3L
- Dimensions: 22.0cm L 18.2cm H 7.2 W cm
- 220*182*72 mm
- Colours: Pink, Aqua and Beige
- Compartments: 5
- Leakproof: 100%
- Cost: $49.96 View Retailer >
What You Should Know: It is only recommended to microwave for a max of 3 minutes. It’s dishwasher safe, on the top rack only.
Stockist: Amazon Australia
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6. Nomeca Kid’s Bento Box
This lunch box is ideal for kids aged between 3 – 9 years. It’s non – toxic and BPA free. It only has 4 sturdy compartments, great for packing leftovers or larger portions of foods. The small spaces are great for yoghurt and fruit. It’s 100% leak-proof with 2 latches that are easy for kids to open and close. So it saves the kid’s bothering the teacher to open their lunchbox! Win!
- Capacity: Largest Compartment: 320ml Smaller Compartment 160ml Circle Compartment 70ml
- Dimensions: 21.08 L x 16.51 H x 6.6cm W
- Colours: Citrus Yellow, Hot Pink and Teal
- Compartments: 4
- Leakproof: 100%
- Cost: $28.88 View Retailer >
What You Should Know: It’s recommended to remove the inner compartment and hand wash it, to maintain it’s durability. The Nomeca Bento Box is also microwavable safe, so perfect for any leftovers.
Stockist: Amazon Australia
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7. Omie Box Hot & Cold Bento Lunch Box
The Omie Box Hot & Cold Bento Lunch Box is proof that Mum’s can do anything! Created by Californian Nancy Yen after she could not find a lunch box that would allow her child to take both hot and cold food to school, the Omie Hot & Cold contains two different temperature zones, with a 220ml, two-layered vacuum insulated stainless steel container to for hot food. The truly innovative engineering of this product which uses air and vacuum insulation, as well as an airtight seal, minimizes heat transfer so your child’s hot food will stay hot and their cold food will stay cold!
- Capacity: Long compartment: 440ml, short compartment: 295ml, square compartment: 735ml, insulated compartment: 220ml.
- Dimensions: 21cm L x 7cm H x 18cm W.
- Colours: Blue, green, pink, purple & yellow.
- Compartments: 4
- Leakproof: The hot compartment is designed for wet food so it is leakproof but the rest of the lunch box is designed for dry food.
- Cost: $70.00 View Retailer >
What You Should Know: Hand washing your Omie Box Hot & Cold Bento Lunch Box is preferable. It is completely non-toxic and is free from BPA and phthalates.
Stockist: Biome Eco Store
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8. Sachi 4 Compartment Bento Lunchbox
The Sachi 4 Compartment Bento Lunchbox comes in a variety of different designs which include cute doodles and illustrations that kids can enjoy as they eat their lunch. The removable compartment tray is sturdy and super easy to take out and clean
- Capacity: 800ml capacity
- Dimensions: 21.6 x 16 x 4.5cm
- Colours: Navy, pink, aqua, purple, with varied patterns.
- Compartments: 4
- Leakproof: 100%
- Cost: $45.99 View Retailer >
What You Should Know: The Sachi 4 Compartment Bento Lunchbox is dishwasher safe and BPA free.
Retailer: Catch of the Day $35
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9. Bento Lunch Box Kids Leakproof Food Container School Picnic
The Bento Lunch Box Kids Leakproof Food Container School Picnic lunch box has a massive capacity of 1.2 litres so it is perfect for kids with a big appetite. As the name suggests, it is completely leakproof so it’s great for kids who love dips and yogurt!
- Capacity: 1.2L
- Dimensions: 22 x 18 x 5cm
- Colours: Blue, green & pink.
- Compartments: 6
- Leakproof: 100%
- Cost: $39.95 View Retailer >
What You Should Know: The Bento Lunch Box Kids Leakproof Food Container School Picnic is made from ABS plastic and silicone, it is easy to clean and dishwasher friendly!
Stockist: Catch of the Day
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10. Sistema Bento Box 1.76L
The Sistema Bento Box 1.76L comes with a leakproof container for yogurts and dips, it also has room for an ice brick underneath a removable sandwich compartment. It also has two closed compartments to prevent snacks from moving around. This is the lunchbox that my son has and my favourite thing about it is that you can fit a whole apple or mandarine next to the yogurt container!
- Capacity: 1.76L
- Dimensions: L28cm x W17cm x D7.5cm
- Colours: Blue, green, purple & pink.
- Compartments: 5
- Leakproof: The yogurt container is leakproof the others are not.
- Cost: $30.30 View Retailer >
What You Should Know: The Sistema Bento Box 1.76L is dishwasher safe, freezer safe and microwave safe without lid.
