Newsletters
Living
Shopping

Our Favorite Kid-Friendly Lunch Boxes for $30 or Less

Meghan Splawn
Meghan Splawn
Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.
Follow
updated Aug 15, 2019
Save
pinterest
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
SavePin ItEnter Prism See More Images
Credit: Christine Gallary

One of my mom friends recently messaged me: “Oscar is starting full-time school and he needs a lunch box. I want something easy to clean and it needs to be under $30.” Of course, I quickly messaged back with a handful of my favorites. And it got me thinking that you might also need some affordable lunch box options for back-to-school time.

Follow Topics for more like this

Follow for more stories like this

I’ve tested dozens of lunch boxes—both for myself and with my two kids—and these are my five favorites for less than $30. Bonus: They are all dishwasher-safe.

SavePin ItEnter Prism See More Images
Credit: Amazon

1. Bentgo Kids Lunch Box, $28

This is the lunch box I suggested for my friend. It will be easy for her kindergartener to open, and the interior compartment comes out for cleaning. I recently saw these on sale for even less at my local Target, too.

Buy: Bentgo Kids Lunch Box, $28

SavePin ItEnter Prism See More Images
Credit: Amazon

2. Yumbox Original Leakproof Bento Lunch Box, $28

The Yumbox Original is incredibly light for its size. And my kids love the small spot for treats. Pro tip: You can use a dry-erase marker to leave notes under the clear interior compartments.

Buy: Yumbox Original Leakproof Bento Lunch Box, $28

SavePin ItEnter Prism See More Images
Credit: Amazon

3. LunchBots Medium Duo Snack Container, $22

It’s no secret that we love the LunchBots of all sizes for being light and made of something besides plastic. The Duo is a perfect size for a sandwich and a side, and ideal for tweens and teens to use.

Buy: LunchBots Medium Duo Snack Container, $22

SavePin ItEnter Prism See More Images
Credit: Amazon

4. Kinsho Bento Lunchbox for Kids, $18

This new-to-me lunch box is another bento-style container that is easy to open and clean. I like that it has a spot for utensils inside the lunchbox because my daughter never seems to be able to find the fork I pack in her lunch bag.

Buy: Kinsho Bento Lunchbox for Kids, $18

SavePin ItEnter Prism See More Images
Credit: Amazon

5. EasyLunchboxes Bento Lunch Box, $14 for four

EasyLunchboxes are my favorite pre-school and elementary lunch boxes — you get four for $14, so you won’t be totally miffed if your 5-year-old loses or breaks one right off the bat. Plus, you can pack and stack these lunch boxes in advance.

Buy: EasyLunchboxes 3-Compartment Bento Lunch Box, $14 for four

This post originally appeared on Kitchn. See it here: The Best Kid-Friendly Lunch Boxes for $30 or Less

Do you have a lunch box to add to this list? Let us know in the comments below.

How-To Toolkits