These items have been in rotation in our home since my oldest was 3 years old, and we still use them as she enters 1st grade. If properly cared for, these items will last you many years!
I’m sharing my top lunch favorites because they have made the stress of packing daily lunches much simpler, and my daughter has enjoyed her lunches because of them. As an Amazon Associate, I receive a small commission from qualifying purchases.
1. Bentgo Lunch Box
This is the first pick that came to mind because it’s been used multiple times per week for YEARS, and is still unbelievably solid.
I don’t put the Bentgo in the dishwasher; I only hand wash, and I think that contributes to its longevity.
Find your child’s favorite color Bentgo here: https://amzn.to/4mKB0uP
2. Thermos Funtainer Water Bottle
This stainless steel water bottle has affordable replaceable straws and comes in dozens of popular characters.
My toddler was just gifted this Bluey printed Thermos Funtainer water bottle: https://amzn.to/4oQDQQx
Another reason I love the Thermos Funtainer water bottle is because they sell replacement straws that are affordable and come in a pack with a few, to last you many months!
3. Thermos Funtainer for Hot Lunch
I remember having a thermos back in the 90s for lunch. My friends were always jealous I’d come to school with things like my mom’s spaghetti or mac and cheese.
Happy to share that Thermos is still a top trusted brand for insulated food jars, and with over 30 different characters and colors, you might struggle picking just one for your child!
Here’s a link to buy one: https://amzn.to/4mBk0qY
The Thermos Funtainer insulated food jar comes in 10 oz and 16 oz, but we’ve always used the 10 oz because it’s the perfect portion size for their lunches.
It comes with a plastic foldable spoon, and since we’re trying to reduce our plastic use, we’re grateful our daughter lost it because now I can replace it with a foldable stainless steel spoon!
Here’s a link to buy the stainless steel foldable spoons: https://amzn.to/4oW393o (pink) or https://amzn.to/4mUSQuS (stainless)
4. Stainless steel dip containers with silicone lids
These stainless steel dip containers are great for kid’s lunches because they’re leakproof!
Because the lids are made out of a soft silicone, they are manipulatable enough for little hands to open on their own.
They come in 2 sizes – small (1.6oz) and large (2.5oz), which makes them the perfect size for condiments or mini bites.
When we serve sushi, we fill the small dip container with soy sauce.
When we want to give a few bites of something, like apple sauce or cheese, we use the large dip containers.
Let’s be real, these are excellent for adults’ lunches too!
Pick your 6-pack here: https://amzn.to/47ie2q3
5. A bento box for snacks that spins – GoBe Snack Spinner
We received this as a gift, and it quickly became a favorite for quick snackage. The GoBe snack spinner has 5 separate compartments, a spinner in the middle, which moves the compartment that’s opened each time the spinner is pressed.
We have the small version, and it truly has small compartments (imagine holding like 3 Bambas in one compartment). They make a large version, as well as a lunchbox version, which both look pretty cool!
Head’s up – this is NOT leakproof. We’ve packed liquidy fruits in it before, and it leaked. This is better for dry or soft snacks (freeze dried fruits, popcorn, cheese, nuts).
Grab a GoBe snack spinner here: https://amzn.to/45KBWrG
