16 Best Lunchboxes for Kids, Tweens and Teens
Whether your kid is eating at school or taking their lunch to camp, these lunchboxes will keep their food and drinks fresh.
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A lunchbox is one of the pieces of school supplies your kid will use nearly every day, so it's important to make sure they're equipped with the right one for them. Whether their pick is based on their favorite color, hobby or lunching style, it can be tough to sort through all the options available. Plus, as a parent, you'll want something roomy enough for all their snacks and durable to keep sandwiches fluffy — no one wants a squished sammy. We sorted through the hundreds of options online and found the very best lunchboxes for students of all ages, no matter what color they like or lunch they prefer.
How We Picked
We took into consideration a variety of factors when choosing the best lunchboxes for kids and teens.
- Size: It's important that each lunchbox fit enough food to feed your child at both lunch and snack time. We gave bonus points to lunchboxes with compartments to keep snacks separate and looked for containers with sizable space for sandwiches.
- Insulation: Chances are your kiddo isn't keeping this lunch in a fridge, so insulation is key for making sure their food makes it from the morning rush to the lunch table without getting too warm. For kids who like dairy products like yogurt and cheese or cold-cut sandwiches in their lunchboxes, we recommend one with a freezer pack to ensure the food stays at a safe temperature until it's lunchtime.
- Easy Open: Little hands means these lunchboxes need to be easy to open. We prefer boxes with grippable handles, so your big kid doesn't have to go to the teacher for help if they don't want to.
- Easy Clean-Up: This lunchbox is sure to get messy in just a matter of days or weeks, so we opted for lunchboxes that are dishwasher-safe or soft ones that have a wipe-able interior.
Keep your kiddos' meals fresh for longer with the Bentgo Double-Insulated Lunch Bag. Ultra-thick insulation ensures the contents stay the temperature you want, while the BPA-free interior is easy to wipe clean if spills happen. The lunchbox comes with multiple compartments, a padded carrying handle and an adjustable strap, making it a top pick.
For the most pattern options, check out the FlowFly Kids' Lunchbox line. This classic style comes in over 30 colors and patterns and fits everything your kid needs for lunch. It comes with a side pouch for a thermos or water bottle and a front pocket for holding important items like a smartphone or special snacks.
For younger children, lunchboxes that are easy to open and easy to carry are essential. The Simple Modern Haldey Lunchbox boasts two zippers that open with ease. The interior is triple-insulated, water-resistant and a breeze to wipe clean. Plus, the lunchbox is available in an array of fun prints that kids are sure to love, from Disney's Encanto to DC superheroes.
The Bentgo Kids' Chill Leakproof Lunchbox is a bento box-style lunchbox that is ideal for picky eaters (and kids who don’t like their food to touch!) and comes with multiple compartments to fill with a little bit of everything. The hard plastic is BPA-free and easy to wipe down, plus the tray is dishwasher-safe. It comes with a built-in ice pack to keep things cool when necessary.
This sturdy and spacious Nike Futura Lunch Bag has a hard interior that's easy to wipe down and a buckle closure that allows it to hang on the exterior of any backpack. It comes in a variety of colors with the iconic Nike and swoosh on the exterior — making this a lunchbox that will never go out of style.
Free of BPA, PVC and phthalates, you can rest assured that your food is in good hands. Lots of bold colors and patterns make this lunchbox a favorite amongst the elementary school crowd. It's durable and has plenty of room to store any kind of school lunch (plus an ice pack if you need it).
If you’re looking for a stylish lunchbox, the Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Lunchbox has one of the biggest selections, featuring everything from glow-in-the-dark options (a bestseller) to sparkle and glitter. But these aren't all style and no substance. The lunchboxes are ultra-durable and have plenty of room for food and drink.
Patch-style lettering has been all the rage with tweens and teens, so it was only a matter of time before it made it onto lunchboxes. The Dark Swan Patchwork Insulated Lunchbox spells out "Lunch" in chenille letters with a cute smiley face. It comes with an adjustable shoulder strap for easy carrying, or it fits easily into any bag. There's plenty of room for bento-style containers or whatever items they pack for lunch.
The OmieBox Bento Box is unique in that it keeps food both hot and cold, so your kids can dig into last night's spaghetti with a side of fresh fruit. The vacuum-insulated Thermos container is removable making room if a sandwich is preferred. It's easy to open and close — perfect for elementary school little hands. The OmieBox is also available in blue, orange/yellow, purple and red/pink.
Why should charms only be for Crocs? The Fit & Fresh Charm Insulated Lunchbox gives kids a chance to show off their personality and change it at a whim. The box comes with three charms but is compatible with any shoe charms you have. With 22 holes, kids can really make it their own. Plus, the lunch bag itself is insulated, BPA and easy to clean.
No need to worry about accidentally thrown-out ice packs for this lunchbox. The PackIt Freezable Classic Lunchbox is designed to be frozen, so it'll keep lunch cool the next day. It folds down flat and can go in the freezer the night before. It's easy to unzip and can even buckle onto their backpack. Kids will love all of the fun colors and patterns, too.
The L.L.Bean Printed Lunchbox is made of the same material as L.L.Bean backpacks, so you know they are designed to last (and stay free of the yucky stuff). The slim design makes it easier to slide into backpacks but still contains plenty of space for all of the food. An exterior and interior mesh pocket can easily hold an ice pack or cutlery.
The beautiful florals of the brand LoveShackFancy meet lunchboxes. The global fashion brand has created a beautiful, feminine lunchbox in collaboration with Pottery Barn Teen that's as durable as it is stylish. The interior is made for easy cleanup and has a divider to keep foods away from each other that shouldn't touch. A mesh-lined pocket is perfect for any cutlery or napkins. The bag comes in three stunning colorways.
Not every lunchbox needs funky designs or frills. The older your child gets, sometimes they just want something neutral. This reusable, easy-to-clean, waterproof and single-colored lunchbox is the perfect pick. There's a mesh side pocket that's ideal for any drink and a front pocket perfect for stashing an ice pack or a quick place to put their phone, and there's plenty of room for even a teenager's appetite.
The Pottery Barn Teen Gear-Up Roll-Top Lunchbox comes in a few fun designs, from NFL logos to Minecraft. Simply stack your lunch items like you would in a brown paper bag without the worry of leaks or rips. Add a monogram and your kids will never grab the wrong lunchbox again.
This lunchbox is durable but also has a little style, perfect for choosy older kids. The compartment is easy to wipe down (great for parents!). The waterproof front storage area comes in handy for any extras you need to pack.
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