These Cute Lunch Boxes Mean Your Kid Might Actually Eat Their Lunch

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Trying to shove your kid’s entire lunch into a brown paper bag is the last thing you want to do before rushing out the door. On top of being a total waste of money and harmful to the planet, paper bags do absolutely nothing to keep your kid’s food cool throughout the day and will most likely rip during your child's school day travels. That's why it's a good idea to invest in a great lunch box for your kids.

Got a kid going to camp for the first time, or nervous about school? Give them the gift of a really cool lunch box, and fill it with all of their faves. I promise, it does lighten their spirits a bit.

I pack my kids' lunches every day, and they're very into bento-style lunch boxes because it keeps their foods separated in easy-to-open containers. My son is a big fan of the Zojirushi bento box because it keeps his food at the proper temperature, and the bag is easy to carry, and my daughter loves the Packit Hampton bag. For camp days or younger kids, you can't go wrong with something simple and easy, like the Bentgo. Understandably, not everyone wants a bento style, but don't worry, I have plenty of awesome picks for you, and I'm sure you'll find a one you'll love to pack and your kiddo will love bringing to school with them.

Insulated Lunch Box Sleeve

If you pack up your kid's lunch bento box-style, consider snatching this insulated sleeve to keep your kid's food at a cool, delicious temperature throughout the day. It's also easier to carry, and if (gasp!) your kid drops it while rushing to the lunchroom, her grapes won't be rolling down the hallway.

More: These Are the Tastiest Organic Toddler Snacks for Your Little One's Lunchbox

Freezable Hampton Lunch Bag

This is the lunch box my daughter uses every day. The whole bag freezes, keeping lunches cold all day long. Thanks to the thermal insulation, if you don't freeze it, it helps keep foods at whatever temperature they prefer.

This thing is almost indestructible, and it's huge. It holds enough for lunch plus snacks, which many kids who attend after school programs really need. My daughter routinely has a thermos, a bento box, a bag of pretzels, and a snack box full of fruit.

Original Lunch Bag Insulated Lunch Box

Everyone in my family has used this lunch box at one time or another. It’s convenient because it holds a bento and a thermos, with a place for water on the side. It’s really well-insulated, keeping lunches ready all day. We love that the top is held by a clasp because we can link it on the straps of our backpack.

Functional Waterproof Lunch Box Portable Lunch Bag

If you are looking for an inexpensive lunch box that won’t tear during the first week, go for the PatPat. At under $10, it’s one of the cheapest on our list, but it’s truly decent quality. It’s waterproof with closed seams, and has a light thermal lining.

Crate and Kids Jungle Lunch Box

If you want something that you know is going to be the highest quality, I cannot recommend Crate and Kids’ lunch boxes enough. I have gifted these to nephews, friends’ kids, and others, and everyone has raved about how easy they are to clean, how awesome they look, and how well they keep the food cold or warm.

I love that the inside has a separator that can be moved around thanks to the Velcro connection. It keeps food separate, which is critical for neurodivergent people like me.

And just look at that print.

Lego Lunch Box

If your little one is a Lego lover, get ready to hear some squeals and cheers when you come home with this. Mini mix-and-match Lego boxes fit right inside the larger lunch box, so it's really more like a bento box. Your kid is sure to steal the show with this one!

Lunch Bag and Box Set for Kids

Your budding young foodie will have space for everything they need and a place to put it in this nine-piece lunchbox from Bentology. This model is slightly larger than the other Bentology lunch box on the list. The flat-pack lunch box comes with bento containers and a matching ice pack to keep foods at the perfect temperature.

It fits easily into backpacks as well, so your kid can just shove it on the bottom or top of their bag and take off for the day.

Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure

Whether you need to freeze it or fold it, this stylish folding version of the PackIt comes equipped with built-in gel that acts as an insulator so your kid's food won't wilt or get soggy by the time lunch is served. We love that PackIt lunch bags are available in more than 20 different prints, colors, and patterns to fit your little one's individual style.

It's sizable at 4.4 liters, so there's plenty of space for everything. This is actually the lunch box I used when I was in graduate school, and I can tell you, it's one of the best.

Original Placemat Lunch Bag

Does your little one get the heebie-jeebies at the thought of their food touching the lunchroom table? Rightfully so! And that's precisely why the FlatBox lunch bag is so honestly genius. It unzips on each side to lay out as a flat mat for mealtime.

Best of all, the neoprene fabric is easy to wipe clean and is super lightweight.

The Emily & Meritt Blush Unicorn Lunch Box

Kids are notorious for losing just about everything their little fingers touch. Make it easy for the office attendant to pick their lunch box out of the lost and found with this classic Pottery Barn Kids monogrammed lunch bag. The gold and unicorn-horn design makes it that much more adorable.

Neoprene Lunch Bag

You know what they say about the color black? It never goes out of style. It also helps hide those inevitable food stains lunch boxes are prone to over time. This simple black lunch bag will hold all of your kid's snacks, lunch, drinks, and containers while also keeping their food at a delectable temperature. And if black isn't your color, it also comes in a ton of other color options.

Made from flexible neoprene material, the sleek, simple design makes it perfect for the kid who's not interested in all the bells and whistles and appreciates simplicity. It has plenty of room inside when open to hold a sandwich, chips, fruit, dessert, and a drink, with room to spare.

Kids Insulated Lunch

Not only does this lunch box get rave reviews, but it's also available in 16 different styles, so you can pick the one that matches your kid's personality (or backpack) perfectly. There is a classic and traditional charm about this lunch box that will bring you back to your own lunchroom days, and who doesn't love a good throwback?

One reviewer said, “This kids’ lunchbox is exactly what I was looking for: good size, good zip, and good quality. It’s easy to clean, and as usual with Wildkin, the design is bold and colorful. I’m sure I will keep coming back to this company.”

’90s Retro Collection Square Neon Lunch Box

She’s bold, she’s big, she looks like Kelly Kapowski would’ve carried her, and we love her for that.

Igloo is the gold-standard cooler and lunch box. With this fun retro lunchbox, you can rest assured that your teen's lunch will stay fresh, won't leak, and they'll have plenty of room for lunch and an after-school snack, powering them well into the evening. The lining is antimicrobial, which, given how often kids forget to empty their lunchbox between Friday and Monday, is a godsend.

Kids 5-Compartment Bento-Style Lunch Box

I gift this to pretty much all preschool families at some point. It's built specifically for young kids, and it keeps food perfectly organized. Five simple compartments with easy-open latches and a fun design, the 3-to-6 set love this lunch box.

And don't worry about containers leaking into one another — it simply doesn't happen with this tightly sealed lunch box. It's hard-core heavy-duty, ready for lunch, and your little one will love it.

Mr. Bento Stainless Lunch

My son is not easy on anything. Not shoes, not backpacks, not my heart (he just keeps growing up, and it hurts, OK?) — so wearing out a kids’ lunchbox comes very easy to him. But, thankfully, he’s going on two years strong with this lunch box, and it looks like it’s going to get through a third.

It has four different-sized containers and two temperature chambers: The bottom two stay hot, and the top two are room temp. My only gripe is that you have to remember exactly how each container is supposed to go — otherwise, they don’t fit — but it’s nothing some magic marker labeling doesn’t fix. Also, the carrying bag is utilitarian, but it works.

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