Back to school can be a stressful time for any parent. Between new clothes, new books, and new backpacks, it can feel like every decision is an overwhelming one. But one back to school staple doesn't have to so difficult to buy. Even when the options seem endless, choosing your child's lunch box is a pretty easy task, if you know what to look for first. While a lunch box's primary purpose is to keep your kid's food safe until the lunch bell rings — which, as we all know, is hours away from when that food gets packed — there are a few other important things to keep in mind while shopping. So don't buy a lunch box until you watch this.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Lunchboxes have long been a familiar staple of childhood. But for parents, there's a lot
00:05more to consider than just pretty colors and graphics when buying your kid a new lunchbox.
00:11From food safety to packing features, consider this Lunchbox 101.
00:16Before you even start shopping for a new lunchbox, take the time to sit down and figure out what
00:21you're going to regularly include in your child's lunch. While that might seem like
00:25an odd step, you might be surprised at how handy it is, especially considering how often
00:30a growing student's palate might change. Is your child going through a sandwich stage?
00:34Well, then you're going to need a lunchbox with a compartment big enough and sturdy enough
00:38that it's not going to get turned into mush in a locker. Do you live in a place where
00:42there are months of cold weather, and some soup might hit the spot? Then you're going
00:47to need something with a thermos. Or room for a thermos, at least. What about a salad?
00:52In that case, you're going to need a lunchbox that's not only the right size, but you'll
00:56also need something that seals really, really well to keep that dressing where it's supposed
01:00to be before your child pours it on. While you're doing this, consider, too, that organizations
01:05like the National Health Service now recommend a healthy lunchbox that includes a source
01:10of protein, a source of dairy, at least one portion of fruits or vegetables, and a serving
01:15of starchy foods.
01:17The days of lunchbox food staples like Dunkaroos, PB&J, and a juice box aren't what they used
01:23to be.
01:24You also might want to look at getting a bento box. But what is that, and why? According
01:33to Allrecipes.com, the word bento comes from a slang word that means convenient. And it's
01:39definitely that, along with much more.
01:42Bento boxes essentially contain ready-to-eat meals. However, they're also associated with
01:47being more of a demonstration of love and thoughtfulness than a regular old lunchbox,
01:52where you might just throw everything in baggies and containers and call it a day.
01:55What do you want to take for lunch?
01:57Bento boxes tend to be deeper than most traditional Western lunchboxes, and that can help keep
02:02delicate foods safer. Because how long a lunchbox will keep food fresh is a definite consideration.
02:08There's another huge benefit, too. They're very environmentally friendly. Bento boxes
02:14are traditionally about art, aesthetic, and appearance as much as the food, so they're
02:19designed to be packed very snugly. That helps eliminate the need for things like plastic
02:23bags. And if you're trying to cut down on your family's environmental footprint, this
02:28is the way to go.
02:29If your child is going through a picky phase, don't worry, you're definitely not alone.
02:35According to Healthy Children, being picky is completely normal, and there are plenty
02:39of tips and tricks you can use for getting them out of this stage. One of those things,
02:44says KangaVoo, involves selecting the right lunchbox. Specifically, they're talking about
02:48bento boxes with compartments that will keep food separated, but will also allow for a
02:53pretty presentation that just might persuade a picky eater. If it looks that cool and fun,
02:59after all, it just might taste good, too.
03:02According to Sanford Health, one of the key components of getting picky eaters to eat
03:05food that's good for them is getting them to engage with what they're eating.
03:09You don't have to eat carpet and wallpaper.
03:11That means a little creativity on your part. Sanford Health also says that color, texture,
03:17and presentation can have a major impact on how excited your young ones are about lunchtime.
03:22So get rid of the boring old bags, and show them how fun food can be. They'll actually
03:27look forward to opening their lunchbox and seeing what you've put on the menu.
03:31One of the things you're definitely going to want to keep in mind is the fact that there's
03:35going to be a lot of lunches spending a lot of time in that lunchbox, and lunchbox stink
03:40is definitely a thing. When The Independent did their research into the best lunchbox
03:45options on the market today, they found something that's pretty important.
03:49A lot of lunchboxes out there were really, really good at catching and holding onto the
03:53smells of lunches past. If your kids like some foods that are particularly pungent,
03:59you might want to consider a lunchbox made from the only material they found that didn't
04:03hold on to lingering odors — stainless steel.
04:06"'Used to be a peanut butter and banana in there. You can still smell it!"
04:12Otherwise, you might find yourself needing to add an extra step to your cleaning routine,
04:16and that's deodorizing lunchboxes with the help of white vinegar or baking soda. But
04:21who needs more work?
04:23If you're taking a lunchbox to work with you, there's a good chance you might have a communal
04:27refrigerator to stow it in until it's time for you to eat. Most school students don't
04:32have that luxury, though, and that's why it's incredibly important to find a lunchbox that's
04:36going to keep their food cold.
04:38According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or the USDA, the dangerous bacteria that's
04:43linked with food poisoning can start to grow in temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
04:48They warn that if you're using an old-fashioned paper bag, food can start reaching the danger
04:53zone in just two hours. If you're making your child's lunch at, say, 7 a.m., that means
04:58it's only safe until 9 a.m., and no one's eating lunch at 9 a.m.
05:03The USDA also says that using a well-insulated lunchbox will keep the temperature of your
05:07child's food at a safe level until they're ready to eat, which can be five or six hours
05:12after you've packed their lunch for them.
05:14Now, let's have a quick crash course in how well different types of lunchboxes will generally
05:19do when it comes to keeping their contents cool. There are a variety of different ways
05:24that lunchboxes are made. Those that are made from either glass, silicone, or a metal material
05:29are going to be pretty bad when it comes to insulation, and you're going to have to make
05:32other plans for keeping lunches cold and food safe.
05:36The most well-insulated lunchboxes are the ones made of a plastic-like fabric exterior,
05:41such as polyester or nylon, with an inner layer that's usually made from something like
05:45foil, aluminum, or plastic. In between the inner and outer layer is the insulation, which
05:51is usually a thermal polyester, or another form of plastic. And here's the thing, they
05:56also recommend that even if you're using an insulated lunchbox, you should also use an
06:01ice or gel pack to help keep everything cool. So you'll have to decide whether or not you're
06:05going to go plastic and extra insulation, or metal with less insulation and an extra
06:10gel pack, which experts recommend you use with highly insulated bags anyway.
06:16So let's say you found a lunchbox you're pretty sure is going to work. You're judging the
06:20size of it, and it looks like it'll be just about big enough for your child's lunch. Great?
06:25Not exactly. Put it back and look for something a little bigger. According to Tamika Sims,
06:30Ph.D. of the International Food Information Council Foundation, one of the most important
06:35things you should be putting in that lunchbox is a cold source. And yes, that's true whether
06:40you pick an insulated or uninsulated box. There are a few different versions of cold
06:44sources that are perfectly fine, including a frozen gel pack or an old-school hard ice
06:50pack. But here's the thing, they're going to take up a surprising amount of space, especially
06:55hard-sided ice packs, so you're going to have to account for that when you're buying a lunchbox.
07:00You should also consider the fact that the USDA recommends using not just one cold source,
07:04but at least two. In other words, don't forget to factor in the ice packs when you're looking
07:09at box size.
07:12Here at Mashed, we're all about practicality, and we know you are too. That's especially
07:16true when it comes to saving some time in the kitchen, and saving time doing what we
07:20all hate, cleaning. That said, you should definitely keep cleaning in mind when you're
07:24picking out a lunchbox, because you're going to have to do it on a regular basis.
07:29And here's some food for thought, starting with a warning from Mary Maids. If you're
07:33thinking you can just throw that soft-sided lunchbox in the washing machine, hold on.
07:37This isn't a great idea, because a washing machine cycle can do some serious damage to
07:42the insulation. You're going to have to clean it by hand, and it's not just cleaning, either.
07:47Safe Food warns that if you don't completely dry lunchboxes of all kinds, there's a good
07:52chance it could cause a serious mold problem. That said, we don't have to say how dangerous
07:57eating out of a moldy lunchbox can be. So when you pick up a lunchbox and get ready
08:01to buy it, just imagine what it's going to be like to clean or dry it every day.
08:07And here's a helpful pro tip you can use. If you're still looking at those soft-sided
08:11insulated bags, pick up a couple. That way, you can make sure each one is completely dry
08:16before packing a lunch in it and sending it off to school with your kiddos.
08:21Lunchboxes aren't just about the box. They can also be about a thermos. After all, what's
08:26better than sending your child off to school with a thermos of piping hot chicken noodle
08:31or tomato soup on those cold winter days? Sounds like a great way to get them to eat
08:35their veggies, right? That said, here are some thermos basics. Whether they're keeping
08:40cold things cold or hot things hot, a thermos works because it's a double-walled container
08:45with a vacuum between the two walls. And the vacuum doesn't allow for the transfer of heat.
08:49But even though the principle is universal, quality isn't.
08:54The Telegraph did some research to see if there really was a difference in thermos quality,
08:58and the answer was a hearty absolutely. Among the best was the Stanley Thermos, which wasn't
09:03just durable, but they found that when they put in ice and cold water at 11 a.m., by 11
09:09p.m., the cold water was even colder.
09:12On the other hand, when they tested a clean canteen thermos, they found it didn't keep
09:16things anywhere near the temperature they were when put in the bottle. While they're
09:20still generally safe enough if your child is only going a few hours before cracking
09:24the top for lunch, you might want to consider spending a little more and getting a thermos
09:29that's going to last for years — and have a purpose outside of the school lunch.
09:34In addition to picking up a lunchbox for everyday use, you should also look at reusable silverware.
09:40And not just because it's way more convenient than grabbing cafeteria silverware. According
09:44to National Geographic, the number of plastic utensils that are thrown away every year is
09:49in the billions. And since plastic takes hundreds of years to break down, discarded plastic
09:54utensils pose a serious threat to marine wildlife.
09:58The answer, says Mighty Nest, is including a set of reusable bamboo or stainless steel
10:03utensils in your child's lunchbox. They'll not only help cut down on plastic waste, but
10:08they look pretty cool, too. If you're looking for more ways to be environmentally friendly,
10:12you can also pick up a set of reusable cloth napkins and stainless steel containers perfect
10:17for things like nuts and dried fruit. After all, it's never too early to teach your children
10:22to be good citizens of this planet we all share.