Best Lunchboxes! Sources for Bentos, Tiffins, &amp; More

Bringing your lunch to school or work is one of the easiest (and most cost-effective) habits for healthy eating. If you're someone who cares about the way things look and feel, you're probably more likely to stick to it if you love your lunch box. So, in the spirit of good design and healthy living, here are 12 lunchboxes we like for kids and adults.

Laptop Lunches: These American-style bento boxes are made from one large plastic case that houses smaller compartments. You can also find matching carrying cases and water bottles on their site. Shown: Black/Avocado Bento Box Set, $28.
ShopRockCandy: This novelty webshop has a small selection of metal lunchboxes decorated by artists like Amanda Vissell and Gary Baseman. They also have lunchboxes from Uglydoll and Crocodile Creek. Shown: Gary Baseman's 'Lunch of Unearthly Delights' Lunch Box, $15
Life Without Plastic: Like the name says, this webshop specializes in non-plastic products. Their lunchbox selection includes stainless steel tiffins, wooden bentos, canvas bags, and the popular BPA-free, stainless steel "LunchBots" bentos. Shown: Yellow LunchBots Pico, $14.95.
Skip Hop: This children's design company has a very cute collection of "Zoo" insulated lunch bags. Shaped like a small backpack, these lunchboxes are made to look like monkeys, bees, frogs, and penguins. Shown: Owl Bag, $14.
Pearl River Mart: This Asian store in SoHO has a great selection of affordable stainless steel and melamine tiffins. If you can't shop in person, they have an e-commerce site and they ship nationally. Shown: Melamine Tiffin, $20.50.
Built: Their neoprene lunch bags insulate up to four hours and they're machine-washable. Attractive enough for adults and colorful enough for kids, the bags come in a range of cute colors and patterns — including an Alexander Girard collection. Shown: Tasty Lunch Tote, $23.
Container Store: They carry lots of good lunchboxes and bags, including the BPA-free, dishwasher-safe Slimline Quaddie Lunch Box ($10). A hinged lid separates four compartments (great for picky eaters who don't like their foods to touch) and it comes with an 8-ounce bottle.
Black and Blum: This British design team created a contemporary bento box made from BPA-free polypropylene and copolyester. The design has a snap-in lid with fork, sauce pot, and separator, and it's dishwasher safe. Shown: Bento Box, $18.
DwellStudio: Always a good source for modern children's design, DwellStudio's lunchboxes come in their most popular patterns, including owls, dots, and paper dolls. Each box is coated cotton canvas with an insulated interior. Shown: Transportation Multi Lunch Box, $26.
Target: They carry affordable lunchboxes and bags from BUILT, Skip Hop, and other modern designers. One of their most popular products is the Black Gourmet Getaway Lunch Tote, $19.95.
Kir DeVries: A superstar in Japan and a well-known name here in the US, Shinzi Katoh is the king of "zakka" (an all-encompassing term for Japanese cute). His bento boxes are available online through Kir DeVries. Shown: Shinzi Katoh Red Monkey Bento Box, $18.
Planet Box: Maxwell posted this lunch box as a Daily Find — he says, "Unlike the round stacking Japanese design, this flat pack keeps everything in its place and opens up as a meal tray." Shown: Planet Box Lunch Transportation, $35.