The best lunch box is one that protects meals and snacks from changing temperatures and bumpy commutes.Amazon, L.L.Bean/Business Insider
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Maybe you've grown tired of buying your lunch from the food truck outside your workplace each day or you're trying to eat a bit healthier and save a bit of money. Either way, there's no denying that a new lunch box makes your midday meal just a little bit tastier — not to mention easier to carry. The best lunch boxes keep your sandwich from getting smashed, keep you from single-use paper bags, and are easy to tote to and from your destination.
Lunch boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so we researched the best ones on the market. The L.L.Bean Insulated Lunch Box is our top pick because of its sturdy construction, insulated walls, and ability to fit neatly inside a tote or backpack. We also love the Umami Premium Bento Lunch Box for its tiered, multiple compartments, and the fact that the pieces are microwave, freezer, and dishwasher-safe.
If you're looking for a more kid-friendly lunch box for sending them back to school or camp, check out our guide to the best lunch boxes for kids.
Our picks for the best lunch boxesBest overall: L.L.Bean Insulated Lunch Box — See at L.L. Bean
Best bento lunch box: Umami Premium Bento Lunch Box — See at Amazon
Best insulated lunch box: PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag — See at Amazon
Best for carrying solo: L.L.Bean Flip-Top Lunch Box — See at L.L. Bean
Best overall
This well-designed L.L.Bean Insulated Lunch Box isn't fancy, but it gets the job done with its reliable construction that will last you years. It sports an outer mesh pocket for utensils or small snacks, an inner mesh pocket on the box's lid for sandwiches, chips, or other goodies that might otherwise be easily smashed, and a roomy lower section that's big enough for drinks, plastic food containers, fruit, sandwiches, or whatever else you enjoy at lunchtime.
Its smooth plastic interior wipes down easily in the instance of any spills or leaks and the thick yet flexible insulated walls keep food cold during your commute. It doesn't come with an ice pack, so if you don't have a fridge to store your lunch in before it's time to eat, you may want to invest in one.
The L.L.Bean Lunch Box is small enough to easily fit in a tote bag or backpack, but it's also got a handle on the top if you want to carry it solo. The box comes in a wide range of solid colors and an even larger selection of prints.
Best bento box
Bento boxes are a great solution for packing a wide variety of food in a compact space. The Umami Premium Bento Lunch Box consists of two tiers, each divided into two smaller compartments, so you can pack an entree, side dishes, snacks, and desserts all in one compact lunch box. Each box is made from BPA-free strong plastic that's microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe, so you can really put it through the wringer and it'll stand up to the use.
Each container has a plastic lid with a silicone gasket that provides a leak-proof seal, but it's important to note that the divider in each tray doesn't reach the lid, so the two compartments are not sealed off from one another. So don't pack your chocolate pudding and your broccoli in the same box. If you do have a sauce or dressing you want to make sure doesn't intermingle in transit, the Umami comes with a small sauce jar with a twist-off lid.
The two boxes stack neatly on top of one another and the whole bento box is capped off with a separate compartment that holds an included fork, knife, and spoon that snap into the lid. An elastic strap holds everything in place.
Best insulated
There's no need for separate gel packs or ice packs in this lunch bag. Its patented cooling technology is built right into the bag, so just pop it into the freezer overnight, and in the morning, it's chilled enough to keep lunch fresh for hours. Of course, you don't have to freeze the PackIt lunch box. If you prefer, just pack lunch the night before and store it in the fridge until it's time to head out the door.
The soft PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag is made of poly canvas, with a food-safe, water-resistant lining. It zips shut at the top and also has a Velcro tab for extra security. Plus, a buckle handle makes it easy to clip onto bike handlebars or a backpack strap during your commute. When lunchtime is over, the bag folds up neatly.
On the downside, the Velcro tab tends to quickly wear out, although the bag still closes with the zipper, so you won't have to worry about losing your food. This lunch bag also only features one compartment, so if you regularly pack crushable items or anything you'd like to keep separate, this might not be the right bag for you.
Best for carrying
The rugged outer fabric is strong enough to take just about anything your child dishes out. The inner insulation keeps food cold for hours, is easy to clean, and resists leaks and stains.
There's a handy mesh pocket on the top of the lunch box (the part that flips open) to hold sandwiches, chips, utensils, snacks, or ice pack, and there's plenty of room in the lower section for drinks, fruit, sandwiches, or plastic containers of food. An adjustable shoulder strap makes the bag easy to carry.
Our only quibble is that it won't fit inside other bags, like a backpack, so take this with you when you don't have a ton of other things to carry.
