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Do you remember being a kid and taking a lunch box with you to school? As an adult, you can still carry one around to different places like work or for travel, just like you did as a kid. People consider bringing a lunch box to avoid having to spend money on food from restaurants, eat healthier, and save money.
There are plenty of reasons to own a lunch box. Since they have been around for years and years, plenty of options, sizes, and colors are available. You need to find something that isn’t just durable and easy to clean but also maintains the freshness of your food. Finding a quality product can be hard, but as long as we are here, you won’t have to worry about finding something worthwhile. This article will provide you with details about the premiere lunch boxes of 2022. We’ve also provided a detailed buying guide for finding a lunch box that meets your needs.
Top Picks
Best overall: Lifewit Lunch Box
If you miss the way your partner cooks while you are at work, the Lifewit lunch box solves that problem. It is assembled with premium, high-density materials that ensure durability and longevity. The interior consists of a temperature-maintaining foil, so your food will stay hot for a long time after you pack it in. This is a cooler bag with a large capacity, perfect for taking on outdoor activities like camping and hiking. It also showcases a wide opening that allows you to take the lunch box in and out effortlessly. Additionally, it has a padded handle and a detachable shoulder strap. It also offers multiple shoulder straps for your convenience. We chose this as our top pick because of its spacious body and ability to retain heat.
Key Features:
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Made from PEVA foil and padded with 6mm, EPE foam
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Large capacity lets you transport food easily
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Two side mesh pockets for extra storage
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Handle is padded and detachable
Elite design: Bentgo Lunch Box
The Bentgo stackable lunch box is a top-quality product suitable for people who like to eat more than one item at a meal. Featuring multiple compartments that can hold a complete portion of food, this option is ideal for promoting portion control. It is made of food-grade material that won’t react with your food, providing you with a safe eating experience. Besides this, it has compact and easy storage, so you can effortlessly adjust one corner of the bag. This lightweight container is available in eight color varieties, allowing you to pick something that matches your personality and style. Lastly, this container is easy to clean and maintain, so you’ll have a stress-free experience taking care of this product.
Key Features:
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Top container with two compartments holds ¾ cup, bottom container holds 2 cups
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Food-grade, eco-friendly material
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Safe for use in the microwave, dishwasher, and freezer (except divider)
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Available in 8 different colors
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Weight: 3.4 lbs
Premium insulation: Tiblue Lunch Box
Most people complain about their food not remaining fresh after opening a lunch box. If this sounds like you, check out Tiblue’s lunch box. It comes with a thermal insulated lining and uses eco-friendly material, letting you keep your food tasting great, warm and fresh, and healthy to eat. This product has a leak and waterproof body, ensuring that nothing gets ruined while using it. This box also boasts spacious compartments, allowing you to add a variety of things and carry them around with you. This option is also equipped with an adjustable strap, offering convenience and greater portability.
Key Features:
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BPA and PVC-free
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Eco-friendly, EVA material
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Interior padding with 5-mm-thick insulation
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Exterior guarded by an EVA liner, welded against leaks
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Rust-resistant, adjustable, and padded strap
Lightweight body: Carhartt Lunch Box
If you are looking for a bag that almost seems weightless, this lunch box from Carhartt is a perfect option. This product features top-quality insulation, providing maximum weather resistance and durability. It’s designed to let food retain its temperature, and quality, for an entire day. Ideal for outdoor activities like camping, this product also has two styles of holders, both ensure there’s no added strain on your hands or shoulders. This is one of the most lightweight products available that really promotes a comfortable experience.
Key Features:
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Made of heavy-duty fabric with rain defender
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Weight: 0.7 lbs
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Insulated main compartment retains food temperature for extended periods
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Top compartment separate, front with zippers for keeping other kitchen accessories
Best aesthetics: MAZFORCE Lunch Box
The MAZFORCE lunch box was created for people concerned with how things look. It comes in aesthetically pleasing color combinations and designs that really pop. This product is made from top-quality materials, keeping your food and drinks fresh for hours and allowing you to eat fresher healthier food. Additionally, it has a slim body that fits conveniently anywhere, making this option extremely functional for daily travel. It also boasts efficiency and functionality with an expandable body that lets you store other things like utensils and water bottles. This option is also equipped with a strap, freeing up your hands for other tasks.
Key Features:
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Ultra-thick foam core insulates food, maintaining temperature
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Comes with extra space to store other items
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Detachable buckle
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Made from BPA and PVC-free material
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Available in 14 ethereal colors
How to find your next lunch box: A buyer’s guide
There are so many options available that you can easily get confused while trying to find the perfect one. It seems like lunch boxes have evolved from just being something for kids to take their lunches to school. Here is a list of some useful things to keep in mind when selecting one.
How to choose a lunch box
1. Material
Let’s face it; a lunch box is useless if you have to replace it every month. It’s better to steer clear of plastic and ceramic lunch boxes. These will not stand the test of time, no matter how cute they are. Your best bet is to buy a metal lunch box. These will last, but will also do a great job keeping cold foods cold and warm foods warm, even over extended periods of time. If you do decide to go with a plastic version, most are now eco-friendly and free of contaminating materials, making them safe to use.
2. Environmental impact
You should make sure a lunch box is free from BPA or any chemicals that can affect your health over time. Also, make sure that whatever lunch box you buy doesn’t allow bacteria to grow quickly. Bacteria make you extremely ill, it can also leach into your food and make it smelly or inedible.
3. Simple and efficient use
A lunch box should also be non-reactive with other appliances. We are not saying that you need something that doesn’t react to temperature or burns, but it should be strong enough to tolerate a microwave or dishwasher. Many people use these appliances regularly and if you’re one of them, pick something that supports their use.
4. Size
Finally, the last thing on your checklist should be the size of the product. Always go for something that can hold two or three times more than what you usually eat. This is because sometimes people want to carry more food or want to take different items with them. Once you’ve used one of these products for a while, you might find you enjoy carrying a variety of different items.
Where can you take a lunch box?
People who like to eat out a lot question the need to bring a lunch box everywhere. Fortunately, there are a lot of places where bringing home-cooked meals and snacks can just make your day. Here is a list of places where you can take a lunch box.
Educational institutes and workplaces
Whether you are a banker on Wall Street or a sixth-grader, bringing food from home is a great way to stay healthy. Also, who knows what the cafeteria food looks like? Most people, especially parents, have become extra cautious after the pandemic. Considering this, being able to bring your own food places offers people a small amount of comfort and control.
Trips
You can also take lunch boxes to museums and parks. Planning a perfect day out with family and friends won’t cost you much if you bring your own food. Even if you plan on dining at a restaurant, they are still a great choice for holding snacks during road trips. You can carry these products around without any discomfort too, most lunch boxes have adjustable straps and shoulder carry options. Your lunch meat, cheese, bread, and vegetables will also stay cool and dry until you’re ready to make some sandwiches.
Airports
You can also take these tiny wonders on plane rides. Gone are the days when people preferred expensive airport food over home-cooked meals while traveling. So, next time when the air hostess asks what you want on the flight, think twice about whether that food is better than what you brought yourself.
How to take care of a lunch box
Taking care of a lunch box is not rocket science. It is a pretty easy task with no complex processes. However, you do need to stay regular with cleaning the thing, or you might end up trying to scrub out odors and stains.
Cleaning
Throw out all those leaky containers. They are much harder to wash, and the food residue collected inside can grow harmful bacteria and pathogens that can cause food poisoning. Wash your lunch box and containers thoroughly. Most of them are dishwasher safe too, meaning there is no added effort except opening the dishwasher door and putting it in.
Make sure to empty the condiments in your lunch box as soon as you head home. This will avoid odor build-up and prevent the product from losing its color.
Washing
Wash your lunch box with warm water and a clean sponge loaded with dishwashing liquid. Scrub the sides and internal section to eliminate any grease and grime. Even after the wash, if you feel something is left behind, do not hesitate to go for a second round. Let the lunch box air dry for about an hour before you close it up and put it back in the cabinet. If you have a dishwasher-safe product, we recommend following the instructions mentioned by the manufacturer.
What are the styles of lunch boxes?
Since they are such versatile products, there are a few different styles of lunch boxes available.
Single
As its name suggests, this is a simple product with just one section. You need to place your food and utensils all in one place. Most people who have a strict menu and travel regularly to work or educational places like to use these kinds of lunch boxes. Some models also come with adjustable bowls in different shapes, so you can add a bit of diversity. Any extras have a risk of getting lost as they are not attached directly to the lunch box. These versions are affordable and you can find them in a bunch of sizes.
Stackable
These lunch boxes usually have two, three, and sometimes four stacks for storing your food as well as other things. Most mothers prefer this product for their school-age children for diversifying their menus. Stackable lunch boxes practically become useless if one of the components gets lost, so keep an eye on them. These models are a great way of keeping all your food-related accessories in one place – some even have extra storage for utensils and beverages.
People also asked
Q: How long does food maintain its temperature in a lunch box?
A: A standard lunch box will keep your food at an ideal temperature for up to six hours. You might need to grab one with superior insulation if you need it to go longer.
Q: Can I put yogurt in a lunch box?
A: If you have a proper casing and can guarantee that the lunch box won’t get dropped or knocked against, it is safe to put yogurt in it. Just make sure to eat it after two to four hours or it might spoil.
Q: Do lunch boxes retain odor?
A: Plastic lunch boxes are prone to retaining odor. This is why you need to empty them as soon as you get home.
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