11 of the best school lunch boxes, lunch bags and bento boxes for kids

Once you've chosen the one that works for you, add a kids water bottle to complete the lunchtime set, and don't forget to add name labels to prevent your child from losing their new kit.

If you've still got to do some school shopping, we've also rounded up the best back to school sales we could find from UK retailers.

Best lunch boxes for kids at a glance

• Best Bento box for kids: Munchkin Bento Lunch Box, £22.99
• Best snack box for kids: Scrummy Tummies Lunchbox, £12.99
• Best kids' lunch box for fun designs: Smiggle Double Decker Lunchbox, £20
• Best large capacity lunch bag: TUM TUM Insulated Lunch Bag, from £12.99
• Best lunch bag for babies and toddlers: Beaba On the Go Lunch Bag Set, £43.99
• Best budget Bento box for kids: Sistema To Go Bento Lunchbox, £9
• Best durable lunch bag for kids: Fringoo Square Lunch Bag, £14.99
• Best stainless steel lunch box: Lassig Lunchbox Stainless Steel, £22
• Best for keeping food fresh: Contingo Food Jar, from £16.33
• Best personalised lunch bag: Children's Personalised Insulated Owlet Lunch Bag, £19.95
• Best value lunch bag: Rex London Dolly Llama Lunch Bag, £4.95

Jump to what to consider when buying a new kids' lunch box

Best kids' lunch boxes to buy in 2024, recommended by parents:

1. Munchkin Bento Lunch Box, £22.99

— Best Bento box for kids

Size: 21.8cm x 21cm x 7cm | Dishwasher safe: Yes

It might be expensive but it's definitely worth it. You can also remove the silicone liner from the top which makes cleaning it easy.

With its 5 separate compartments, Munchkin's Bento box offers a great way to pack your child a balanced lunch without the need for extra wrapping or sandwich bags. It's also particularly handy if your child doesn't like their food to touch as the silicone in the lid seals each section when the lid is snapped shut.

It even comes with its own set of stainless steel cutlery that easily snaps into the lid for easy transportation, with two options of where to store it depending on what you have in the box.

Available from: Amazon and John Lewis

2. Scrummy Tummies Lunchbox, £12.99

– Best snack box

Size: 186 × 138 × 65 mm | Dishwasher safe: No

This sturdy compartmentalised box is perfect for snacks on the go, and I’m sure proper lunches for us in the next few months. It's very easy to use, it has generous sized compartments and it fits nicely on top of a changing rucksack for on the go without being too bulky. It's very well made with thick and sturdy silicone. A very simple but effective design.

Made from food-grade silicone rather than plastic, the stylish Scrummy Tummies lunchbox is great for toddler snacks on the go, or packed lunches for older children. The four colour options are sleek and the airtight lid also makes it a handy storage box for the fridge while trying out baby weaning recipes. We like it so much the Scrummy Tummies lunchbox won an Editor's Choice Award in our MadeForMums Awards 2023.

Available from: Scrummy Tummies

3. Smiggle Double Decker Lunchbox, £20

— Best kids' lunch box for fun designs

Both of my children use the double decker lunchbox from Smiggle. They've lasted all year and they take packed lunch every day. I’d definitely buy Smiggle again.

Size: 24.5cm x 15cm x 15.5cm | Dishwasher safe: No, wipe clean

Many parents in our Top Testers Club really rate lunchboxes from Smiggle, particularly this 'double decker' design. It comes in two tiers and both compartments have double zips. It's a great insulated lunch box and has a BPA free and food grade safe lining, so will be sure to keep your child's lunch fresh and secure. It also has a comfy carry handle at the top and a name label so you can write your child's name inside.

Not only is it incredibly practical, but, in true Smiggle fashion, there are an array of fun and bright designs to choose from so you can find a great lunch box that really matches your child's personality.

This lunchbox is one of the priciest on our list, but as parent tester Maria attest to, "Smiggle are expensive but do seem to last."

Available from: M&S and Smiggle

4. TUM TUM Insulated Lunch Bag, from £12.99

— Best large capacity lunch bag

Size: 25cm x 30cm x 10cm | Dishwasher safe: No

TumTums lunch bags are such good value and they do matching snack boxes, food flasks and bottles.

This fun and bright lunch bag is fully insulated and BPA free, so will keep your child's food and snacks fresh until lunchtime. It's also roomy enough to hold a water bottle and multiple snack pots.

At £12.99 we think it offers incredibly value, as there are some really lovely design features, such as a place to write your child's name at the bottom and a reflective piping around the outside.There's also a carry handle with a clip so it can be attached to a backpack or pushchair.

There are multiple designs to choose from, including the adorable Stanley Sloth and Felicity Fox (both pictured above). You can also purchase the lunch bag with a matching food flask, water bottle, snack pots and cutlery set which are all equally as cute.

Available from: Mountain Warehouse, Amazon and TUM TUM

5. Beaba On the Go Lunch Bag Set, £43.99

– Best lunch bag for babies and toddlers

Size: height (23 cm) | Dishwasher safe: No

It's a great product and absolutely worth the money. It feels like it's built to last so would be a one-off investment. Often with kids' products, the design can be quite loud but this felt stylish.

It's not just school-aged kids who might need a meal on the go, and the Beaba On the Go Lunch Bag Set – which includes a bag, drinks bottle and food storage container – is a lovely option for weaning babies and toddlers. It's stylish, easy to use and keeps drinks cool and food warm throughout the day, which is why it scooped a Gold Award in the MadeForMums Awards 2023.

Available from: Amazon

6. Sistema To Go Bento Lunchbox, £9

– Best budget Bento box for kids

Size: 7.7cm x 18.6cm x 16.8cm | Dishwasher safe: Yes, on the top rack

We just use a Sistema Bento Box and put it in my son's backpack. It has so many compartments for all his snacks.

This clever and durable Bento box from Sistema is a firm favourite amongst parents in our Top Testers Club. They really rate the multiple removable compartments and love how easy it is to separate their children's snacks and lunch items. It also has a 150ml pot that can be used for yoghurt or dips.

There's an easy locking clip and the box is safe to use in the microwave, fridge and freezer. It also comes in an array of bright colours.

Available from: Argos

7. Fringoo Square Lunch Bag, £14.99

— Best durable lunch bag for kids

Size: 27cm x 20cm x 8cm | Dishwasher safe: Yes

We’ve used Fringoo lunch bags for both of my girls. They have a large capacity for lunch box inside, zipper pouch on the front which we rarely use but you can fit snacks in there, and a bottle zipper pouch for a water bottle. We're going to try and use these again for a 3rd year.

This lunch bag is specifically built to be strong and durable, and, as our tester above attests to, it certainly proves to be long-lasting! The interior is fully thermal insulated and we love the roomy compartments in the bag, too. There is a large main compartment, an additional zipped small pocket and a zipped bottle holder too.

It comes in a range of bright and fun designs and each bag has a cute matching design on the silicone zip. It's made from a wipe clean material and can also be machine washed at 30 degrees. Other great features include a padded carry handle and name tag label in the main compartment.

Available from: Etsy, Amazon, Fringoo and John Lewis

8. Lassig Lunchbox Stainless Steel, £22

– Best stainless steel lunch box

Size: 17.3cm x 13.3cm x 7cm | Dishwasher safe: Yes

If you're looking for a lunch box that will last, we'd recommend going for a stainless steel option such as this one from Lassig. The stainless steel design means the inner compartments shouldn't stain or retain smells.

It comes with a flexible, removable divider and the lunchbox is made from BPA-free materials. There is also a flexible silicone ring integrated in the lid which means that it closes nice and securely. There are an array of lovely, sleek designs to choose from too.

Available from: Kidly and Amazon

9. Contingo Food Jar, from £16.33

– Best for keeping food fresh

Size: 9.3cm x 9.3cm x 13cm | Dishwasher safe: Yes

For a single serving of hot lunch, for example soup or pasta, we love Contigo's food jars, which keep foods hot for up to 6 hours (or cold for up to 7). The pot is big enough for a generous portion for most kids, although you will need to remember to pack cutlery separately.

The lid has been designed so it's easy for children to open independently, plus the grip on the bottom stops it from tipping over on the table during lunch time. There are mermaid or shark designs, and matching water bottles to complete the look.

Available from: Amazon

10. Children's Personalised Insulated Owlet Lunch Bag, £19.95

– Best personalised kids lunch bag

Size: 23cm x 20cm x 8cm

With your child's name printed on the front, there's less of a chance their lunch will get mixed up with anyone else's with this fun personalised bag.

Cute as well as practical, this roomy lunch bag comes with a carry handle on top and is insulated with a thermal lining so their food can stay chilled throughout the day. Various matching items are available, as well as other prints and colours.

Available from: Not On The High Street and Etsy

11. Rex London Dolly Llama Lunch Bag, £4.95

– Best value lunch bag

Size: 21cm x 16cm x 12cm | Dishwasher safe: No, wipe clean

At under £5 for an insulated lunch bag, you can't go wrong with the Rex London range. The zipped bag is a great size for storing wrapped food, plus once your child is done with lunch it folds flat so can be easily stored away in their school bag.

Kids will love the colourful llama design, but there's also lots of others fun patterns to choose from including sloths, dinosaurs, space, zoo animals and more.

Available from: Amazon and Rex London

What to consider when buying a new kids' lunch box

What food are you storing? – Will you need lots of compartments for snacks, or bigger ones for sandwiches. Do you need a completely leakproof design for liquids?

Is it insulated? – If you need to keep your child's food hot or cold, check their lunch box or bag comes with insulation so it stays fresh throughout the day.

Is it easy to clean? – We all know that kids aren't the tidiest of eaters, so look for something that's easy to clean at the end of the school day so it's ready for the next day's lunch. We've included a range of dishwasher safe and wipe clean options in our selection below.

Is it easy to carry? – Boxes with a lot of compartments and insulated sections can be heavy for smaller kids to carry, so do check the size and weight before you click "buy". Younger kids may be better with a lightweight sandwich bag for daily use.

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