Finding the right insulated lunch box for your needs
An insulated bag or lunch box is the ultimate food storage solution for keeping your lunch cool or hot when you eat it. Great for kids and adults alike, they ensure that your food and drinks are enjoyed as intended and that they remain safe to eat and delicious. Before buying one, consider these factors:
Size. An insulated cooler bag or tote bag is large enough to hold food, drinks and other accessories, while a food jar is small and compact for eating on-the-go.
Type. There are insulated backpacks, tote bags, cooler bags, food jars and Bento boxes.
Material. Most lunch boxes are made out of BPA-free plastic or stainless steel, while bags will have a tough fabric exterior and thermal lining.
Eating preferences. While salads and sandwiches go well in a single compartment, Bento boxes are great for snacks and for people who love a varied lunch of small items.
Consider size versatility options
There are different sized lunch boxes and bags to suit different sized appetites and eating preferences! Here are some of the most common ones:
Food jars. An insulated food jar is compact and easy to carry. The Thermos Stainless King Insulated Food Jar will keep food hot for up to 9hrs or cold for up to 14hrs.
Cooler bag. Cooler bags are typically large with insulated sides that keep food and drinks hot or cold. Their size makes them perfect for picnics, camping and hiking.
Sandwich bag. A sandwich bag is the perfect size to fit your sandwich and can be placed in an insulated lunch box to keep it from going soggy.
Snack box. If you or your child is more of a picker, a box with multiple compartments is ideal. Bento lunch boxes are great for packing an assortment of small snacks to eat throughout the day.
Tote bag. A tote bag is large enough to hold lunch and bottled drinks. It will usually have other compartments for fitting in accessories such as phones, keys and cutlery.
Backpack. These are great for kids as they are an easy way to carry their lunch to and from school or out on short trips to the beach or park.
Maintaining optimum and balanced food temperatures
An insulated lunch box is specially designed to keep your food close to the temperature which it had when it was first packed. This means that you can keep refrigerated drink bottles cold, steaming rice warm, salads crunchy and coffee hot. Not only does this keep food safe to eat, it also keeps it tasty and fresh.
For keeping food cold for even longer, you can buy an ice pack and slip it inside totes and cooler bags. Check out the Oxo Good Grips Prep & Go Reusable Ice Pack Set of 2.
Insulated lunch box features to look out for (leak-proof, BPA free, PVC free etc)
These features will make using kids lunch boxes and adult tote bags even more convenient:
Leak-proof. A lunch box with leak-proof seal lining is important for locking in freshness and preventing spillage, especially when travelling.
BPA-free. Choose a BPA-free plastic lunch box to ensure that toxins are not contaminating your food.
PVC-free. A soft plastic lunch box with PVC can also leak toxins into food, so always choose a PVC-free plastic lunch box.
Odour-resistant. Stainless steel lunch boxes won't absorb odours from packed lunches and are also rust-proof and easy to clean.
Shoulder strap. If you have a tote bag or backpack, a removable and adjustable shoulder strap will make carrying it around easier and more comfortable.
Bento lunch boxes to keep organised with different compartment options
A Bento lunch box is a Japanese-style lunch box that typically combines a main meal with some sides. It is designed with several sized compartments for neatly packing a range of different foods in the right portion that are ready to be eaten.
Discover Bento boxes at Kitchen Warehouse, including the Yum Yumbox by Avanti with plenty of compartments for a healthy and varied lunch as well as the Oxo Good Grips Prep & Go Divided Container with 3 leakproof compartments for Bento on the go!
Ideal insulated lunch boxes for kids
We have colourful insulated backpacks for kids to keep their lunches fresh, protected and at the preferred temperature. Avanti YumYum Kids Insulated Lunch Bags are the perfect size to store lunch boxes and are BPA-free, leakproof and available in a number of super fun designs that kids will love, including 3D Unicorn and Surfing Sharkie.
We also have junior-sized Sachi insulated lunch totes with removable and adjustable straps and a handy front pocket for slipping in a phone, ice pack and accessories. Find them in Camo Green, Unicorns, Butterflies, Outer Space and more.
Ideal insulated lunch boxes for adults
Whether you're going to work, the gym or on a short trip, an insulated tote bag will ensure your lunch is fresh when you get there. The Sachi Style 34 Insulated Lunch Bag comes with a cute llama print and is big enough to hold your lunch container, water bottle and more. There's also the Thermos Soft Side Lunch Lugger with a front pocket for storing keys, napkins, straws or anything else you need.
For an eco-friendly option, Guzzini Re-Generation Lunch Box with Cutlery is 100% recyclable and durable with one compartment for lunch and a cutlery set that sits neatly on top for eating lunch anywhere.
Maintenance, cleaning and care
Some lunch boxes are dishwasher-safe, while others require some or all of the parts to be washed by hand. Lunch bags can typically be wiped down with a soapy sponge and left to air dry.
Brands we know and trust
We've got the most trusted brands in premium lunch bags and boxes, including Oasis, Avanti, Bentgo, Cuitisan, Kitchen Pro, Thermos and more.
Buying online with Kitchen Warehouse
Discover a stunning range of the latest cookware, kitchenware, tableware, appliances and more by brands you know and love at Kitchen Warehouse. Browse our products online, save your favourites in a wishlist, spoil a loved one with our gift cards or checkout now with free delivery to your doorstep over $100!
FAQs:
How long can food stay in an insulated lunch box?
While the actual length of time varies with each individual product, an insulated bag should be able to keep food warm for at least 2-3hrs if packed hot and keep food cold for at least 4-5 hrs. You can add an ice pack to prolong the coldness if you need to, like with our twin pack by Oxo.
What are the benefits of using an insulated lunch box?
An insulated lunch box is a fantastic food storage solution with plenty of benefits. Their main job is to keep food fresh, tasty and safe to eat at the temperature that you packed it, whether this was piping hot or ice cold. They're also affordable, easy to carry, can help to organise different food types in separate compartments and are typically leak-proof to prevent spills and preserve the quality of your food.
