If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that any kind of plastic that comes into contact with food or drink is no good. When it comes down to it, plastic is made from harmful chemicals that have been linked to cancers and hormone disruption. Just because a plastic is BPA free doesn’t mean it’s safe. It just means that the BPA was replaced with another chemical, such as EA, which is still toxic. These toxins leach most in warm and moist environments, like in dishwashers, in the dish basin, or when it’s holding something moist and warm, like certain food or beverage (such as warmed milk in a bottle). For more on this, see these links: The Scary New Evidence on BPA-Free Plastics and Is BPA-Free Plastic Safe? (Fox News)
Because I do not want my children to be part of a science experiment, I chose to pack my kids’ lunches in stainless steel instead of plastic, as it’s the safest in regards to not leaching and not being able to break like glass does.
Here are some stainless steel lunch box options at different price ranges.
PlanetBox: Price Range – $50-60
I know that one look at the price and some of you are saying no thanks. However, please think twice about this. For one, stainless steel is going to be more expensive than plastic. It’s a long term investment that you are making in your child’s health. In addition, this stainless steel box will last until your child has long graduated from high school. I cannot say that the bag it comes it will last as long, but this can be replaced at some point down the line. My son used it for his first year in kindergarten and will be using it again, in like-new shape for first grade in the fall.
LunchBots: Price Range – $20-30
A lot more reasonable in price, BUT that price does not include an insulated lunch bag, which run about $21.00 itself. The good news is that unlike the PlanetBox container, LunchBots will fit into many standard lunch bags.
D’ECO: Price Range – $11.99
The cheapest of the lot, it has some good reviews and a nice design. It does not come with any type of lunch bag, nor does one seem to be offered separately.
I did find other options as well. I like the idea behind ECO Lunchboxes, but I don’t love the shape of the main box and I don’t find the carry bags to be well designed, especially not for a young child.
The key is to find something to fit your needs in both size and budget, while knowing that you are investing in health and in the environment by not packing lunch in plastic.
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Is it possible to get the school baggage made of plastic or aluminium as it was there during 1960’s
& 1970’s
Planetbox also offers two other sizes – one with larger compartments and a microwaveable glass (Pyrex style) insert, and a smaller one that is maybe the size of the second option. We’ve had our planetboxes (as pictured) for a year, and they are nothing short of amazing. The inserts have silicone seals and do not leak (even homemade chicken soup in the big or vinaigrette in the small!). I put strawberries (watermelon, etc) in the smaller bento containers all the time and we did not experience leakage between the compartments. On the couple unfortunate occasions the boxes were left at school on a Friday, the kid responsible had to clean the box out herself the following Monday – no big deal after scraping scraps out over the bin and throwing all the pieces in the dishwasher – they don’t make it from surgical grade steel for nothing. No scrounging for little containers when packing, no Tupperware lids lost, no plastic baggies used. And the absolute best part – I loved making their lunches everyday. I loved filling each compartment with beautiful, colorful, nutritious food. And the kids loved opening the box to discover each day what had been prepared for them, especially in the tiniest “dessert” compartment. The picture above doesn’t show the decorative magnets (which sound a bit silly but are really cool), and the planetbox website is full of menu ideas if ever inspiration goes dry.
This is a great article. I’m trying to replace the plastic in my home with safer alternatives. Thank you for displaying these great options!
So what about if the food needs to be heat up? The only option my husband has at work is using a microwave. I would like him to avoid that what lunch box would be good?
For your husband I would pack his in pyrex glass containers and put in what ever lunch box fits…
None of these look like they don’t leak between the sections. I need one of these that keeps all compartments separate. Any of those out there?
I have the planetbox and it doesn’t leak between sections.. but what are you looking to put in the sections? The planet box comes with a round container with a sealed lid that fits in the box.
For example, strawberries with a little juice, would it leak into other compartments? Thanks for the info, I really want to buy one of these but for the money I would need it to not leak.
That would probably drip down a little, but it comes with 2 round containers with lids that do not leak….