7 Best Lunch Boxes for Kids in 2024
From durable stainless steel to insulated lunch boxes that pack flat after using, we've got something for every kid.
Reviewed by Nicole PapantoniouKitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Director
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Your kid's lunch box takes a beating with near-daily use, but you really want one that lasts the whole school year, because it's not so easy to find a wide selection in, say, February. With the back-to-school season here, now is the time to find the best (and cutest!) lunch bag that can fit that healthy lunch you made without squishing it.
The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab put lunch boxes and bags to the test, just as we did with reusable sandwich bags, the best kids' water bottles and more. The top performers keep sandwiches, snacks and fruits safely chilled throughout the morning, and many of them have special features like thermoses for storing soup or built-in ice packs to keep things cool. We considered style, weight, size, seal and added features to find a variety of options that are great for all needs and budgets. These picks also boast glowing online reviews from parents who have used them.
Pros
- Freezable gel liner keeps foods cold for hours
- No ice pack needed, saving space and weight
- Folds flat for storage
Cons
- This is heavier than other standard lunch boxes
Who needs an ice pack when you have an insulated lunch box that keeps a kid's food cold? PackIt's freezable gel liner means you no longer have to jam an ice pack in alongside all of your food — just pop the whole bag into the freezer overnight and it's ready to stay chilly through the school morning.
The Packit Lunch Bag was the only one to keep its contents below 40˚F (a safety benchmark for perishables) for 5.5 hours in our Lab test. The gel liner makes this heavier than your standard lunch box plus an ice pack — one of our Lab directors felt it added far too much weight to her kid's backpack — but it's not as heavy as the stainless-steel options further down our list.
The lunch box folds flat (shown below), so fitting it in among your frozen foods is easy, and your kid can easily jam it back into their backpack to take home. When you unfold it, you'll find it's super spacious for packing lunches.
There are only three kiddo designs on Amazon including the rainbow (shown), an astronaut version and a cupcake design. You can find other styles at Kohls. The original Freezable Lunch Bag is less kiddish and good for older children — or even for your own lunch, if you take one to work.
Capacity: 2.5 liters/2.6 quarts | Dimensions: 8" x 10" x 4" when open Weight: 13.3 oz
Related: We Tested 24 Food Storage Containers to Find the Best
When lunch is done, the PackIt folds up small to take home. It also doesn't take up much room in your freezer overnight while you get it cold for the next day.
Pros
- Foods stay separated
- Low price
- Freezer-, dishwasher- and microwave-safe
Cons
- Drink has to be packed separately
Picky kids will appreciate this bento box that keeps all of their favorite foods separate from each other with no risk of them touching or transferring tastes. Removable trays nestle in to form this compact, lightweight bento box for close to $10.
The round piece includes a screw-on lid to keep up to 5 oz of foods like yogurt, hummus or fruit salad contained. Our Lab pros like the Sistema clamp which forms a tight seal on the outer box so nothing falls out.
Every piece of this tidy box can be popped in the freezer or used in the microwave (without a lid) as well as safely cleaned in the dishwasher. This box does not come with a drink compartment so kids will need to store that separately.
On Amazon you can get this as a two pack so one can always be in the dishwasher.
Capacity: 1.65 liters/1.74 quarts | Dimensions: 8.6" x 7.3" x 3" | Weight: 11.04 oz
Related: Best Lunch Bags for Adults
Two removable trays plus the yogurt pot can come out of the box.
Pros
- Lightweight but holds a lot
- Easy-to-clean lining
- Exterior and interior pockets
Cons
- Drink must ride inside or separately
This lightweight, durable nylon lunch box is a longtime fave for school lunches. It can hold a lot, some 4.6 quarts. The smooth plastic interior is easy to clean if there's a sticky spill. And the inside won't stain, even if you leave grape juice in it overnight. In online reviews, users called this a "workhorse."
One of our contributors ran her child's L.L.Bean lunch box through the dishwasher each Friday at the end of the schoolweek to get it cleaned. it just needed about a day to dry out on a dishrack afterward.
There's a zip pocket on the exterior where you can stash some cash or a lunch card if your child buys their drink each day or something from the vending machine after school. There's also a mesh pocket in interior (shown below) that can hold a snack separate from everything else, or it can hold an ice pack to keep food chilled.
This is large enough on the inside to fit both a Hydroflask insulated food jar and a stainless steel water bottle. But the drink takes up a lot of room and if you need that space for food, your kid will have to carry their drink separately.
Capacity: 4.4 liters/4.6 quarts | Dimensions: 9.5" x 7" x 3.25" | Weight: 6 oz
Related: L.L.Bean tops our list of the Best Kids Backpacks
There's a zip pocket on the outside and a mesh pocket on the inside of the L.L.Bean lunchbox, but no separate place for a drink.
Bentgo Kids
Pros
- Bento box keeps food separated but easily accessible
- Simple latches for preschool- and Kindergarten-age kids
- Many patterns available
Cons
- Smallest capacity on our list — but it's for little kids
Bento boxes are all the rage for how they keep food separated and easy for little kids to get it. This leak-proof version keeps all food on the same level and has two easy latches especially made for kids ages 3 to 7.
There are dozens of patterns to choose from — we show dinos but there are also puppies, camo, rainbows and more. See below for two ways for a child to carry their Bentgo box, but this could also just slide into your child's backpack if you pack the drink separately.
The Bentgo box features five compartments and is dishwasher safe. It doesn't hold a lot — it's got the smallest capacity of all the boxes on our list — but it's made for preschoolers and Kindergarteners who don't eat a ton of food at lunch.
Capacity: .56 liters/.6 quarts| Dimensions: 8.5" x 6.5" x 2" | Weight: 1.3 lbs
Related: 30 Easy, Healthy Snacks for Kids
Though it nearly doubles the cost you can also buy a Bentgo Lunch Set that includes the bento box, matching ice packs and a matching carrier tote with a space for a drink on the side.
Alternatively, kids can carry their Bentgo box inside the Bentgo Lunch Tote. The tote is insulated to keep food warm or cool for up to four hours.
Pros
- Easy to clean and plastic-free
- Keeps food nicely separated
- Durable, the brand offers a 5-year limited warranty
Cons
- Stainless steel is a bit heavy
Stainless steel is easy to clean and of course plastic-free, making it a popular choice for a kids' lunch box material, especially for parents who worry about microplastics. Stainless steel is heavier than nylon or plastic, so you'll see that this kids' lunchbox weighs more than most others on the list
It's got four compartments plus a round spot for dip (or dessert). With this lunchbox your child will need to carry their water bottle or drink separately unless you get a tote like the one shown below.
There's also a deeper two-compartment version and a three-compartment version for kids who pack a larger sandwich. The latch on this one isn't super simple but the brand age-grades it for ages 3 and up. The brand lists its capacity as "a pound" which is hard to judge compared to the others but it's not for older kids with large appetites — we like this Planetbox ROVER for the elementary school ages.
Maybe one of the biggest selling points is how indestructible stainless steel can be. Planetbox offers a 5-year limited warranty though you'll want to read the terms carefully. Your child could potentially use the same ROVER from first through fifth grade!
Capacity: N/A | Dimensions: 10" x 7.5" x 2" | Weight: 1.7 lbs
Related: Our Sustainable Innovation Awards
For Planetbox you can buy an Insulated Lunch Bag made to fit the stainless-steel bento box and with a pocket for your child's water bottle.
Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Cold Pack
Pros
- Add a name or monogram
- Highest capacity on our list
- Holds a drink on the side
Cons
- No user reviews on the PBK site
Personalize your child's lunchbox with this large pick from Pottery Barn Kids that lets you add a name or monogram to the front. It's easy for your kid to spot (or for you to fish out of the Lost and Found) .
Rigid walls keep delicate foods from getting crushed, and a water bottle or drink fits neatly in the mesh side pouch. We like this Cold Pack version even more than the original because it has two insulated compartments inside and a larger interior mesh pocket for a matching ice pack.
Our Lab experts determined that the main double zipper won't come open if the bag is shaken or dropped. The Mackenzie comes in a ton of kid-bait patterns including Hot Wheels Monster Trucks, Glow in the Dark Spider-Man and a Disney Princess Adaptive Lunch Box that can snap onto a wheelchair or walker.
Pottery Barn Kids also sells backpacks that can match the brand's lunch boxes. We just wish — as parents and as analysts — that the site allowed users to post their own reviews.
Capacity: 7 liters/7.3 quarts | Dimensions: 9.25" x 7.75" x 3.75" | Weight: 1 lbs
The inside of the Mackenzie Cold Pack Lunch Box is wipeable and includes two insulated compartments.
Pros
- Removable Thermos-like container for hot or cold foods
- Moveable dividers to change up compartment size
- Box has a tight rubber seal to help make it leakproof
Cons
- With the thermal food jar this is the heaviest on our list
This bento box–style lunch box from Omie is insulated and comes with a removable, Thermos-like container meant to hold hot or cold foods. It's perfect for toting last night's reheated leftovers or some warm mac and cheese for a picky eater.
The food container lid screws shut and has a handle that can pop up to help a child open in themselves (see below). If you aren't packing that stainless steel container, its square compartment can be used for a sandwich instead. The rectangular compartment has a moveable divider that allows you to adjust the size to fit your foods.
When you pack this with the food container it's among the heaviest lunch boxes on our list, about tied with the Planetbox. Like with that choice the brand age-grades this for ages 3 and up. A smaller version will be coming out soon.
To clean the brand recommends that you remove the box's leakfproof rubber seal and wash it as well as all the parts. We found it a little tricky to reinstall the seal but appreciate that this box helps prevent spills.
Capacity: N/A | Dimensions: 7.5" x 8.5" x 3" | Weight: 1.8 lbs
The screw-on lid for the hot food container in the Omiebox is meant for a child to be able to open on their own at lunchtime.
Other kid lunch boxes we’ve tested that might not be for everybody
Best giftable lunch box: The Modern Picnic Mini Luncher, shown in the picture, looks like a classy patent-leather purse but can hold a kid's lunch containers on the inside.
Best licensed characters: The Thermos Dual Lunch Box (BB-8 version) is a well-made favorite for about $15 on Amazon. At Walmart there's a Thermos Pokeman Lunch Box that's more like $10 and a Thermos Minecraft Lunch Box priced in the middle.
Best for toddlers: For daycare or nursery school we like the affordable Munchkin Bento Box for Kids which comes with a spoon and kid-safe fork.
Best with a water bottle included: The Go Green lunch box fell off our list for being 13" x 9", nearly the size of a laptop, but we do love that it comes with a stainless-steel water bottle and ice packs.
How we test lunch boxes
We test all kinds of gear at the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab. The picks in this guide are based on data from tests of over 50 lunch boxes and bags over the last seven years. When testing we considered:
✔️ Ease of use: For most of these we had adults — as well as a 6-year-old and a 5-year-old — open and close them to be sure they weren't too difficult. The 5-year-old had an easier time with zippered, soft-sided bags than with latched, rigid boxes. We also tried packing different amounts of food in each lunch box.
✔️ Durability: We dropped each lunch box to be sure it stayed closed. We also tested for staining. All of the lunch boxes in this story can be cleaned, but we found that those with a smooth plastic or metal interior are easiest.
✔️ Performance: To each lunch box, our pros added an apple, a juice box, a sandwich and an ice pack; they then performed a temperature-evaluation test (pictured) for each box to determine how long each could maintain a safe temperature over a six-hour period. Our best overall choice performed the best.
They also added 2 tbsp of apple juice to each lunch box and held it up to determine whether the box was leak-resistant.
✔️ Real-world experience: Our Lab pros survey consumers, evaluate lunch boxes with the kids in their own lives and scour online reviews to be sure we aren't missing anything.
What to consider when buying the best kids' lunch box
✔️ Your child's age: The less there is to open, the faster a small child will be able to eat lunch. A bento box that has all the food out and ready for them is appealing for that reason. Have them try to open and close the lunch box at home before you send them off with it.
✔️ Weight and size: Consider whether the lunch box fits in your child's backpack or if you'll want to buy a separate tote for it. If it's going in a backpack, you'll want something compact and lightweight that can hold its shape to avoid being crushed. If they don't have far to walk — for instance, if you drive them to school — the weight might not matter as much.
✔️ Materials: Stainless steel is durable, plastic-free and easiest to clean in the sink or dishwasher though it is also the heaviest lunch box material. A rigid plastic bento box will weigh less and can also usually go in the dishwasher.
The nylon and other fabric bags are lightweight, open with a zipper and can pack flatter when empty. They're often the easiest for kids to open and they often have the added benefit of being insulated. However, you might have to fill them with food containers which means kids will have some unpacking to do.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
The Good Housekeeping Institute has tested consumer products for more than 100 years and our pros specialize in evaluating everything families need for the back to school season. We also are always testing kid-related food purchases from baby bowls to the best blenders for your tween's smoothies.
Lead reviewer Nicole Papantoniou directs the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she oversees all content and testing related to cooking products. She's been testing cooking tools, gadgets, gear and appliances for ten years, trying many items with her family members. Papantoniou is trained in classic culinary arts and is a professional recipe developer.
Contributing Writer Jessica Hartshorn is a former editor from Parents magazine. She brings decades of experience evaluating products for babies and children, especially back-to-school gear, and is a mom of two.
Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents.
Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
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