Back To School Essentials: Lunchboxes

With Back to School right around the corner I thought it would be helpful to make a list of essentials! This is the lunchbox edition.

Eliana starts school the 28th this month so this entire month I will dedicate to Back to School Essentials. Every week I will be sharing a different essentials list. As this is our first time experiencing the whole "back to school" preparation time these lists are also for me to get organized too :) 

This first list is all about lunchboxes. I will start off by saying even though I have been packing lunchboxes for myself, my hubby and Eliana for a while now, I do not actually own that many lunchboxes, nor is this list a full compilation of ALL the lunchboxes available out there. I'm just going to share my personal favorite lunchboxes with you and tell you why I like them so much.

My favorite lunchboxes are EasyLunchboxes, Lunchbots, yubo and various All Things For Sale boxes. (numerical order is not in order of preference; I like all the boxes for various reasons)

1. EasyLunchboxes:

above shown: EasyLunchboxes and Classic lid set

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we Love EasyLunchboxes! They are super affordable at four containers for $13.95, and they are durable -- they truly last. My set that I have had for over a year and a half has no wearing, tearing or warping from the constant dishwasher use.  They have no BPA, Lead, Vinyl or PVC so they are food safe! They are also safe for the fridge, freezer and microwave. 

There are two different color sets. We have both the Classic Set  (red, orange, green and blue lids) and the new Brights set (purple, pink, yellow and teal lids).  The lids are kid friendly and are meant to open easy.

The EasyLunchboxes have three divided sections so food doesn't have to touch and they also stack neatly when not in use. The divided sections work great for picky eaters or even if you just pack things that you don't want to touch. These boxes are so versatile and I love how I can use them to pack all of our lunches. I always use them to pack my own personal lunches and David's:

Veggie Pasta Salad, sliced plums and a homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Muffin.

The only thing to keep in mind is that these lunchboxes are NOT leak proof so I would either pack runny liquids in a separate container with a lid (like a mini dipper) or make sure the lunchbox stays upright. You can see all the lunches I've made in EasyLunchboxes HERE.  (p.s. if you really enjoy these too you'll want to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a set!)

2. Lunchbots:

above shown: LunchBots Quad and Trio with red and green lids.

And if you don't like to use plastic? Try Lunchbots. They are stainless steel, durable, reusable and recyclable. They are reasonably priced, starting at $16.99 for the LunchBots Uno, especially considering that they will seriously last forever. Mine still look brand new after using them for almost a year! I don't think I have shared that many of the lunches I have made with them on my blog, mainly due to the fact I don't photograph every lunch, but they are one of our favorite lunchboxes. I also like to use them for myself for snacks :)

I will warn you, they may look small in size (I was shocked when I first got them!) but you can easily pack an entire lunch inside! The only two things to keep in mind is that they are NOT leak proof (so pack your runny items in a smaller container with a lid) and to NOT wash the lids in the dishwasher if you get the colorful lids. Those lids are handwash only and the paint will chip overtime in the dishwasher.

I only have experience with the LunchBots Trio and Quad (Quad is pictured above). I enjoy using silicone cups to add some color into the lunches which also makes cleaning even easier because none of the food touches the container! Just a quick simple clean, rinse and done. Lunchbots also makes the Duo and the Uno, which are the same sizes as the Trio and Quad just different sized sections on the inside. They also make different boxes as well along with insulated food containers to keep food either hot or cold for hours and they have snack containers. 

3. yubo:

above shown: green yubo deluxe set with personalized sunny garden faceplates

We just got a yubo lunchbox and I already can say we love it and will be using it this year a lot! It is such a unique and customizable lunchbox. It is bpa FREE, recyclable and dishwasher safe (you can literally put the entire thing in the dishwasher!). I love how everything is together. One yubo deluxe set and you are all set. You don't need a separate lunch bag or ice packs--It all comes together. It is more expensive: the deluxe set starting at $29.95, but the set does include a lot. You can even get a yubo drink holder that also attaches to the outer box. 

The outer box comes in many different color choices, you have a choice of customizeable faceplates (which can be changed if desired) and the inner containers come in different sizes (one large container and two small containers shown above). The inner containers are removable and can be rearranged within the lunchbox. The yubo is also very easy to open. 

The one thing to keep in mind is that the yubo is bigger and bulkier than other lunchboxes. For us that is not a problem, especially since it all comes together and there is no need for a separate lunch bag, but the size is to be noted. This lunchbox worked better when Eliana was younger and carried less in her backpack. You can read my full review of the yubo lunchbox HERE.

4: Various All Things For Sale boxes:

above shown: Pink Oval 2 Tier Box, Square sectioned box (shown with silicone cups inside), 

Small plastic two sectioned box (not available anymore) and Angry Birds Bento Box set.

All Things for Sale is THE place to go for all things bento and lunch related. I have a few various lunch/bento boxes that I have gotten from there that I love. They also have such a huge collection there it is completely understandable if you lose track of time while browsing the site! There are so many boxes that I want to eventually get! Especially the lego lunchbox! The boxes they have there come in various shapes, sizes and prices. With prices ranging from $2.99 to $39.99 you are sure to find a lunchbox in your price range that you want. Shipping is very reasonable (international shipping available too!) and my orders have always processed quickly.

Eliana's absolute favorite box from them is the Angry Birds lunchbox set.

The set comes with 5 containers total. They are all easy to open and close and there are no dividable sections on the inside. I make use of silicone baking cups to keep the food separate. The only thing to keep in mind is this particular lid is hand wash only. You can scratch the angry bird design off if you put it in the dishwasher (sadly one of our boxes got scratched). For more info on this Angry Birds Bento please see HERE for the full post.

*****

I know that there are TONS of lunchboxes out there, way more than I could ever include in this list, but these are my personal favorites. What are your favorite lunch boxes? Are you ready for Back to School?! I don't think I am just yet.. but I will be :)

p.s. Stay tuned for my Back to School Essentials: Lunch bags list next week! :)

**Disclosure: I was not compensated by any of these companies for this post. 

I created this list to share my favorite lunchboxes with you**

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