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    Home » Bento Lunches » Lunch Boxes & Accessories

    The Ultimate UK School Lunch Box Guide for Bento Lunches

    Aug 29, 2014 · 3 Comments

    60 shares

    As you may have noticed, I have a pretty enormous collection of bento boxes and lunch boxes! I definitely have more than the average person, mainly because I make a point of regularly trying new boxes for the purpose of this blog (that's my excuse anyway!).   I get asked a lot which box I would recommend, but I find it very hard to choose just one - different sizes suit different appetites and my favourite lunch boxes are all good for different reasons.  After seeing a fantastic guide to bento boxes put together by my blogging friend Wendy of Wendolonia, I decided to create my own version, based on lunch boxes suitable for packing bento style lunches that I have used and tried myself.

    Eats Amazing - The Ultimate Guide to buying lunch boxes in the UK for bento style lunches with side by side comparisons - perfect for back to school 2014

    Although there are many many different lunch boxes out there, I've limited this post to 12 (hopefully that's plenty to be getting on with!), and have only included boxes that I have actually tried out myself and that are readily available here in the UK, so this guide will be particularly useful for my UK based readers.  

    In my opinion, and based on personal experience, all of the lunch boxes below are of good quality and have so far held up well to repeated use. I've started with my 6 favourite boxes (I couldn't fit all 12 in one chart!) and then compared 6 more that I personally use less often but are still well worth considering.

    My six favourite lunch boxes that I use most of all at present are the original Yumbox, brand new Yumbox Panino, Laptop Lunches Bento Box, TUMTUM Lunch Set, Lego Lunchbox and Addis Food Container. Below are some side by side comparison pictures of these lunch boxes, so you can get an idea of size and layout, followed by a chart with all of the information that I thought might be useful.

    Eats Amazing - The Ultimate Guide to UK lunch boxes for bento style lunches with side by side comparisons - back to school 2014

     Yumbox Classic
    Yumbox PaninoLaptop Lunches
    TUMTUM Lego Lunchbox

    Addis Food Container

    Approx.
    size
    22 x 15 x 5 cm22 x 15 x 5 cm23 x 18 x 6 cm23.5 x 11.5 x 5.5 cm20 x 10 x 7.5 cm22 x 15.6 x 5.6 cm
    Approx.
    volume
    600 ml750 ml1 litre750 ml850 ml1.1 litre
    Weight when
    empty
    495g495g385g
    204g
    173g
    272g
    No. of pieces2
    2
    9
    4
    2
    5
    No. of food
    compartments
    6 (5 medium, 1 small)4 (1 large, 2 medium, 1 small)
    5 (2 large, 2 medium, 1 small)
    1 (or 3 if divider container is used)
    11 (or 3 if removable inserts are used)
    Leakproof
    Yes
    Yes
    Partly - 3 containers come with lids
    No
    No
    No
    Dishwasher
    safe
    Yes (top rack only) Handwashing recommended to preserve the seal
    Yes (top rack only) Handwashing recommended to preserve the seal
    Yes (top rack only)
    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    BPA freeYes
    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    Colour
    Green, Pink and Blue
    Blue and Pink
    Several colour combinations available
    Red or Blue
    Several colours available
    Clear
    Recommended
    retail price
    £24.95£24.95
    £19£10£9£4.99
    Accessories
    included
    Removable trayRemovable trayRemovable inner containersLidded container which doubles as a divider-
    Removable inserts
    Extra
    accessories
    available
    Extra removable tray
    Extra removable tray
    Lunch Bags & Bento Buddies (inner boxes in various sizes including an extra large box)
    Ladybird/bee lunch bags, matching drinks bottle, cutlery, food flask and nesting snack potsMini snack boxes in 2 sizes, drinks bottle
    -


    My review
    of this box
    Click here for my reviewClick here for my reviewClick here for my reviewClick here for my reviewClick here for my review-
    See this box
    in action
    Click here to see lunches I've made in this boxClick here to see lunches I've made in this box
    Buy this box
    online
    Click here to buy from the Eats Amazing ShopClick here to buy from the Eats Amazing ShopClick here to buy from Amazon UKClick here to buy from Amazon UKClick here to buy from Amazon UKClick here to buy from Amazon UK

    Below is a second chart comparing the other six lunch boxes I've selected.  As with the first set of boxes I've provided side by side comparison pictures, followed by a chart with all of the information that I thought might be useful.

    Eats Amazing - The Ultimate Guide to buying lunch boxes in the UK for bento style lunches with side by side comparisons - back to school 2014

     Munchkin Click Lock Bento BoxSistema Lunch Cube MaxSistema Lunch CubeSistema Triple SplitSistema Salad to Go

    Clic-Tite Double Decker

    Approx.
    size
    20 x 16.5 x 6.5 cm17 x 17 x 10 cm
    14 x 14 x 10 cm24 x 20 x 9.2 cm
    16.5 x 16.5 x 8.4 cm
    18.4 x 14 x 7.5 cm
    Approx.
    volume
    950 ml2 litre
    1.4 litre
    2 litre
    1.1 litre
    1.1 litre
    Weight when
    empty
    242g257g
    160g
    318g
    200g
    226g
    No. of pieces

    93
    149
    3
    No. of food
    compartments
    3 (1 large, 2 small)4 (1 large, 1 medium, 2 small)
    3 (1 large, 2 medium)
    3 (1 extra large, 2 medium)
    1 (or 4, if removable tray is used)
    1 (or 3 if removable tray is used)

    Leakproof
    Yes
    No, apart from lidded removable container

    No
    No, apart from lidded removable container
    No, apart from small pot for salad dressing
    No
    Dishwasher
    safe
    Yes (top rack only)Yes

    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    BPA free

    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    Colour
    Blue, Green or PinkSeveral colours available

    Several colours available
    Several colours available

    Several colours available
    Purple, Blue, Pink or Clear
    Recommended
    retail price
    £7.99£7.99£4.99£14.99£5.99£4.99
    Accessories
    included
    Plastic spoon & fork, 2 removable lidded containers
    Small screw top lidded container
    -
    Small screw top lidded containePlastic spoon & fork, removable divided tray, small dressing container
    Removable divided tray
    Extra accessories
    available
    -
    Extra lidded containers
    -

    Extra lidded containers
    -

    Polar Gear 2 Compartment Lunch Bag
    My review
    of this box
    Click here for my reviewClick here for my reviewcoming soon
    Click here for my reviewClick here for my review-
    Buy this box
    online
    Click here to buy from Amazon UKClick here to buy from Amazon UKClick here to buy from Amazon UKClick here to buy from Amazon UKClick here to buy from Amazon UKClick here to buy from Amazon UK

    Please note: I have provided recommended retail prices where possible but prices may vary.

    If you're looking for lunch boxes ready for school (starting next week for us, eek!), I hope that this post has been useful. If you're more organised than me and all ready for school by now, do bookmark or pin it for another day!

    Which lunch box do you use? Do you have any other suggestions?

    Grace

    Disclaimer: All details and prices were accurate to my knowledge when this blog post was published, however they may be subject to change.  Eats Amazing is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information shown here.

    This post contains some Amazon affiliate links; I may receive commission on items purchased through the links.

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    Comments

    1. Petit Mom says

      August 29, 2014 at 11:54 pm

      Super useful, thank you for taking the time to create this guide and with fab photographs too. I'm terrible when comes to measurements, I work better at seeing something and comparing it to what I have. As I already own Yumbox Panino, Addis food container, sistema salad on the go and the sistema cube this was handy to help me compare against ones I don't have yet. I have been considering the TumTum for a while and read reviews saying it was too small for their toddler. Seems pretty good size from this guide!

      Reply
      • Grace says

        August 31, 2014 at 12:11 am

        I'm so glad you found it useful - looks like you're building up quite a collection of your own! I really like the TumTum range (I'll be reviewing several of their products in the next few weeks) and find that the lunch box has plenty of room - the volume measurement is quite useful there - it all comes down to what you're packing I guess, and how you pack it!

        Reply
    2. dosirakbento says

      August 31, 2014 at 7:58 pm

      Great overview!

      From your top 6 I love using the Addis one, it's so practical. I recently bought the TumTum (like you, I buy new bento boxes only for "research" purposes :-)...) but haven't tried it out yet. From the other six I have the Sistema lunch cube max, which I find okayish, but not great.

      I also recently bought a new (pink) box at Paperchase which I'm quite happy with because it has a good lock & lock style lide, and insert and a tray with cutlery.

      The lunch box I used most though are the Lock & Lock bento sets from Korea, they come with either 2 or 3 containers in their own little bento bag, have chopsticks, and are so versatile. Plus microwave, dishwasher and freezer proof!

      I can really recommend these!

      You can buy them via Amazon for around £18 :

      http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lock-Rectangular-Lunch-Bento-Chopstics/dp/B0054PGWSU/ref=pd_cp_kh_1

      Reply

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