The best lunch box for school is insulated to keep food safe, made from easy-clean, BPA-free material, and roomy enough to hold a bento box and a drink. Everything else comes down to your child's routine and the print they like.

What to look for

• Insulation. A soft-sided insulated lunch box keeps food cool until lunchtime with an ice pack.
• Safe materials. Look for BPA-free, lead-free, and phthalate-free. Fenrici lunch boxes use non-toxic PEVA.
• Easy to clean. A wipe-clean interior saves you every single morning.
• The right size. Big enough for a bento box, not so big it will not fit the backpack.
• Durable zippers and a comfortable handle or strap.

Lunch box, bento box, or both?

Most families use both: a bento box for portioned food, inside an insulated lunch box that keeps it cold. Here is the full bento box vs. lunch box comparison.

Match it to the backpack

A backpack and lunch box set guarantees the two fit and coordinate, and usually costs less than buying them apart.

Shop lunch boxes

Browse insulated kids' lunch boxes in galaxy, tie-dye, dinosaur, cheetah, and more. Every purchase gives back to pediatric rare-disease research.