Best bento boxes, lunch boxes for school and work
The humble packed lunch has never looked so good. Choose from an array of the best bento boxes for all.
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Long gone are those days of a plastic-wrapped vegemite sandwich for lunch. Thank goodness. Vegemite is thankfully still around, of course, but packed lunches have come a long way, with more exciting and nutritious options (that have nothing to do with sliced bread) and more importantly, new and improved food carriers – one of which is the bento box.
Originating from Japan, the bento box has been embraced the world over, and has revolutionised the packed lunch in the process. Designed to transport a single serve meal, traditionally for lunch, it features different sections to compartmentalise your food, keeping everything fresh and completely separate. This means you can enjoy different components to your meal such as salad, meat, veggies and chopped fruit, or even snacks to enjoy during the day.
This simple, yet over-achieving lunch box offers many other advantages. Apart from providing healthy and tasty lunch options, it helps with portion control, cuts out wasteful single-use packaging and, in these times of rising interest rates, saves on the expense of buying lunch. To top it off, they come in a wide range of stylish designs that you’d be proud to bring out in the work lunchroom.
Unsurprisingly, bento boxes have also taken off on social media app TikTok lately with over 2.7 billion views for the hashtag #bentobox and over 496.6 million views for the hashtag #bentoboxlunch. Yes, the bento box hype is real.
So once you’ve decided you can’t live without a bento box, it comes down to finding the design that suits you best. To make this a little easier, we’ve scoured the internet and found the best bento boxes for work and school including the best-selling Bento Box on Amazon.
SHOP BY CATEGORY
- Best overall bento box
- Best budget bento box
- Best stainless steel bento box
- Best high end bento box
- Best bento box for kids
BEST OVERALL BENTO BOX
Bentoheaven Premium Bento Lunch Box, $43.99 at Amazon
A number-one bestseller on Amazon, this bento box is incredibly popular. With two stackable compartments, it caters to a range of appetite sizes and comes with an adjustable divider, cutlery, chopsticks, sauce container and handy sealing strap. It’s leakproof, free from BPS and BPA, and goes in both the microwave and dishwasher. It also has a sleek and stylish exterior with eight different colours to choose from. An e-recipe book is included, free of charge, to help you create your own bento magic, plus you can purchase a matching insulated bag to carry your bento box wherever you need to go.
There are a heap of positive online reviews for this brand, with one purchaser commenting: “I don’t often post reviews but I just wanna say that this is the best product I’ve purchased on Amazon. It’s so convenient and has gotten me to have a much more stable diet. Thank you Bento!”
Meanwhile another happy customer left a five-star review saying, “I started meal prepping Keto lunches a couple years ago, and this little bento has been the centrepiece of my work lunches. It’s the perfect size and the silicone seals are great!”
MaMix Bento Box, $34.49 at Amazon
This silicone bento box comes with four compartments, deep enough to hold adequate food portions, as well as a separate sauce/dip container and a section containing a washable spork. There are four silicone cupcakes included to hold different food components – a cute idea that appeals to kids and makes lunch preparation a little easier. More importantly this bento box is durable, stain-resistant, and leakproof with a rubber covering over each section for extra freshness and security. Plus, it cleans like a dream in the dishwasher, which is always great news.
One customer said: “Does the job. Closes tightly so no leaking into other compartments as well as bag. Really happy with this”, while another said, “I use this for my granddaughter who is a fussy eater. She likes the different compartments so encourages her to eat.”
The Good Brand Bento Box, $22.46 (down from $29.95) at THE ICONIC
This sleek looking bento box is made from wheat straw – an organic and biodegradable by-product of the wheat industry. It’s completely free from BPA, toxins and odours, so safe for food, plus it goes into the microwave, freezer and dishwasher. With three stackable sections, you can pack a healthy serving of different dishes, sides or snacks, plus it comes with a fork, spoon and chopsticks, so you never need worry about forgetting utensils.
BEST BUDGET BENTO BOX
Jeopace Bento Box, $15.92 at Amazon
This handy bento box is another popular choice with thousands of positive online reviews to back it up. In fact, my work colleague has this particular one on her desk right now, and has found it ideal, particularly as it comes with its own fork and spoon. Made from sustainable wheat fibre, it provides three large sections with an extra compartment for sauce, dip or dressing. It’s sturdy, leak proof, toxin-free and goes in the freezer, dishwasher and microwave. It comes in a range of fab colours and best of all, with a more-than-reasonable price tag, it won’t break the budget.
One Amazon customer commented, “The fork and spoon are a good side for me. They clip into the lid securely. Lid has four clips and secures tightly. Packed yoghurt and it did not spill. I consider this amazing value for money.”
Binoster Original Bento Box with Stainless Steel Spoon and Fork, $22.99 at Amazon
Another budget-friendly success story, this bento box offers a modern stylish take on the traditional Japanese style in a range of chic subtle tones. There are two stackable compartments to organise your food, as well as a stainless steel spoon and fork. The boxes are durable and safe to go in the dishwasher and freezer. They can also go in the microwave, but not the top lid and inner lids.
One customer left a glowing review, saying: “Fantastic lunch box. I love the colour and wood effect. The two compartments are perfect portion sizes, I usually put salad or pasta in the top and snacks in the bottom. Microwavable and dishwasher safe too which is a huge bonus. It comes with plastic chopsticks and spoon, and also metal fork and spoon. It really is worth it buying this if you are looking for some help with maybe a diet as it makes me excited to make my lunch every day.”
Three Layer Portable Lunch Box, $25.69 (down from $60) at Light in the Box
With three stackable divided containers, this bento box can accommodate a range of dishes. It offers leak-proof technology, kid-friendly clips and is safe to go in the microwave or dishwasher. It comes in three subtle colours, pale pink, ice green and beige, and sits comfortably at the budget end of the bento box price range.
One customer gave this bento box five stars, saying, “Love the lunch box — it’s the perfect size for me. I might buy another one since my daughter appropriated it for herself for her school lunch — she loved it too.”
BEST STAINLESS STEEL BENTO BOX
If you’ve never tried a stainless steel lunch box, this might be the time to switch. Ideal for transporting food, stainless steel doesn’t encourage bacteria growth, nor does it give off any chemicals. A popular choice of material in restaurants and hospitals, It’s, hygienic, reusable, recyclable and durable – plus it will help keep your food lovely and fresh.
EcoCocoon Bento Lunch Box, $69.95 at Biome
This bento box from EcoCocoon is not only made of high quality stainless steel, but also has a food grade silicone seal, making each of the two compartments totally leak-proof. It’s insulated so has no need for a wet bag and will keep your food fresher for longer. It’s also easy to open with child-friendly clips and, at the end of the working day, it’s safe to throw in the dishwasher.
Ever Eco S/Steel Xl Stackable Bento, $54.95 at healthylife
Made of 100 per cent stainless steel, this bento box is a handy size with two stackable tiers and a separate mini container for sauce, dips or yoghurt. It’s completely food safe and environment friendly, however not leak proof, so unsuitable for soups or liquids. Still, they do offer leak proof containers to stow away inside, which solves the problem.
BEST HIGH END BENTO BOX
Planetbox ROVER Stainless Steel Lunchbox, $99 at Biome
Another stainless steel option, this bento box steps up to offer an impressive five compartments with two separate dip containers, one large and one small, both with firm leak-proof silicone lids. The different sized sections are perfect for organising a selection of dishes or snacks, however this option is not suited to messy foods like yoghurt dips and sauces – the leak-proof containers provided are ideal for these.
Overall, a generous, durable and dishwasher-safe lunch container with child-friendly clips that does its bit for the environment. One customer was thrilled, leaving the comment: “Love taking this to work. No waste and encourages me to use up food in the fridge and eat healthy.”
Monbento Large Bento Box, $109.21 at Amazon
If you or anyone in your family is a hearty eater, then you might consider this French designed bento box with an impressive 1.7 litre capacity. Featuring two massive stackable layers, with leak-proof silicone seal on the intermediate lids, this lunch box will leave no one hungry. Made of durable and BPA-free material, it’s safe to pop in the microwave, dishwasher and freezer and comes with two sizes of sealing straps, depending on whether you use one box or two. It’s a little more on the expensive side, but if you have a hungry tummy to fill, this bento box will get the job done.
One customer found this ideal for her husband who needs a lot of food to get through his working day: “I absolutely adore this! It’s large enough for a grown man’s needs, it’s durable, and it’s easy to use and clean.”
BEST BENTO BOX FOR KIDS
Personalised Large Bento Lunch Box, $54.95 at Stuck On You
Get a lunch box that’s not only unique to your kid, but one they can’t possibly lose! This bento box from Stuck On You is made with sturdy and durable BPA and phthalate-free material, contains six roomy compartments, has a leak proof silicone seal and is dishwasher-safe – plus you can choose the colour, design, font and add your child’s name. There are heaps of other bento boxes on offer, including a customisable Bluey Bento Box, mini Bento Boxes, and plenty more.
Bentgo Kids Leak-proof Bento Lunch Box, $54.95 at Biome
This bento box is ideal for a healthy mess-free school lunch with five well proportioned compartments, a removable microwave safe tray and a leak-proof lid. It is slim in size, so perfect to slide into the school bag or backpack and as it’s made of durable materials, it’s totally up for the rough and tumble of the playground. The food tray goes in the dishwasher however it’s recommended that you simply wipe the outer box to maintain the quality of the leak-proof seal.
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