When it comes to what to pack your child’s lunch in, the options are endless. It seems lunch boxes are everywhere, and there are decisions to make — is it big enough? Small enough? Should it have my child’s name on it? What’s the right shape? This one seems really cool. This one seems really simple.
There are endless variables.
We’d love to provide a bit of information to help, hopefully, simplify the process.
It’s nice if a lunch box zips closed. Soft-sided is helpful for adapting to more or fewer items, as well as for fitting into a backpack or bag for ease of carrying.
What kind of containers do you want to package food in? This is nice to consider before you purchase a lunch box.
The bento-style lunch boxes are quite popular, but it’s important to limit choices with young children. Adults like options, but, particularly for young children, decision fatigue is real, and an abundance of options can lead to a child feeling overwhelmed, and not necessarily making the choice you’d like (such as eating their chips first. For more on what kinds of foods to pack, see this post!)
Three to four options is ideal for offering variety and nutrition, so if you’re looking for a bento-style box, one with three to four sections can help keep options under control.
Look for both containers and a lunch box that your child can open. Adults are always available to help, and children love helping one another, but children love helping themselves even more. There is a simple solution here — take your child with you when you’re shopping for lunch containers. Hand your child a container and ask them to open it.
Consider what you’re going to be putting in a container when making your selections. Does your child never eat sandwiches? Do you eat soup for lunch regularly?
Most importantly, as always, pay attention to your instincts. Does the lunch box with your child’s favorite cartoon character on it seem rather cumbersome, and difficult to open? Do you look inside a bento box and feel overwhelmed with filling those containers? Do you see a lunch box that makes you want to pack a lunch more often, and perhaps even eat more healthily? Listen to that. You’ll save yourself time, tears, and arguments by making these decisions up front, once, rather than every day.
Baan Dek
An incredible Montessori foundation for children and an inspirational resource for teachers and parents.