Find the best trusted lunch containers for kids and adults to make sorting through the options much easier. These picks for lunch boxes, thermoses, dip containers, water bottles, and insulated bags are durable, affordable, and easy to clean.
Lunch Containers
I know firsthand that shopping for lunch boxes, thermoses, snack containers, insulated lunch bags, and water bottles can be daunting due to how many options there are. To help take some of the work out of this process of choosing the right one for your family, this post has my narrowed down list of favorite lunch containers.
These work for kids for school lunches and daycare lunches, yes, but are also the ones that I use for myself when I need to pack myself a lunch.
There is a mix of containers here that are microwave-safe, dishwasher-safe, BPA-free plastic containers, stainless steel and more. You can use them to pack soups, salad, sandwiches, snack lunches, simple proteins, and more.
(You can find my top picks for the best selection of lunch bags, too.)
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Favorite Lunchbox
For the past 8 years or so, I’ve been using the classic Easy Lunchboxes as the main ones that my family uses for both packed lunches and travel. I love them because they are durable, affordable, and easy to clean. And the compartments in these food storage containers are sizable enough for an adult, yet workable for a younger child.
Snackbox
The same company as above makes a snack box size, which has smaller compartments that work well for packed snacks or for toddler or baby lunches. They are similarly durable, affordable, and easy to nest for storage. These are one of my picks for best lunch containers for little kids.
Thermos
Having a thermos lunch container can be a total game changer as far as options for lunches go because it allows you to safely pack hot foods (that still taste good come lunch time). The size you need may depend on the age of your child, but we have both the 8 ounce size and the 13 ounce size of the Lunchbots thermos and use both regularly.
Bento Box with Thermos Insert
The Omielife Bento Box comes with a round compartment that’s a thermos, which means you can pack hot foods together with cold foods in the same lunchbox. Amazing! When I pack hot foods alongside cold foods, I still pack the entire box in an insulated lunch bag with ice packs.
This has a moveable divider for even more customization and the lid security is great due to a tight latch and silicone inserts in the lid.
Leakproof Lunch Container
If you regularly pack foods like yogurt, applesauce, or purees in a lunchbox, this Bentgo Kids option is the one for you. It seals incredibly well, yet is still easy enough to open for a toddler. (You can also place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the food before sealing the box for extra insurance against leaks.)
Meal Prep Containers
For weeks or days when I want to prep lunch for myself or to pack a few lunches at once, this set of Meal Prep Containers from Bentgo has been so incredibly helpful. The set is affordable and ample for packing food, and also washes up easily. I have the pink set, but it comes in a few different color ways, too.
Insulated Lunch Bag
To keep food cold and safe, I recommend packing lunchboxes with two ice packs in an insulated bag. I like the ice packs from Bentgo and their insulated lunch bags, as well as the lunch bags from Lonecone.
Favorite Snack Containers
I love using the Beaba Clip Containers for packing snacks, as well as compostable Ziploc paper bags, and fabric snack bags from Bumkins Baby. You can find the full list of my favorite snack containers for reference, too.
Dip Containers for Lunch
To easily pack dips or condiments, you can buy single serve packets of them. Or you can use a dip container like the stainless ones from Lunchbots, the dip containers from Omiebox, or the stainless ones from WeeSprout.