A Guide to Shopping for the Right Lunch Box for Your Kids

The world of lunch boxes may be more vast and complex than most parents realize. Long gone are the days of the standard hard cases of yesteryear. Adorned with fun characters and patterns, those styles dominated decades past.

Fast forward to the modern world. People are more concerned than ever with things like organization and efficiency. It’s not enough for a child’s lunch box to simply look good — it has to perform like a superstar, too. Here’s what to look for in a high-quality product.

Prioritize Insulation

Insulation isn’t just a novel addition that may or may not be important. Keeping your child’s food at the right temperature until lunchtime is absolutely necessary. Most modern lunch boxes for girls and boys are constructed with full insulation to keep the food nice and cold for several hours. All you need to do is place an ice pack in the bag to ensure that your little one’s lunch remains at the right temperature.

Organization Matters

In much the same way you seek out organized backpacks for your kids, you should look for some similar semblance of construction in their lunch boxes. Imagine the inconvenience of squashing everything inside the box and hoping against hope that the ice pack doesn’t crush the sandwich bread or crack all of the chips. These types of scenarios can make for a decidedly less than pleasant lunch experience for your little one.

The solution is to stick with organized lunchboxes that feature multiple compartments and dedicated spaces for everything that your child might need on the go. An exterior water bottle holder keeps their drink secure and easy to access throughout the day. A roomy interior pocket serves as a great place to keep that ice pack in its rightful place — without any danger of it jostling back and forth while your student is in transit. Spacious main sections allow for plenty of room to pack all of their favorite lunchtime treats. Exterior zippered spaces can come in handy for small extras, too, like napkins, straws, and utensils.

Consider Comfort

It’s not just the style of the lunch box, but also the convenience of carrying it. Many styles are designed specifically to grasp in one's hand. Some have long straps that resemble those found on totes and crossbody bags, making it easier for students to walk to the cafeteria if they’re holding on to their books at the same time.

There are even some bookbags with lunch boxes that might fit the bill if your child favors the comfort of carrying around a standard backpack. The advantage of this style is that it neatly disperses the burden instead of settling it all into your son’s or daughter’s arms or hands. They can wear it just as they would any other traditional backpack, and they trust it to keep their food cold and safe to consume when you slip an ice pack inside.

Older Kids

There’s even room in an older student’s life for a lunch box! If your teenager is a freshman who commutes to college, for example, he might need more than a heavy-duty tech bag to keep his belongings safe and his devices secure while he’s in motion. Investing in a high-quality, easy-to-carry lunch box or bag is a great way to make life simpler while he’s out for the day, especially if he’s on a budget and doesn’t want to buy lunch on campus or just prefers to pack his own lunch.

As always, look for the details that truly matter, like the ability to retain cold temperatures for hours at a time. Many roomy lunch totes are designed to hold multiple ice packs at once, which makes it simpler to keep those perishables safe. These bags often resemble regular totes, too, making them more appealing for older kids who might prefer something a bit more structured and stylish for their on-campus pursuits. You might even consider monogramming a bag with their initials for graduation — it’s a thoughtful way to show that you’re thinking of the days ahead and planning something for their convenience.

Making the Choice