In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician
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We tested kids' lunch boxes from top brands like Bentgo, Kinsho, PackIt, and others to find the best
Each product in our review has been purchased, hands-on tested, and experienced side-by-side comparison to evaluate performance.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
By Molly Bradac ⋅ Senior Review Analyst ⋅ May 28, 2024
The Best Kids Lunch Boxes
Looking for the best kid-friendly lunch box? Don't worry; we've got you covered. Our review ranks this year's top 9 kids' lunch boxes and provides the details you need to narrow down the choices. We researched the market before purchasing the most popular and promising contenders to send through extensive testing to determine the best. We focused on essential factors like versatility, leak-proof capability, and ease of cleaning. Packing a healthy lunch can make a difference in your child's day, and if you're packing school lunches regularly, you'll want a top-notch lunch box. We are confident that our lineup includes an option that will work for you and your kiddo.
Leak-proof, easy to open and close, removable and dishwasher-safe tray
Cons
Lid not dishwasher-safe, easy to accidentally toss white utensils
Mesh side pocket too small for water bottle, zipper issues
Expensive, heavy, multiple parts to clean, thermos failed to keep food warm
Limited capacity, not insulated, outer box not dishwasher safe
Bottom Line
An affordable, leak-proof lunch box that is decent in size, and if you're willing to hand wash the lid to prolong the product's longevity, it may suit your needs
This stylish bag is eye-catchy and will transport food, but the zipper issue makes us consider other contenders
The built-in thermos is attractive, but considering its performance, we think you'll be happier with a different thermos set-up
Although the lunch box's capacity is most suitable for younger children, it is leak-proof and easy to open and close
Launching the LunchBots Bento Cinco to an overall winning spot in our review is its eco-healthy makeup and quick cleanup; toss it into the dishwasher worry-free. Made of 18/8 stainless steel, this contender is downright sturdy and will likely last years. Plus, LunchBots offers a lifetime warranty against any manufacturer's defects. There are various lunch box sizes available to suit your needs, but we tested the LunchBots Cinco with five compartments and decent-sized portions to satisfy the hunger of tots to younger children. The manufacturer states it is free of toxins and chemical linings. Typically, stainless steel is heavier than plastic; however, this option (weighing .92 lb. empty) is less than some plastic options in our lineup, making it a nice compromise between a healthier material and weight.
Unfortunately, no product in our lineup is perfect across all metrics, and LunchBots is no exception. We value insulation and protection against leaks; however, this option lacks those design features. You can get around the lack of insulation by using an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack; however, not being leak-proof dramatically influences what you pack, which will likely need to be dry foods. Also, this contender's price is high, but considering its eco-healthy material, construction, and longevity, we think it is worth the investment. We've used LunchBots with our own families and highly recommend this solid lunch box to family and friends. Pair it with the PackIt Freezable Classic Lunch Box, and you have a carry case that can keep things cold.
With design features we admire, including its generous size, is the Bentgo Deluxe Lunch Bag, making this option a possible fit if you're packing lunch for a growing child or teenager. It's super easy to open and close, wipe clean, and thanks to the bag's liner (food-safe PEVA thermal insulation), it shines at keeping items chilled when you add an ice pack. The outside pocket offers additional storage, and there's an interior mesh pocket in the bag's 'upper deck' for lighter snacks and items. In addition to the bag's carry handle is a removable and adjustable shoulder strap, a perk that may appeal to older children.
The bag itself is not leak-proof, and, let's face it, messes are undesirable. Therefore, we suggest using leak-proof lunch boxes, water bottles, or containers when packing. Nevertheless, we think this bag is an all-star option and recommend it to families who seek insulation and high capacity, especially when striving to pack enough food to satisfy an older child's hunger.
The PackIt Freezable Classic Lunch Box offers a built-in ice pack unique feature. With insulated, re-freezable gel walls, you don't have to worry about your child accidentally tossing the ice pack when dumping wrappers in the trash. It collapses into a sleek profile when empty, expanding to hold all your child's favorite foods. Place it in the freezer at night; it is ready to go by morning. The lunch box is made of food-safe and non-toxic canvas on the exterior and a water-resistant liner inside. It features a non-insulated zipper pocket on the outside for small items, and the easy-to-carry handle has a buckle to attach it to a backpack. With many eye-catching designs available, one to suit your child's personality.
The PackIt is heavier than other insulated lunch bags in our review (weighs 1.47 lbs empty), so it might not be a good fit if weight is an issue. It might pair nicely with the LunchBots Bento Cinco to help keep contents cold in a way that allows for varied snacks in one pack. Despite the heaviness, we've enjoyed this option with our families and think it streamlines the lunch packing process with its handy built-in ice pack design.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Tip: Is your child heading to Kindergarten? Practice eating a school lunch. Set a timer and ensure your child can open and close everything you send with them. Also, discuss what to do with trash. Since school and lunchtime will be a new experience for your child, this exercise can help them feel prepared.
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Credit: Abriah Wofford
How We Tested Kids' Lunch Boxes
We completed market research and purchased each product to conduct extensive, side-by-side testing for our review. We believe the best products should be easy to use, easy to clean, and include eco-healthy materials. These metrics were the framework of our testing, and each product's score in these individual metrics contributed to the product's overall score and ranking in the competition and influenced our award inner picks. To simulate real-world experiences, we packed lots of lunches and snacks and traveled with these options. Also influencing our evaluations include user feedback and observations of kid testers using the kids' lunch boxes side-by-side during testing. The feelings and experiences of our kid testers heavily influenced award winners and product scores.
An easy to open and close lunch box can make all the difference for a younger child, such as a preschooler, working towards independence.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Why Trust GearLab
Over the past decade, BabyGearLab has tested various baby-related gear and created thorough reviews for our readers. Leading this review is Molly Bradac, Senior Review Editor and nanny with over 15 years of experience. Drawing from her experience, including countless days of packing lunches and snacks for outdoor adventures, Molly can provide recommendations for your family and needs.
If you often pack foods with liquid content for your child, select an option with a leak-proof lid.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Analysis and Test Results
Finding a functional and fun lunch box for little ones doesn't have to be a headache. We've tested several options so you can find something parent—and child-approved for busy days on the go and at school. We evaluated each kid's lunch box for ease of use, cleaning, and materials.
What's the Best Value?
If material matters to you and your budget can stretch, we think the LunchBots is worth consideration. This stainless steel option offers durability, quality, and longevity; plus, it's super easy to wash. In our opinion, this factor alone is worth its weight in gold. Although this option is more expensive, we think its long-term use and quality are worth the investment.
The Bentgo Deluxe Lunch Bag is spacious, has additional storage pockets, and sports an adjustable shoulder strap.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
When it comes to kids' lunch boxes, they should be easy to use. Plain and simple. However, we soon realized many features collectively form a highly functional kids' lunch box, such as thoughtful organization, decent capacity, leak-proof protection, insulation, versatility, and level of ease to open and close. Unfortunately, not one product in our lineup was a slam dunk, offering every feature, and this is somewhat a result of comparing products that vary in design intentions. But we did score the lineup to see who has the most.
The Bentgo Deluxe Lunch Bag ranks high in this metric with many convenient features. This insulated lunch bag offers generous capacity and versatility. The design includes organization, such as an exterior pocket for smaller items, like napkins and utensils, and an interior mesh pocket in the bag's 'upper deck' for lighter snacks. The lunch bag is super easy to open and close, and besides the carry handle, it has a removable and adjustable shoulder strap. The bag isn't leak-proof; however, most lunch bags do not offer this feature, so this isn't an issue unique to this product. Therefore, we suggest packing wisely with leak-proof lunch boxes, water bottles, or containers to reduce the potential for leaks.
The Amersun Kids Lunch Box offers the most storage pockets than other contenders in our lineup.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Amersun Kids Lunch Box is the only contender with a side mesh pocket, and we imagined transporting a kids' water bottle, like the CamelBak eddy Kids in this pocket. However, we discovered that this pocket is too small and doesn't stretch to accommodate any water bottle. It's more suitable for flexible items, like a packet of nuts, a granola bar, etc. Also, the zipper on the Amersun has a squared-off design, which causes it to get stuck at an angle, requiring some fiddling to fix. Undoubtedly, this stylish bag will transport food, but we think it isn't awe-inspiring and believe other contenders in our lineup perform better.
The Rubbermaid LunchBlox comes with an ice pack, and the containers are leak-proof and versatile.
The 3 Sprouts Bento Box is leak-proof and offers deeper compartments for food items.
Leak-proof Capabilities
To test and evaluate a kids' lunch box's leak-proof ability, we poured water into each, closed them up, and shook them around (similar to what a kids' lunch box might experience in a backpack). Any escaped water resulted in a failed performance, even a drop. Perhaps we have high expectations, but we believe a leak-proof design should be trustworthy because any mess is undesirable, especially if it occurs in your child's schoolbag with papers. The kids' lunch boxes that conquered this challenge include the Bentgo Kids Lunch Box, Kinsho 6 Compartment Bento Box, and 3 Sprouts Bento Box. Although a leak-proof design is not always a must, it does provide the opportunity to pack wet or dry foods.
Despite its leak-proof claims, the Omiebox didn't shine in this test as some liquid escaped the box when we tilted it on its side. We did push its tolerance and leak-proof ability by filling each compartment with a fair amount of water. However, we believe any amount of leakage concerns us because there is potential for mess, which may influence what you pack.
The Munchkin Lunch Bento Box is the only contender that includes kid-friendly stainless steel utensils.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Utensils Included
A few contenders in our lineup include silverware, such as the Munchkin Lunch Bento Box and Kinsho. The Munchkin Lunch Bento Box offers stainless steel kid-friendly utensils, which conveniently snap onto the silicone lid; you can either stack the fork and spoon in one slot or separate them. The Kinsho has white plastic utensils. Remember that these utensils are easy to trash when accidentally tossing wrappers and leftover food. If this occurs, replacement silverware is available through the company.
Insulation
What you pack your child for lunch may or may not need insulation and an ice pack. To test insulation, we placed a cold sealed yogurt cup and the same sized ice pack inside each fabric lunch bag, except for the PackIt as it has freezable walls, and took a temperature reading four hours later (about the time your child will begin eating their lunch). The lunch bags did not drastically differ in temperatures but varied by a few degrees. The Bentgo and PackIt had the lowest temperature readings. It is important to note that an ice pack's size influences temperature, so our results may differ from yours. But, we were satisfied with these contenders' results.
A temperature reading of the OmieBox's thermos about four hours after preparing.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
We were also curious about how well the thermos in the OmieBox Bento Box keeps food warm, so four hours later, we took a temperature reading of its contents. Interestingly, it did not have a temperature reading that suggests warm food. We understand why this built-in thermos option is attractive, but considering its performance, we think you'll be happier with a different thermos set-up.
Friendly reminder: If you want to purchase containers or a bento box with an insulated lunch bag, check and compare dimensions before purchasing.
Some kids lunch box options are dishwasher safe (top rack); however, hand washing can extend a product's longevity.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Cleaning
Considering how frequently you will wash your kid's lunch box to ensure it is ready for the following school day, we highly suggest a dishwasher-safe product to make this feat easier for you and your sanity.
The LunchBots Bento Cinco is an all-star, high-ranking contender among the competition. Honestly, it doesn't get much easier. Toss it into your dishwasher without fretting over high heat and potential warping.
The lowest-ranked fabric lunch boxes are the Amersun Kids Lunch Box, Bentgo Deluxe Lunch Box, and PackIt Freezable Classic Lunch Box. These options are not machine washable. Although they have easy-to-wipe-clean interior liners, the task takes more effort than dishwasher-safe products, and they don't get as clean, allowing the potential for smells and stains to develop.
The Kinsho 6 Compartment Bento Box comes with a set of two leak-proof boxes and includes plastic utensils.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The manufacturer says the bottom is top-rack dishwasher safe for the Kinsho 6 Compartment Bento Box, but handwashing the lid is best to lengthen the leak-proof seal's lifespan. From user experience, we can confirm that the dishwasher's high heat can warp the box's cover if you don't follow these instructions. If you go with this option, please keep this in mind.
The LunchBots Bento Cinco.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Eco-Health
Like the healthy foods and snacks you pack in your child's lunch, we believe you should grant the same thoughtfulness and effort to the lunch box itself. Therefore, we considered the product's material with the Earth and health in mind for eco-health and noted any manufacturer's mention of free of.
The benefits of stainless steel may “steal” your heart away. This material is an excellent alternative to plastic, and it is considered non-toxic and healthier, which we think is essential as it's holding your child's food that they will consume. Also, stainless steel has the potential to last longer than plastic. Therefore, contenders of this makeup rank the highest, including the LunchBots Bento Cinco.
However, plastic is not our preferred material choice, mainly due to the potential of chemicals leaching into food. It's also considered less durable, being more susceptible to scratching and staining than its stainless steel counterparts.
Tip: Let your kid help make lunches; it exercises their freedom in the kitchen, and they may discover excitement about food.
Foods that won't spoil work best for non-insulated options. However, if you're packing foods that need cooling, purchase an insulated option, or head that route initially for versatility.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Conclusion
Brown paper bags are a memento from a bygone era in today's modern age, where lunches keep their cool longer than ever. Today's selection of kids' lunch boxes is huge, with a type for almost any goal or need. The kind and size of lunch box you want will depend on how much food your child needs to pack and whether or not that food needs to remain cold. Do you need a simple insulated bag? Or a food storage kit to keep things fresh? Depending on your child's age and needs (school, outdoor adventure, or a trip to the grandparents' house), we feel confident there is a lunch box for you in our detailed review. You will soon be packing a well-balanced, appetite-satisfying lunch for your kiddo to enjoy.
