Buying Guide: Best Eco-Friendly Lunch Boxes
A reusable, eco-friendly lunch box is a fantastic way to stay organised. It's more than just practicality; it's a chance to make a positive impact on your health, budget, and the environment. This guide will help you find the perfect eco-friendly lunchbox for your needs.
A lunch box really is one of the most sustainable swaps you can make, and will save plastic waste and money on a daily basis. It can help say goodbye to squashed sandwiches, overpriced takeaway lunches, and landfill waste. What’s not to love?
We stock lunch boxes from sustainable brands A Slice of Green, U-Konserve, LunchBots, and Qwetch. A Slice of Green's stainless steel lunch boxes are responsibly made in India with food-grade stainless steel, are dishwasher-friendly, and come in nine different styles. Meanwhile, the food jars and insulated options from B Corp company Qwetch are truly leakproof. U-Konserve and LunchBots offer versatility and sustainable alternatives with silicone lids or stainless steel compartments.
But which lunch box is best?
It really does depend on who it's for what they’ll mainly use it for. So here’s a rundown of our favourite lunch boxes and who they are best suited to.
- Best lunch box for babies & toddlers
- Best lunch box for children
- Best lunch box for adults
- Best lunch box for hot food
- Best lunch box for salads
- Best leakproof lunch box
- Best budget lunch box
- Best bento style lunch box
Best lunch box for babies and toddlers
For younger children and babies we recommend a lunch box that is easy to eat or feed from and easy to fit in your carry bag, without risk of leakage. With baby led weaning a variety of foods are offered, cut up into grab-able portion sizes. So you want a lunch box that will allow you to take out lots of different foods and keep them separate and unsquished. The U Konserve Nesting Round Containers with Silicone Lids have been designed with exactly this in mind. They will stack inside each other for storage, have silicone lids to prevent leakage and are lightweight and durable. Your little one can eat directly from them too.
Here's what our customers had to say about U-Konserve lunch boxes:
"A handy container. I've had stainless steel containers before in an effort to move away from plastic, but it is a bit difficult when you can't see what's inside your container. This is a good alternative - the benefits of steel with a clear lid that can be replaced so it lasts as long as the rest of the container.
Best lunch box for children
With two compartments and easy to open lid, this lightweight lunchbox is perfect for children's packed lunches. It is a great idea for children when they start school as it is durable enough to last them the whole way through school. Pack a sandwich or wrap and veg sticks in one compartment and fruit or a treat like a slice of homemade cake or a couple of biscuit and be sure that they will stay separate all the way to the lunch hall! These lunch boxes are plastic free, made from stainless steel, and durable enough to last in a school bag.
Best lunch box for adults
Larger appetites will be satisfied with the Doda - a deeper stainless steel lunch box that also include a leak resistant silicone seal. Doda is perfect for deep sandwiches and also pasta dishes and left overs. Another cool benefit is, it's the perfect size to pick up a takeaway from your favourite restaurant. Eg, chicken masala and rice will fit in perfectly, with space for a bahji . Getting it home without eating it will be the only problem- not what to do with the plastic waste! You can even upgrade Doda with a stainless steel divider to create two compartments.
Best lunch box for hot food
Sometimes you cannot beat a hot lunch, even at work, school or a day out. A Qwetch insulated food jar will keep food warm for up to 5 hours (and cold for 7 hours) enough time to get to lunchtime and have a filing warm meal. With a screw down, leak resistant lid, these stainless steel lunch boxes are good for soups, stews, stirfrys and pasta bakes. The smaller size fits a perfect portion of noodles, whilst the larger size, 600ml, will fit an entire home cooked large meal.
Here's what our customers had to say about Qwetch Food Jars:
"Highly recommended - A Premium quality product"
Best lunch box for salads
We recommend a leak resistant lunch box for salads, especially Yanam. A really spacious and long lunch box so a good size for large salads with multiple ingredients, with a whopping 1100ml total capacity. Because they are leak resistant, you can transport salads without the worry of leakage. As long as you keep the lunch box upright, the strong closure clips and silicone seal will keep spills away.
Best Leak Proof Lunch box
If soups and stews are your go to when you are packing lunch, you need a leak proof lunch box, turning up to work with a soggy bag is no fun. This style of lunch box tends to cost a little bit more due to their features, including a screw lid and insulated walls. Our top recommendation is the Qwetch Stainless Steel Lunch box. This large lunch box is sturdy with a wide opening, meaning it is easy to eat directly from it. It also features a strong, comfortable handle which folds down neatly for easy transportation and storage. It also keeps food warm for up to 5 hours or cool for up to 7 hours, perfect if you don't have reheating facilities or a fridge. And with an 850ml capacity - there's a lot of lunch you can fit in!
Best budget eco-friendly lunch box
If your lunching needs are simpler, like sandwiches, wraps or dry foods, then we recommend the A Slice of Green containers. Shimla, a square stainless steel container is perfect for sandwiches and wraps and also for storing leftovers at home and bulk shopping , packaging free. At only £14, it will pay for itself after a few packed lunches versus shop bought sandwiches. It's no less beautiful, practical or sustainable than the others, simplicity is it's feature.
Best bento style lunch box
Buruni is perfect for a bento style lunch, as it consists of two separate tiers. Ideal for taking a savoury salad or sandwich, plus fruit or a snack to work in one neat, leak resistant container.
As a secondary recommendation - we couldn't resist adding the Chapra. A round stainless steel lunch box consisting of two tiers with clip closure. A beautifully designed round traditional looking Bento Box for the most stylish lunch or takeaway, and so well priced at only £15.
