Best Bento Box Lunch Box

I have a thing for a great school bento box lunch box. I ended up with a collection of bento boxes in an attempt to find the best one. Over the years I’ve bought new kids lunch boxes (all bento boxes) in the hopes they would be the perfect solution for my school lunch box dilemma — some are, and some are a waste of money.

Here’s my criteria for the best bento lunch box:

• A 3-year-old should be able to open it by herself
• Needs to fit inside a regular lunch box for insulation
• 3 compartments
• Leakproof is a major bonus

To show you what I’m talking about I shot a video with all of my bento lunch boxes. (If you don’t want to watch video, scroll down and I have a blog recap!)

 

Best Bento Box

Our absolute favorite bento lunch box is the Yum Box. It fits inside a zipper lunch bag so you can add freezer packs, and it’s leak proof! This bento box comes in tons of bright, cheerful colors and has different inserts you can purchase depending on how you like to divide up your lunch. The teal one is really pretty! We started with an orange Yum Box bento box, then bought a second box in pink so that my son and daughter would each have their own for lunch.

Our other favorite bento lunch box is the Takeya Bento Lunch Box. While it’s NOT leak proof, it’s perfect for all kinds of non-liquid food. And, it’s so easy for little ones to handle. This is the perfect kids lunch box for preschoolers and young elementary children.

• We have this pink bento box from the video. It comes with a pink drawstring carrying bag.
• We also have the green bento box:  It comes with a matching green drawstring carrying bag.

Can’t Recommend

The GoodByn was one I bought early on in my search for the perfect bento box. It has all of the criteria, or so I thought. My biggest complaints are that it’s way too large, and it seems impossible for a young child to be able to seal the lid property to prevent food from falling out. If you are interested in this type of lunchbox here is a link to its current version, although I can’t recommend it.

Adult Bento Lunch Box!

Yes! You deserve a professional-looking, yet fun bento lunch box too! My favorite adult lunch box is called the Black+Blum Box Appetit. I highly recommend this as a lunch container. Not only is it made well, but it looks professional.  And, it comes in a variety of colors. I use this one and I’ve sent it to school with my kids too.

If you love good product design, as I do, then take a few minutes and watch Black+Blum’s video about how this lunch box came to be. It’s what make me have to buy it!

Other Bento Box Lunch Boxes

You don’t have to buy a premium bento lunch box to get a fun lunch box for your kid’s school lunch. I’ve found several great containers at places like Marshall’s, Ross, and even Goodwill. Many grocery stores have also expanded their container sections and now offer bento lunch boxes with multiple sections and one lid.

Do you have a favorite lunch box? Share in the comments section!