PRIYApproved School Lunch Containers!
I have waited years to write this post to make sure we haven’t had any leaks or issues over time. I can’t guarantee you won’t have leaks, of course. This is just the internet and I’m an n = 1, but I have heard similar feedback from other moms in the wild. If you click one of the links below, please know that some of these are affiliate links that may earn me the teeniest, seriously tiniest, commission. It’s basically just enough to keep this website alive, so thank you!
P.S. life is all about balance, so some of these items are made of plastic, which I generally don’t prefer. I choose balance and prefer to spend my after-school time connecting with my kid instead of cleaning leaks out of crusty backpacks. I make sure to hand wash the plastic ones and occasionally throw them in the top rack of my dishwasher for a deeper clean.
I’m going to keep this quick, practical, and relatively easy to read. I know you’re busy!
Lunch box containers - you can use any of these for yourself, too!
Yumbox Original (comes in other compartment quantities and sizes like Panino and Tapas sizes)
Bentgo Stainless Steel - my one complaint about these is that the containers are rather large, but they’re great for larger items like sandwiches or wraps, which I don’t do a ton of, personally, but if that’s you, these are great!
Snack containers (dry)
Lunch Bots quad or protein packer - I don’t recommend putting anything wet-ish in these because the compartments aren’t fully sealed and things can leak from one compartment to the next
Planet box big round “dipper” - I don’t recommend dipping like things unless they’re thick like hummus, because we did get some leaks with wet items on this one. The size is SO perfect for toddlers for dry snacks, or even washed and dried berries.
Snack containers (wet) - obviously, these containers can be used for dry too…
Elk and friends - these are one of my favorite products of all time. We use the glass (8oz) and stainless steel (10 oz) ones for drinks (open cup or straw), snacks, and wet food for lunch.
Good ol’ Ziploc Twist and Loc
Kinsho - these come in various shapes and sizes so have a look
Bentgo Kids - I also use this one as a snack box for sharing
Lunch bots small 4 oz rounds screw cover
Warm items
Sauces and surprises - these containers are great for small amounts of items you may not want to fill a whole compartment with like hummus, chocolate chips, some furikake to sprinkle on top of an avo or hard boiled egg, etc.
Lunch bots small 4 oz rounds screw cover - wet items
Lunch bots tiny 1.5 oz dips silicone cover - dry items or thick sauces
Wee sprout tiny rectangles - dry items
Silicone cupcake liners - I use these to separate a larger container sometimes; also use these at home for snack plates and charcuterie boards
unbleached paper bags - I use these for muffins, cookies, biscuits, salmon cakes, etc. I like to use fun stickers to close these or fold and crinkle the tops
Water bottles - for oral motor development reasons I prefer a straw that goes all the way down (vs. one of those suck tops or spouts) or a medium opening screw top water bottle style when you can’t drink from a regular cup or straw cup
bkr (comes in 8oz, 16, oz 32 oz) - I like 8 oz for lunchboxes
Tiffin-style - these can be great for road trips or longer “days out” because you can pack more food, more choices and still keep it relatively tidy to fit into your bag
lunch bags
fluf zipper bags - obsessed with these; fewest chemicals and garbage in them, easy to clean, soft and squishy to fit a lot of stuff
STATE - a bit more sturdy than the above, but also a bit more plastic/chemicals; still better than most on the market!
Etc.
cookie cutters - I rec a mixed pack of small and medium-sized ones like this one; the small ones are great for cutting omelets, cheese, fruit slices, etc. while the larger ones are great for cookies, sandwiches etc.
post its + permanent markers for Notes! - trust me on the permanent markers here, those ice packs can really smudge pen and marker when sitting there all day!
Stickers! - not an affiliate link, just LOVE this brand and they have the most creative, fun, and GOOD QUALITY stickers that don’t peel off the post-its after a day of ice pack sweat.
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Packing school lunches is one of my favorite things to do in my entire day! I think having containers clean and ready the night before helps make the morning routine go smoothly and the variety of containers allows me to make lunch fresh in the morning instead of packing it the night before where it gets all mushy, sweaty, and fridgey. Hope you enjoy packing your kid(s) lunch as much as I do, happy lunching!