Bento box for school lunch?

[crunchyconmomma]

Do you use a bento box for your child's school lunch?
Where'd you get yours (if internet, that is) and what do you like/dislike about it?
I want to get one for my kindergartener but there are lots of choices and they aren't cheap, so I thought I'd poll before I bought.

Thanks for you .02!
~Kate

I just realized, some of you may even do "bento" without knowing it:
The distilled idea is a flip-open lunch box with separate compartments, so that could be little tupperware type things arranged side by side, as opposed to an "official" bento kind of box. So if you have found a thriftier or more clever way than buying something specific, do dish the details!

[octobermom]

We do!
I got my DD from labtop lunchbox http://www.laptoplunches.com/images/...orOptions4.jpg this is what it looks like I like it its a good size easy to clean it is plastic and many are against that but for sending it to school it works well.
My DD gets breakfast at school (home for lunch) the schools menu is horrible fruit loops pop tarts sugar sugar and more sugar :. At first the sugared breakfasts were much more appealing them me packing stuff but she loves her Bento. FWIW she has the blue one its what she choose.

[peachpie]

another plug for laptop lunches. it isn't cheap but we've found it to be quite durable for pre-K (this is her 2nd year using it). And dd likes the different colors-- everything looks more appealing in those little compartments!

Although it isn't as cheap as a conventional lunchbox, we do save over time by not buying those single-size servings of raisins/crackers/bags of veggies/etc.

[cycle]

DS & I both have Laptop Lunches Bentos, we've had them for about a year. Love them.

[zmom]

We use laptop lunch boxes too. We also use Fit & Fresh containers - they have some very interesting configurations that include an ice pack thing. I can give you more details on either one if you're interested - I'm just too lazy to type it out right now.

[crunchyconmomma]

Man, this is what I have been trying to order because I like the "whimsical" color scheme (gender neutral and cool) and it has a case with handle, but I can't get these people to answer and their website gives an error message at checkout and tells me to call them!

I guess that's maybe a good sign that their business is booming because they have a good product - ??? but it isn't doing me any good while my son is taking ziplocs to school this week!

[lucyem]

OK maybe sort of dating myself. But in 5th & 6th grade (1983ish) the lunchbox to have was this red tupperware box. Inside were all these little containers to hold your food. Just like the laptop lunchbox. But each little container did have a tupperware lid on it. They all fit into a nice tupperware box. I wish my mom still had them. They were fantastic. I have yet to see anything as good.

[lovemyfamily6]

My oldest just started kindergarten last week. I bought a laptop lunch system and it's great. He really likes it and it forces me to pack healthy lunches ti fill the compartments.

[alllyssa]

I have 2 laptop lunches and I think that they are totally overpriced and VERY difficult for a little one to open on their own. Plus, the plastic on the inside with the lid is almost impossible to seal. Tupperware or Rubbermaid are a lot easier to open. Personally, I would go to Target and check out the lunchbox and/or Rubbermaid isle and check their's out first - there seems to be a ton of stuff like this out now.

The other thing that I don't really like about the laptop lunch is that there isn't much room for an ice pack to be put right on top of the drink. And the plastic bottle that comes with it LEAKS!

Hope that helps,

[lindberg99]

Wow, those look cool but $35 for a lunch box is crazy! Esp. considering how many sandwich containers, etc. my kids have lost at school. I would consider one for an adult but it still seems pricey.

My DD just has an insulated lunch box. Then I put a sandwich in a container, a drink, and I have some other small containers for other things (grapes, carrots, etc). It doesn't look as nice but it works.

[rosebuds]

IMHO, you really don't need to spend the money on a 'laptop' lunch. We do the same with reused containers that I can write love messages to the kids on and not worry, have only peices come home and not worry. Also I think that the rubbermaid dishes and reused dishes lids are much easier for kids to handle. My favourite lunch dish that I send to school was a rubbermaid one with 3 compartments - a sandwich sized one - and two smaller ones. It really did the trick, used almost daily and I haven't been able to find more since. Too bad but it has lasted a solid 3 years of use so far. Oh, the other thing about the Bento Box/laptop idea is it doesn't accomodate for Thermos lunches.

Just my .02

[cloudswinger]

Originally Posted by rosebuds

My favourite lunch dish that I send to school was a rubbermaid one with 3 compartments - a sandwich sized one - and two smaller ones. It really did the trick, used almost daily and I haven't been able to find more since.

I have one. I've seen them at Target, but not Rubbermaid brand.

[lovemyfamily6]

Yeah, $35 is expensive, it's true. I wanted something not made in China though (although the case it comes in is, not the actual luncbox and containers though), with safer plastic. My son is really responsible and I figured we'd give it a shot. If he doesn't take good care of it, then lesson learned. I wrote his name on every container and lid and silverware and he's been really good about placing the lid back on the container before closing the lunchbox. So far it's working out for us.

ETA: About it being hard to open, I had a hard time at first. I was trying to show him and had a tough time and he asked to try and got it right away. I would think that it wouldn't be hard for long too, once a kid has a chance to practice it.

[Hannahsmummy]

We love our bento box. Funny how my daughter will pretty much eat anything if it's in little containers!
We have an actual Japanese bento that we bought in Japan tow, San Francisco though they are pretty widely available. There's even lots on ebay:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...box&category0=

Ours is packed in a lovely carrier bag. It works great and it's beautiful as well.

[rainyday]

Originally Posted by rosebuds

IMHO, you really don't need to spend the money on a 'laptop' lunch. We do the same with reused containers that I can write love messages to the kids on and not worry, have only peices come home and not worry. Also I think that the rubbermaid dishes and reused dishes lids are much easier for kids to handle. My favourite lunch dish that I send to school was a rubbermaid one with 3 compartments - a sandwich sized one - and two smaller ones. It really did the trick, used almost daily and I haven't been able to find more since. Too bad but it has lasted a solid 3 years of use so far. Oh, the other thing about the Bento Box/laptop idea is it doesn't accomodate for Thermos lunches.

Just my .02

Here's a Tupperware container that sounds similar to your Rubbermaid one. I can't figure out how to get the actual page to display, but if you type "lunch" into the search box, the first one that comes up is the "lunch'n things container."
http://order.tupperware.com/coe/app/...ow_item_detail

[roostery]

We have been using Lock Lock boxes for about a year. My 3 year old can open them easily (although closing them fully she hasn't mastered yet.) I love how they don't spill liquids at all. We have a variety of sizes, it's really cut down on our use of baggies and plastic wrap.

http://us.locknlock.com/main.asp

[crunchyconmomma]

Originally Posted by roostery

We have been using Lock Lock boxes for about a year. My 3 year old can open them easily (although closing them fully she hasn't mastered yet.) I love how they don't spill liquids at all. We have a variety of sizes, it's really cut down on our use of baggies and plastic wrap.

http://us.locknlock.com/main.asp

OOOO...I never thought about those. They are awesome...we used to have those before we had to move out when my ExH lost his mind...I should get more of those because the junk we have now is just that - junk.

[staceychev]

Originally Posted by alllyssa

I have 2 laptop lunches and I think that they are totally overpriced and VERY difficult for a little one to open on their own. Plus, the plastic on the inside with the lid is almost impossible to seal. Tupperware or Rubbermaid are a lot easier to open. Personally, I would go to Target and check out the lunchbox and/or Rubbermaid isle and check their's out first - there seems to be a ton of stuff like this out now.

The other thing that I don't really like about the laptop lunch is that there isn't much room for an ice pack to be put right on top of the drink. And the plastic bottle that comes with it LEAKS!

Hope that helps,

:

Not thrilled with our laptop lunchboxes. Better in concept than execution. Plus, the lids have split and broken, and they're tough to get really clean. Even before I started leaning away from plastic, I stopped using the laptop lunchbox.

[zmom]

Originally Posted by roostery

We have been using Lock Lock boxes for about a year. My 3 year old can open them easily (although closing them fully she hasn't mastered yet.) I love how they don't spill liquids at all. We have a variety of sizes, it's really cut down on our use of baggies and plastic wrap.

http://us.locknlock.com/main.asp

Do you know what kind of plastic the Lock N Lock containers are? I can't find any info on their site about it.

Thanks!

[roostery]

I don't know what kind of plastic. The box says it's a number 5, made in china.

Have you thought about oilcloth? There was a link to making your own oilcloth sandwich wrap over on Natural Home and Body Care.
http://www.moscowfood.coop/archive/oilcloth.html

There's always glass, but that might just be too heavy for a child to carry. I have some glass pyrex storage containers that I use for storing stuff in the fridge. The lids are plastic though, and not as spill proof as the lock lock boxes.

I've looked for metal bento boxes and I've seen a few. I don't know what kind of metal they use though. Although I suppose that aluminum would be fine if it's not getting heated.