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It's Preptember here at BA and that means we're bringing some of our favorite tools and tricks for meal prep, storage, and those all-important back to school plans.
Kids gotta eat. And if, like mine, yours refuse to eat school lunch, parents and caregivers gotta be packing lunches. It can quickly become a monotonous task, especially if you have a picky eater. But with the right gear, the whole process can be more fun for everyone. Below, find BA staffers’ favorite boxes, bags, and other food storage containers for packing kids’ lunches.
PackIt modular lunch containers
As a food writer (and, you know, loving mother), I probably shouldn’t admit this, but until I started using PackIt’s modular lunch containers, I really hated packing my kids’ lunches. Each box comes with two dividers that can be popped into any of the 11 grooves, so you can make your lunch box work for your lunch versus trying to cram food into fixed-size containers. They’re super durable, completely dishwasher-safe, and the lid is leakproof. (For even more flexibility, try the PackIt Flex—which has bendy dividers and comes with a little snack/condiment container.
Omiebox Up
Senior editor Noah Kaufman’s kids use the “terrifically versatile” Omiebox Up. This hard lunch box not only looks cool, but it can keep hot food hot and cold food cold—at the same time. Does your kid adore last night's mac and cheese as a lunchtime option? The included extra-large thermal food jar can accommodate close to half a box, and, if you put it in hot at 7:30 a.m., it'll still be that way by the time lunch hits at 11:30. Pop the included ice pack under the other side to keep the contents of those compartments cold too. Speaking of that side: The plastic divider provides a surprisingly impenetrable barrier against cross contamination, so you never have to worry about wet strawberries interacting with, say, baby carrots (because we all know that different foods are never supposed to touch). It’s also dishwasher-safe.
Zojirushi Stainless-Steel Food Jar
Zojirushi’s vacuum-insulated mug always comes out on top when we’re testing travel coffee tumblers because it’s totally leakproof and keeps coffee popping hot for hours. Well, it turns out the same is true for the stainless-steel food jar that Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco brilliantly uses for…burrito transport! He preheats the mug with boiling water while microwaving a frozen burrito and once the burrito is done, he wraps it in parchment paper, then foil, then pops it into the food jar, where it stays nice and warm until lunch time. It’s not dishwasher-safe, but if you’re using Chris’s trick, it will be super easy to wash by hand.
Bentgo Kids Lunch Bag
This double-insulated lunch bag from Bentgo makes so much sense for kids. It has two handles—and one has a clip for easily attaching it to a backpack. There’s also an adjustable shoulder strap to make it even easier to carry. But wait; there’s more! One side has a mesh water bottle sleeve with an adjustable elastic cord so your kid’s tumbler won’t tumble out and disappear. In addition to a bunch of kid-friendly patterns, there are a couple adults could carry to the office too (I am counting this glittery one among them, thank you very much).
PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag
If you need to keep lunches cold (either for an extended period of time or in a really hot climate) and you don’t want to bother with ice packs, PackIt’s soft-sided lunch bags are lined with freezable gel so they’re like lunch bags and ice packs in one. The classic style is big enough to fit PackIt’s own modular lunch box (the one I use for my kids every day) and then some as well as bento boxes from plenty of other brands. It also comes in a variety of colors and patterns, and because it’s collapsible, it won’t take up too much room in the freezer.
Stasher silicone food storage bags
BA has been recommending Stasher’s reusable silicone food storage bags for years, even for folks without kids. That’s because they’re super durable, dishwasher safe, and the zip-closures actually stay closed. They also happen to come in a great variety of sizes and fun colors. Bye-bye, plastic baggies!
Stainless-steel condiment containers
If you’re a person who feeds kids, you already understand the importance of having at least a few small vessels (tiny bowls, ramekins, and the like) for condiments as well as durable, compact containers for snacks on the go. These stainless steel condiment containers cover all your bases. They double as ramekins, and because they come with leakproof silicone lids, ketchup will travel to school just as safely as cheerios. The soft silicone is easy for little hands to open, and all of the parts are dishwasher safe.