Hellobee

Welcome to the final installment in this four part series on choosing a bento box. So far we’ve looked at single layer, stacking and novelty boxes. Today we’re going to take a look at a few lunch box systems:

I define a lunch box system as any set that is designed to include everything you need (besides food) to pack a lunch and send it to school, day care or work. This usually means an outer box and interior containers to hold food. Systems might also include a thermal lunch bag, ice packs or flatware. Some systems such as EasyLunchboxes or PlanetBox are more stream-lined with a single divided box and a lid. Others, such as Laptop Lunches, Oots or Yubo have several inner containers for greater flexibility.

Lunch box systems, unlike Japanese bento boxes, are usually pretty easy to find in stores and online and they tend to be very durable. They typically are sized to hold food for larger appetites, so if you’re considering one for a toddler or preschooler, you should take that into account. If you are only sending lunch, they will often be too big for a young child, but they do work well if you are sending multiple meals or snacks for little ones. Prices for lunch systems range from about $14 to $60. Because of the higher prices of these boxes, it makes sense to think carefully about your needs and preferences before choosing one.

Let’s look more closely at a few of the options available:

Laptop Lunches come with an outer container and five inner containers — some with lids, some without. The lidded containers are great for applesauce, yogurt, dips or sloppy casseroles, while the un-lidded containers are good for drier items like fruits, veggies, crackers and sandwiches. Laptop Lunches are among my very favorite lunch boxes, and I’ve used the same set several days per week for my older son for over three years now with no decline in quality.

They hold up well in the dishwasher and I like the flexibility of the different containers. In addition to the containers that come with a basic set, you can purchase a Bento Buddies expansion set for even greater flexibility.

Because the Laptop Lunches set has so many cups and parts it can be annoying to manage all the different pieces, particularly if it is your daily lunch box.

EasyLunchboxes are on the opposite end of the lunch system spectrum. Each box consists of two pieces — a divided container and a lid — the pieces are easy to manage. They come in sets of four boxes for about $14, so they are very economical and they’re a great option if you’re packing multiple lunches in a day.

Though I like using EasyLunchboxes for my kids, they can be challenging to pack bento-style because of the largest section in the container. (Here’s my full review of EasyLunchboxes.)

Yubo lunch boxes come with an outer box and three lidded inner containers. A perfectly sized ice pack is also included with this lunch box, which is convenient. A big attraction of this box is that you can swap out the faceplates on the outside of the box to suit your child’s current interest, and many personalization options are available.

As with the Laptop Lunch, it can be a chore to make sure all of the inner pieces are cleaned every day, but expansion sets are available.

PlanetBox is a streamlined lunch system that consists of a divided lunch tray with a hinged lid. It also includes two smaller lidded containers that can be used to hold wet items. Because it’s stainless steel, the PlanetBox is a nice option for households that prefer to avoid plastics for food.

I love packing bento-style meals in this box because the five small sections make it easy to present food in an attractive way. The $60 price tag for this lunch box and its carrying bag makes it one of the more expensive lunch sets on the market. It’s also on the heavy side for a lunch box.

Do you use a lunch system for your child’s meals?