Catherine Russell, who updated this roundup, is a writer and editor specializing in food, culture, and home and garden. Grandma’s kitchen was a favorite place for Catherine growing up, and that’s where she first learned to bake, roast, broil, and cook most anything from scratch. Her work has appeared in national publications, such as Bon Appetit, and in film and video. When you’re on the hunt for a perfect lunch box, keep size top of mind. You want the lunch box to be big enough to take all of the food you need, but you also don’t want it to be too big so that it takes up extra room in your bag. You’ll also want to make sure that the lunch containers you use to keep your food in can fit inside the lunch box easily and right side up. If they have to be tiled, for example, you may end up with leaks. The Spruce Eats / Brigitt Earley What to Look for in a Lunch Box Water-Resistant and Leakproof Fabrics

Even with insulated containers, though, there’s more you can do to boost their efficiency. Fill them with hot (or icy) water first, and then let them sit for a bit before emptying the water and filling them with food. That simple step means that the stored food itself doesn’t have to do the heavy lifting of first heating and cooling its own container. (This works for everyday coffee mugs and insulated beverage containers, too.) In case your water bottle or food container springs a leak, you’ll be thankful for a lunch box that features water-resistant or leakproof fabric. This way, the mess will be contained inside and won’t spill over to the interior of your car or inside your office desk drawer. Most of these fabrics can also be wiped clean, so your lunch box will be as good as new to carry your lunch the following day.Finally—and perhaps most important to your child—it comes in several prints and colors. You can also mix and match the removable inner trays if you decide to buy a couple. The inner trays are also microwave and freezer safe. Food-safe linings help ensure your food stays fresh without being contaminated by lunch box materials. Look for the term “BPA-free" in the product’s description, which means that the lining doesn’t contain the chemical bisphenol-A that’s used to craft many common materials and could possibly seep into food and beverages. FAQs How can you keep food hot or cold in a lunch box? Leakproof and spill-proof are key elements of a good lunch box. Make sure that the outer box will not leak through if something inside spills. This way, you can protect your clothes, bag, car and other things from your food. This lunch box earned our best overall spot because it's a nice, medium size, could work for kids or adults, and comes from a brand trusted and known for its durability and insulation. If you already trust Hydroflask's reusable water bottles to keep your drinks cold (we do), you'll be glad to learn that the brand's lunch boxes boast that same powerful insulation. In fact, Hydroflask’s Large Insulated Lunch Box features two layers of insulation to keep your food perfectly chilled for hours. Plus, this durable design holds up to countless outings like the brand's trademark bottle.

Strictly, “bento” describes a type of Japanese lacquered box, but in the world of lunchboxes, “bento” generally means that the lunchbox will have sections, and often a self-contained carrier with onboard utensils and a lid designed to be carried. To keep food from spoiling and drinks refreshingly cold, be sure that your lunch box boasts insulating capabilities. Many lunch box manufacturers proudly tout this feature: Insulation helps keep items at the temperature you want them, and some insulating lunch boxes can keep food cold for hours.Brigitt Earleyis a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience testing products for editorial inclusion. She tested electric lunch boxes, as well as sending the Bentgo to school with her kids, to find some of the best lunch boxes.