Lunchboxes have it hard. They’re dropped, shoved and forgotten on a daily basis, yet get the lunchbox wrong and your kids could end up with soggy sandwiches—or worse, a soggy school bag from a leaky box.
So, for our first back-to-school edit, we’ve picked five of the best lunchboxes for school. Each one is practical, easy for children to use and, importantly, sturdy enough to survive more than one school term. We’ve also leaned towards reusable, long-lasting options where we can—because replacing the same thing every September isn’t particularly good for your wallet or the planet.
1. PlanetBox Rover
If you want to buy one lunchbox and keep it for years, the PlanetBox Rover is hard to ignore. It’s made from stainless steel rather than plastic, feels incredibly sturdy and has five built-in compartments for keeping everything from sandwiches to fruit and snacks neatly separated.
The little removable containers handle yoghurt, dips and other wetter foods, while the main box can simply go into the dishwasher. It’s not the cheapest option here, but its durability is exactly why we like it — this is very much a buy-it-once sort of lunchbox.
2. b.box Lunchbox
The b.box Lunchbox has clearly been designed by people who understand what actually gets packed for school. There’s a generous sandwich section, smaller leak-resistant compartments for yoghurt or dips, an adjustable divider and even a flexible holder that lets you pack a whole apple or other piece of fruit without having to chop it up first.
There’s also a removable gel cooler pack tucked underneath the sandwich tray, which is a particularly useful touch on warmer school days. It’s roomy without being overly complicated, easy for kids to open themselves and available in plenty of colours and designs.
3. OmieBox
Not every child wants sandwiches five days a week, which is where the OmieBox comes into its own. It has an insulated food jar built directly into the lunchbox, meaning you can pack warm pasta or leftovers alongside fruit and snacks in the same box.
The food jar is removable too, so on sandwich days you simply take it out and use the extra space. It’s a clever idea if you have a child who likes more substantial lunches — or one who has already declared sandwiches completely unacceptable.
4. Bentgo Kids
The Bentgo Kids is a very easy all-rounder, particularly for younger children. It has five compartments inside a tough outer shell, a simple latch and rubberised edges that give it some protection when it inevitably hits the floor.
The compartments are leak-resistant and sensibly sized for small appetites, and Bentgo offers a huge range of colours and prints.
5. Mepal Campus Bento
If you want something simpler and lighter, Mepal’s Campus Bento is a really practical everyday option. It works as a traditional sandwich box but comes with removable bento compartments, so you can switch between sandwiches one day and fruit, snacks and smaller portions the next.
It doesn’t have quite the heavy-duty feel of the PlanetBox or the insulated cleverness of the OmieBox, but that’s also its appeal: uncomplicated, lightweight and easy to pack into a school bag.
