If you need a kids lunch box to pack for your toddler or big kid to go to daycare, preschool, school, camp, or just a day out of the house, here are the best of the best. These lunch boxes will last, are easy to clean, and have a range of price points to fit your budget.
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Kids Lunch Box
I’ve been packing toddler lunches and big kid lunches for at least one of my three kids for almost 10 years, and I’ve learned a lot about what makes a great lunch box. It comes down to the material you prefer, ease of washing, durability, price, and the sorts of lunches you prefer to pack in terms of temperature.
I am determined to help you choose a lunchbox that will last so you can make the most out of your purchase.
The lunchboxes here have been vetted by real kids (and parents) in real life and have been tested for an entire year of school lunches (or more) to ensure they hold up to normal kid usage.
I hope that these reviews help you decide which might be the best container to use for your baby, toddler, or elementary-aged kiddo.
(I have a whole separate post on baby lunch boxes, too.)
Best Little Kids Lunch Box: Easy Lunchboxes Snack Boxes
Perfectly size for a toddler lunch, this affordable set of 4 is made of BPA-free plastic. They nest for easy storage, and the top and bottom are easy to wash. The bento-box-style compartments are perfectly sized for toddlers, and they are incredibly handy for packing multiple lunches at once—or for traveling!
(This is also a great baby lunch box or a snack container for kids.)
Best for: Toddler lunches that don’t need to be reheated, making multiple lunches at once (since you get a set of 4)Price: Under $13 for a set of 4
Best Affordable School Lunch Box: Easy Lunchboxes
These heavy-duty BPA-free plastic lunch boxes are incredibly handy, and we’ve been using the same set for at least 3 years now. Plus, they are easy to stack and store, and they’re super affordable. They are fairly large for just a toddler lunch—for a year I used one to pack lunch and two daily snacks all together for a 1-year-old—so I like these for age 4 and up.
They’re great for kindergarten lunches.
I like to put silicone muffin tin liners in the large compartment to hold different foods. These are also great for a full day of traveling since they hold a lot of food in a compact container.
Best for: Packing a day’s worth of food in one container, lunches for kids (and adults!) 4+Price: Under $14 for a set of 4
TIP: There are a few copycat versions of the Easy Lunchboxes and they are NOT as good. They leak and break easily, from what I’ve heard, so go with the real brand!
Best Insulated Bento Box: OmieBox Bento Box
With an insulated 7.5-ounce center compartment to keep cold foods cold and warm foods warm, this is a great option for packing daily lunches with a mix of temperatures. So you could pack warm pasta alongside cold fruit and sides, for example.
And on days when you don’t need the insulated part, you can simply remove it and pack a sandwich or whatever bento-box-style lunch you’d like to put there.
Best for: Packing lunches with some warm food and some cold food, all in one box.Price: About $45
TIP: The pieces of this are easy to remove and clean, so it’s very easy to wash and air dry. You can also get the insulated bag to carry it in.
Best Leakproof Lunchbox: Bentgo
These come in the cutest designs, have handy compartments to make packing lunches easy, and are super simple to wash—the divided insert is removable! They also come with a 2-year warranty, which I love as reassurance that you’re getting your money’s worth.
Everyone from my toddler to my oldest elementary-age kiddo loves this box. They even have a model that fits an ice pack so the lunch box stays cold.
Best for: Packing a mix of foods together in one easy container.Price: About $30
TIP: The brand makes lunch bags, too, which is handy if you’re needing to send lunch with an ice pack to keep it cool.
Best Insulated Kids Thermos: Lunchbots 8-Ounce Thermos
This small insulated thermos is perfect for pasta, soup, oatmeal, pizza rolls, rice and beans, and more. I know everyone always thinks thermoses are just for soup, but I’ve actually never once used it for soup! It’s a good size for toddlers (you may not need to fill it all the way for littler ones), and it’s super durable.
Best for: Packing occasional hot lunches, being able to pack a larger portion of the main hot (or cold) food.Price: About $25
TIP: This is available in 8-, 12-, and 16-ounce sizes so you can choose the one that works for your kids.
Best Stainless-Steel Lunch Box for Baby and Toddlers: Lunchbots Quad
This is perfectly sized for a toddler appetite. It won’t hold foods like applesauce (the lid doesn’t close as securely as my other picks), but it’s otherwise a great option for little eaters. It’s easy to clean and it’s small, so it packs into a backpack, insulated lunch bag, or a diaper bag nicely.
It’s also lightweight, so it won’t weigh down a backpack or bag.
Best for: Packing little kid lunches or snacks for on the go. This is a great baby lunch box, too.Price: About $30
Best Stainless-Steel Lunchbox for Big Kids: Planetbox Rover
I find these popular lunch boxes to be too heavy for little kids, but if you’re looking for a stainless-steel lunch box to last through elementary school, this is a great option. The different compartments make it easy to pack a few food groups all together, too.
It’s an investment as far as the cost goes, but it’s one you’ll have to make only once.
Best for: Elementary-age kids wanting a plastic-free lunch box that will lastPrice: About $60
Best Snack Containers for Kids Lunches
If you need to send a snack or want to send lunch in individual containers, these are the ones we’ve found to be the best.
- Bumkins Reusable Snack Bags: These are wipe-clean, machine washable, and endlessly reusable. And the patterns are so darn cute!
- Replay Recycled Snack Stacker: We’ve had one set of these for years and I find them to be so great for taking snacks on the go—and for keeping said snacks from getting smushed in a bag. I regularly use these for my elementary-age kiddo’s afternoon snack.
- Lunchskins Bags: If you want a paper bag, these are awesome. They’re paper and recyclable.
- Beaba Clip Containers: This set is also really handy since the containers stack and hold together. We use them regularly, too.
TIP: You can find a full run-down of Snack Containers for kids.
Kids Lunch Box Ideas
I know the biggest challenge of packing kids lunches is the question of what to pack, so these posts will help you will with all of the ideas!
- 25 Toddler Lunch Ideas for Daycare
- 80 Healthy Lunch Ideas
- 50 Healthy Recipes for Lunch
- How to Meal Prep for Lunch
- 15 Easy Bento Box Lunches
- 10 Easy N0-Cook School Lunches
TIP: If you need a lunch bag to keep your packed lunch cool, check out this post with my picks.
If you have a favorite lunch box that’s on my list or not, I’d love to know about it—especially if it’s easy for your toddler to open and close all on their own!
This post was first published June 2016.
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