Best Bento Boxes for Kids School Lunch – an expert review of our favorite tried-and-true lunch boxes! I tested out the top 9 bento boxes to help you find the perfect lunch box for your toddler, preschooler or big kids that can go anywhere they go – school, preschool, a school pod, have lunch at home, a playdate or a fun outing. Plus, there are great options at all price points!
Kids Bento Box
I’ve spent the last 5 years packing my girls school lunches, as well as buying and trying almost every bento box on the market.
I had quite the storage situation happing in my house for a while🙈, but I was hellbent on getting the perfect lunch box for my kids 💪.
My determination (and messy cabinets) is your gain!
I narrowed the field down to my favorite 9 bento boxes 🍱, and then came up with 6 different categories to test them against each other. I packed my 5 and 7-year-old lunches in each of the bento boxes and like all kids, they gave me their very honest thoughts and opinions on each box 🙊.
How to Find the Best Lunch Box
- Fit in Lunch Bag – to me it’s important to know which lunch bag the bento box will actually fit into.
- Leakproof – leaking lunches are absolutely no fun, I go into detail about this below.
- Easy to Clean – very important! You don’t want to have to spend hours cleaning up your kids’ lunch.
- Kid-Friendly – is the bento box easy to open, is it too heavy, are the containers sharp, etc.
- Materials – I talk about what type of materials are used. If you are going plastic-free, I have a winner for you. And if plastic is okay in your house, I have a winner for you as well. We use both types as I find that they both have pros and cons.
- Capacity – You don’t want a bento box that’s too big or too small, you want one that will hold just the right amount of food for your child.
A couple of things before you see the results:
- Not and Ad – Below you will find a very in-depth and honest review of all of the bento boxes for kids. This isn’t an ad for any of these brands and I purchased every box below with my own money so that I could personally give you the best review possible. Bento boxes are not cheap, I wanted to make sure your money was well spent.
- Tried-and-True – we have had most of these bentos for years and I have tried each bento box and brand over the years.
- Capacity – I started with the same amount of food and tried to show what it would look like in each bento box – 9 small flower pb&j sandwiches, 1/2 cup peaches and blueberries, 8 cucumber spears, a container of ranch, 1/4 cup carrot coins, 1/4 cup bunny crackers and 4 bunny gummies. If I couldn’t fit that much food into a container, I noted it in my review. Here is where you can find the small yellow sauce container, flower silicon muffin molds, flower sandwich cutter.
- Recipe Ideas – if you are looking for some bento box recipe ideas, then check out these amazing posts – 68 Preschool and Kindergarten School Lunch Ideas (healthy), 10 Allergy-Friendly School Lunch Box Ideas for Kids or 5 School Lunch Box Packing Tips (FREE Printables!). Our get your hands on my best-selling book Little Bento: 32 Irresistible Bento Box Lunches for Kids.
Bento Boxes Reviewed
Best Bento Boxes for Kids
If you just want to cut straight to the chase – these are our absolute favorite lunch boxes for kids.
Best Overall Bento Box: OmieBox
We love the OmieBox and use it for lunches all the time. I love that there is a thermos that can be inserted into the lunch box for warm or cold foods that can be removed if needed.
Best Eco-Friendly Bento Box: PlanetBox Rover
We have been using the Planetbox Rover for years and we all absolutely love it! I find it holds the perfect amount of food for both my 5 and 7 year olds and I know I can pack it with even more food as they grow. My girls love the fun magnets that they ask me to change every other day!
Best Value Bento Box: Easy Lunch Boxes
This is a great little lunch box for younger kids or kids that don’t tend to eat very much. I loved that is was compact, lightweight and completely leakproof. My kids loved the fun designs on the front. Plus, it’s super easy to open and shut for younger hands.
Best for Younger Kids: Bentgo (close runner up – Innobaby Bus Bento)
This is a great little lunch box for younger kids or kids that don’t tend to eat very much. I loved that is was compact, lightweight and completely leakproof. My kids loved the fun designs on the front. Plus, it’s super easy to open and shut for younger hands.
The Full Review of the Best Bento Boxes
Planetbox – Winner of the Best Eco-Friendly Bento Box for Kids
We tested out the Rover Plantbox that includes the bento box as well as a small and large container with a leakproof lid.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5 stars)
Notes: We have been using the Planetbox Rover for years and we all absolutely love it. I find it holds the perfect amount of food for both my 5 and 7 year old right now and I know I can pack it with even more food as they grow. My girls love the fun magnets that they ask me to change every other day!
Age: Great for kids 4-12 years old.
Price: $89.95
The Details on This Lunch Box
Fit in Lunch Bag: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
The Rover doesn’t really fit in any lunch bags except for the ones that they sell. Over the last couple of years, they have improved their designs greatly and there are some super cute colors and patterns now. I love that their lunch bags have a water bottle, utensil and ice pack holder.
Leakproof: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
The Rover itself is not leakproof, but the 2 containers with lids that come with the bento box are completely leakproof with items such as yogurts, dips, hummus, etc.
Easy to Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
Is completely dishwasher safe. I also find it easy to hand wash and I am able to get in all of the corners because they are all slightly rounded.
Kid-Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
My kids started using Planetboxes when they were 3 years old, and never had any problems opening them by themselves. They first started using the Shuttle, then graduated to the Rover when they were 4-5 years old. I will say that they are on the heavier side of the bento boxes and sometimes my younger one complains about carrying it in her backpack.
Materials: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
If you are trying to stay away from plastic, then this is the bento for your family. The Rover is a stainless steel lunchbox that contains no lead, PVC, phthalates or BPA materials. The lids of the added containers are silicone.
Capacity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
I love the rounded edges of the different sections and find that it makes it easy for younger kids to eat from. Holds a good amount of food for 4-12-year-olds.
Tip: I would recommend ordering the Pods and the custom lunch bag. Also, the magnets are super fun and my kids love them.
OmieBox – Winner of Best Overall Bento Box for Kids
We tested out the OmieBox bento box, which comes in 5 different colors of the same design – pink, blue, meadow, sunshine and purple plum.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5 stars)
Notes: We love the Omie box and use it for lunches all the time. I love that there is a thermos that can inserted into the lunch box for warm or cold foods that can be removed if needed.
Age: Great for kids 4-10 years old.
Price: $39.50
The Details on This Lunch Box
Fit in Lunch Bag: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
The Omie box will fit in most standard sized lunch bags. While they say you can just carry it with the attached handle, I alway like to put it in a lunch bag with an ice pack, a napkin and some silverware. They just came out with this silverware attachment, which I am excited to try out this school year. In the standard lunch bag it will be tough to fit in a water bottler or drink unless there is a side pocket attached to the lunch bag for one.
Leakproof: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
The entire lunch box as well as each section of the Omie box if leakproof. Plus you have the thermos section that is completely leak proof for very watery foods like soups, yogurt, etc.
Easy to Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
The Omie box can be hand washed and the base of the box can be washed in the top rack of the dishwasher. I have washed our boxes both ways and have never had a problem, but some of the reviews say their boxes warped in the dishwasher, so I would hand wash just to be safe.
Kid-Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
It was easy for my 4 year old to open it by herself if I didn’t tighten the thermos lid too tight.
Materials: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
The OmieBox is made of ABS, PP, silicon, and 18/8 food grade stainless steel and is BPA‐free and Phthalates‐free.
Capacity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Is a deeper bento box and will hold enough food for 4-10 year olds. The thermos holds just over 7 ounces of food.
Tip: Make sure to order more of the dividers so you can section off your food.
Easy Lunch Boxes – Winner of Best Value Bento Box for Kids
We tested out the 3-Compartment Bento Lunch Box Containers, which comes in a 4-pack.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5 stars)
Notes: A very basic bento that is great for the entire family. I pack these all the time when we have a family picnic at the park or pool. They aren’t the best quality of materials, so don’t expect them to last for 5 years, but for the price they are great. I think every family should have a set of these. Also a great option if your kid tends to misplace everything in their life;)
Age: Great for kids 4 years – adult.
Price: $13.95 for pack of 4
Fit in Lunch Bag: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Would fit in pretty much any standard flat lunch bag.
Leakproof: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
They say they are not leakproof, but I have had no problems sending yogurt, hummus or pudding in them with no problems. You can get these small sauce containers if you are worried.
Easy to Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
Lid and bento box are completely dishwasher safe.
Kid-Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Both my kids can easily open these bentos.
Materials: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
Easy Lunch Boxes are made from FDA-approved, high-quality polypropylene #5 plastic; no BPA, PVC, or phthalates. The won’t last as long as the other bentos in this review, but again, for the price they are a great option.
Capacity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Hold enough for a large kids lunch or even a small/medium adult lunch.
Tip: Would recommend getting some silicon muffin molds to hold a bigger variety of foods for a kids lunch and these small sauce containers for anything you don’t want to leak.
Bentgo – Winner of Best Bento Box for Younger Kids
We tested out the Bentgo Kid Lunch Box.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Notes: This is a great little lunch box for younger kids or kids that don’t tend to eat very much. I loved that is was compact, lightweight and completely leakproof. My kids loved the fun designs on the front.
Age: Great for kids 3-7 years old.
Price: $27.99
The Details on This Lunch Box
Fit in Lunch Bag: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
Would fit in pretty much any standard flat lunch bag. Bentgo also sell their own lunch bags that fit their bento boxes perfectly.
Leakproof: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
The entire box as well as each section is leakproof.
Easy to Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
The plastic tray comes out of the base, but I found it hard to get into the corners of the smaller sections to clean. The plastic tray is top-rack dishwasher safe.
Kid-Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Both my kids loved using this bento box. They both loved their fun designs. They could easily open the box up without any help.
Materials: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Bentgo Kids products are FDA-approved, BPA-free, and made with no PVC, phthalates, lead, or vinyl.
Capacity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
Held about 2/3 the amount of food as the Omie or Planetbox. My 7 year old has a big appetite and this was too small for her. I think it would be great for younger kids or kids that don’t eat as much.
Tip: Would get the Bentgo Fresh for kids ages 5-9.
Innobaby – Runner Up of Best Bento Box for Younger Kids
We tested out the Innobaby Din Din Smart Stainless Divided Platter.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Notes: We used this Innobaby bento for years when the girls were younger, and they loved it. The compartments are small, shallow with curved edges which makes it easy for toddler and preschoolers to eat from. The lid is mostly leakproof but will warp if you put it in the dishwasher.
Age: Great for kids 2-5 years old.
Price: $19.95
The Details on This Lunch Box
Fit in Lunch Bag: ⭐️⭐️ (2/5 stars)
This is the one negative on this bento, it’s hard to find a flat lunch bag that will fit the bigger size of this bento.
Leakproof: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Each compartment is separated by the lid so each compartment contents won’t move. While they don’t say it’s leakproof, I have never had any problems backing yogurts, hummus, pudding or other thicker liquids in this bento. You couldn’t pack soups or very watery foods in it though.
Easy to Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
The metal base of the bento is dishwasher safe, while it’s best to hand wash the lid.
Kid-Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
Both my girls had no problem getting the lid off by themselves from 3 years and up. 2-year-olds would probably need a little help. The size is perfect for smaller kids. Each compartment is separate which is great for picky eaters.
Materials: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
Innobaby Bus Bento is made of the highest quality, food-grade stainless steel and is nontoxic, BPA free, Phthalate free, PVC free and lead-free.
Capacity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
Is the perfect size and depth for younger eaters.
ECOlunchbox
We tested out the Three-in-One Stainless Food Canister & Lunch Box.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5/5 stars)
Notes: I love how small, compact and lightweight this bento box is. I personally use this for my lunch more than my kids do as I have found that it is great for an adult salad and some small sides.
Age: Great for kids 6-10 years old.
Price: $34.95
The Details on This Lunch Box
Fit in Lunch Bag: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Would need a square or upright lunch bag to fit into – like this one.
Leakproof: ⭐️⭐️ (2/5 stars)
The only part of this bento box that is leak proof is the small removable rectangle container.
Easy to Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
There are a ton of pieces but they can all go directly into the dishwasher (or can be hand washed).
Kid-Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
My 4 year old had a hard time understanding that there were multiple layers to this box and sometimes the bottom food would come home completely intact. The removable leakproof container can be hard to open. Definitely for older kids.
Materials: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ (5/5 stars)
The ECOlunchbox uses 100% food-grade stainless steel.
Capacity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Holds the same amount as the OmieBox and Planetbox, just in a different configuration.
Tip: Would recommend getting these cute silicon muffin liners (pictured above) to help section of your food.
Yumbox
We tested out the Original Leakproof Bento Lunch Box Container.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Notes: This was my first time using the Yumbox, and I was presently surprised. It was lightweight and very compact, yet still held a decent amount of food. I would definitely get the Panino style next time so I could pack bigger foods, but overall we all liked this bento box. I of course didn’t follow the suggested food items in each section:)
Age: Great for kids 4-8 years old.
Price: $29.99
The Details on This Lunch Box
Fit in Lunch Bag: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Would fit in pretty much any standard flat lunch bag.
Leakproof: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
The entire box as well as each section is leakproof.
Easy to Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
The plastic tray comes out of the base, but I found it hard to get into the corners of the smaller sections to clean. The tray is top-rack dishwasher safe.
Kid-Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Both my kids loved using this bento box. I do think I would get the Panino next time so I could pack larger items like full sandwiches, pizza, warps, etc.
Materials: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Yumbox is made of high-quality BPA-free, food-safe material ABS, Tritan, and silicone.
Capacity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Held slightly less than the Planetbox, but still held a decent amount of food, but nothing could be to large, which could cause some problems if you really wanted to send something bigger in your child’s school lunch.
Tip: Would recommend getting the Panino version so it would grow more with your child. The Panino has a bigger section for lager food items like sandwiches, pizza, wraps, etc.
LunchBots
We tested out the Medium Trio Snack Container.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
Notes: This snack container was way too small for a kids lunch (which is my fault that I ordered a smaller version). I didn’t like how each compartment isn’t leakproof and my kids said it was a little sharp on their wrists as they were eating. Would probably not get this bento box again.
Age: Great for kids 3-7 years old.
Price: $26.99
The Details on This Lunch Box
Fit in Lunch Bag: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Would fit in pretty much any standard flat lunch bag with room to spare.
Leakproof: ⭐️⭐️ (2/5 stars)
This container is not leak proof nor is each compartment as there are small gaps from where the walls of the bento meet the sides and bottom. Super poor design in my opinion. It will only hold extremely dry food. The juices from the peaches started leaking into the sandwich section so I had to put them in a different separate container.
Easy to Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Both the lid and base are totally dishwasher safe. Mine did however get spots on them while the other bento boxes did not.
Kid-Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
Both of my girls didn’t like how scarp this bento box was. It does have a very industrial feel about it. They did like the colored lid.
Materials: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
LunchBots are made from the highest quality 18/8 stainless steel.
Capacity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
This snack container is very small (which was my fault for ordering this version). I would definitely get the bigger Lunch Box Trio for ages 5-10.
Tip: Would recommend getting the LunchBots Large Trio Bundle that comes with 2 leakproof containers as well as 2 silicon cups.
RubberMaid Lunch Box
We tested out the Rubbermaid LunchBlox Kids Lunch Box Container Set.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
Notes: I will have to be honest, we didn’t care for this bento box. It has too many containers and pieces for my girls to open and the size was hard to fit into a lunch bag. I think maybe for older high schoolers this would be a good fit, but for younger kids it was just too much for them to handle.
Age: Great for kids 9-18 years old.
Price: $14.97
The Details on This Lunch Box
Fit in Lunch Bag: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
Just fits in a flat lunch bag, but you won’t have any room for a water bottle, drink or utensils.
Leakproof: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Each separate container was leakproof, except for the pink container which has a divider in-between the two sections, this was not leakproof.
Easy to Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
Everything is dishwasher safe.
Kid-Friendly: ⭐️⭐️ (2/5 stars)
Both of my girls complained how hard it was to open the lids of each container and they both had a hard time closing the lids back up after lunch.
Materials: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
Made with BPA-free plastic.
Capacity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
This snack container is very big for elementary age kids. I would recommend for older kids.
SCHOOL LUNCH BOX IDEAS
- 100 Healthy School Lunch Box Ideas (FREE Printables!)
- 10 Allergy-Friendly School Lunch Box Ideas for Kids
- 10 Easy + Healthy School Lunch Ideas
- 5 School Lunch Box Packing Tips (FREE Printables!)
- Complete School Lunch Survival Guide
- 36 Healthy Lunch Box Recipes for Kids (that they will love)
- 68 Preschool and Kindergarten School Lunch Ideas (healthy)
- Little Bento: 32 Irresistible Bento Box Lunches for Kids
This post contains affiliate links, but all thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting Baby FoodE!
Thanks for this post. I am a long time subscriber and this is really helpful, especially showing how much food each one can hold.
Thank you! I am glad it helped.
How do you usually pack a drink in with the omiebox? What kind of lunch bag do you put that into?
I got a lunch bag from target similar to this one so I put the drink on the side, or you can pop a water bottle inside if it’s small enough.