The 12 Best Lunch Boxes for Kids

Thanks to a freezable gel liner, this was the only bag to stay below 40°F (a safety benchmark for perishables) for 5 1/2 hours in our test. It's super spacious, comes with a long strap for easy carrying, and is available in dozens of fun colors and patterns. We recently tested PackIt's Everyday Lunch Box Cooler, too, which is a new, cubed shape, perfect for stocking up with goods for picnics. Both fold up for storage – and taking up minimal room in your freezer!

Bento boxes are great for kids because they get a little taste of everything with various lunch and snack portions. It only has one latch, so little hands can open their lunch box with ease. Plus, these lunch boxes are available in a variety of different colors.

These Bentgo lunch bags were specifically designed to fit an assortment of bento boxes (but you could still use 'em separately!). It's insulated, and it claims to keep food warm or cold for up to four hours. There's even an interior mesh pocket and an exterior pocket, too.

The Flatbox is a soft-sided lunch bag with a comfortable handle on top. When you unzip the sides and lay it flat, it becomes a placemat, making it a great companion at picnics and other venues with messy surfaces (field trips!). It's also machine washable.

This five-piece set is the ultimate lunch box starter kit — it comes with a lunch bag, food box, reusable ice pack, water bottle, and even a mini white board so you can leave them a new note each day. If your kid isn't into unicorns, these lunch box sets also come in other patterns.

The Gourmet Getaway Lunch Tote from Built is super lightweight, plus the polyester and neoprene material is flexible enough to fold up for storage after lunch. Careful with liquids, though, as this bag leaked in our testing.

This stainless steel bento-style lunchbox has three separate food compartments plus a removable silicone container for even more options. The lid seals super tight and the five available colors are fun and bold for younger kids, but sophisticated enough for teens (or adults!) too.

The Bentology lunch bag set is a great pick for kids who like to customize their lunch. The separate plastic containers mean your child can eat various snacks with their lunch!

This bento box style lunch box from OmieBox is insulated and comes with a removable leak-proof container for liquids. The rectangular compartments come with dividers that you can use with or without to make larger or smaller.

The Mackenzie bag is super spacious and the rigid walls keep delicate foods from getting crushed. There are zippered pockets inside and out, and its double zipper won't come open if shaken or dropped. Plus, you can get it customized with your little one's name!

The Flip-Top was one of the only bags we tested that proved totally leak-proof and stain-resistant. It didn't break when dropped and earned perfect scores for ease of packing.

This lightweight lunch box has a smooth plastic interior that lets you clean up sticky spills easily. Plus, it won't stain, even if you leave grape juice on it overnight.