Lunch: everyone has to eat it, but so few look forward to it. It seems like you’re either spending way too much money on a disappointing restaurant meal, or eating the dreaded sad desk lunch while answering emails. One way to shake yourself out of your midday rut? Get a new lunch box. Take inspiration from global traditions like India’s tiffins and bento boxes in Japan, or change things up with innovative new models. Either way, you’ll save yourself some cash and help out the environment with reusable packaging. And who knows: you just might inspire yourself to pack tastier lunches.
By Paula Forbes
Bento – Perhaps the most famous lunch box in the world, the bento tradition originated in Japan about 800 years ago. These typically square or rectangular boxes are often divided into sections to keep different types of food separate, and the fanciful food arrangements (usually created by doting parents of partners) tend to be as pleasing to the eye as to the belly. One modern-day option is the Takenaka bento box, which comes in a few different shapes and sizes, as well as plenty of colours to brighten up the lunch hour.
Tiffin Tins – Every single day, millions of people eat their lunches out of tiffin boxes. These stackable metal lunch boxes originated in India, named after the colloquial word for the midday meal, and are designed to keep multiple types of food – rice, vegetables, dal and more – separate until lunchtime. This simple, two-compartment tiffin box is perfect for a salad and sandwich.
Pinto – The pinto is a similar concept to a tiffin box, in that’s comprised of several stacked containers meant to keep dishes separate. This Thai version of the lunch pail is almost always covered in enamel, though, which means it’s often available in bright, cheerful colours. Try this contemporary version, or hunt for the many gorgeous vintage pintos available on internet auction sites.
Reusable Classic Brown Bag – In much of the world, lunchtime means brown paper bags, especially for school kids. Of course, throwing away your lunch packaging every day is not exactly sustainable, which is why these waxed canvas lunch bags are a fantastic upgrade. They’re available in classic brown as well as fun colours, like this teal print number.
Miner’s Lunch Box – The Miner’s Lunch Box is a Canadian tradition, and these particular models have been handmade in Northern Ontario since 1956. You don’t have to be a miner to use one, though, just someone who appreciates a durable lunch container: these are built to be sturdy enough to sit on – miners would perch on them as they rode the elevator into the mine – so have a seat and enjoy your lunch.
Mason Jar Lunch – Despite its recent popularity as Instagram fodder, with beautifully layered lunches putting some food in your feed, packing your lunch in a mason jar is not a new idea. However, it only works for certain types of food …unless you have one of these handy mason jar adaptors that hold everything from salad dressing to yogurt and salsa up and out of your food until you’re ready to dig in.
Construction Lunch Box With Thermos – These heavy-duty boxes are perhaps the priciest on this list, but they’re built to last a lifetime. The thermos fits into the lid of the box to keep coffee, tea or soup warm all morning, while the rest of the compartment fits sandwiches, chips, fresh-cut veggies or whatever else you might want to eat. After all, generations of construction workers are probably on to something.
Prepd Pack – A more futuristic take on the lunch box, the smooth bamboo design houses modular compartments, allowing you to customise your lunch. It also holds chopsticks or silverware, and unfolds to create a placemat for you to eat your meal on. There’s also a Prepd app that provides recipes to fit this lunch box perfectly.
PlanetBox – They may be designed for kids to bring lunches to school, but that shouldn’t stop you from making use of PlanetBox’s brilliant compartmentalised metal lunch boxes. These are perfect for a grazer: small compartments hold a little bit of vegetables, nuts, crackers – whatever you like. And if you’re buying it for your little one, they have plenty of fun magnets available to decorate.
Retro Metal Lunch Box – Nostalgic for the old cartoon lunch boxes that used to be in every school kid’s backpack? Good news: they still make them, in both classic motifs like this Star Wars box, as well as newer, trendier designs like Sriracha-themed boxes.
Asobu Reusable Juice Box – This won’t hold your whole lunch, but it will help reduce waste and is an excellent addition to any of the previous containers. Simply add whatever beverage you’d like to this watertight juice box – be it juice, iced tea or even water – and you’re good to go.
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