Today I'm sharing my Yumbox Classic v2 review. It's no secret that I love, love, love the Yumbox, I've been a big fan since my first review of the original Yumbox early last year. I was even more impressed when the Yumbox Panino came out later on in the year, as it brought new flexibility to the lunch box range and held more food - perfect for older children and even adults!
Recently though, I felt that the original classic box wasn't quite holding enough food for Small Child, who at seven years old is nearing the upper end of the recommended age range for the original box. I was delighted therefore when I saw that a new improved version of the Yumbox classic was being released this year, with all the same great features but a roomier tray design. That version is the Yumbox Classic v2, which has now replaced the original Yumbox classic.
I've been using the Yumbox Classic v2 (in Ananas Yellow) since it was released in March of this year, so I've made enough lunches in it now to have really tried it out properly. The box is very similar to the original Yumbox lunch box, with a clear (BPA free) plastic removable tray which is divided into 6 compartments, and a silicone seal built into the lid to keep the box completely leak proof.
The design of the silicone lid has been improved slightly, with small ridges in the design making it even more securely leak proof than before (although I never had a single leak with the old design). The box features the same simple clasp, which holds the box firmly closed but is easy for little hands to open.
The tray design is where the real difference lies. The tray has been completely redesigned so that it holds much more food than the original Yumbox did. I was pleased to see that the layout is very similar, and that it has all the charm of the original Yumbox with its fun and pretty whimsical label designs. The compartments still have the really useful food group labels of dairy, fruit, protein, grains and vegetables, which tie in perfectly with the current NHS guidelines for healthy balanced meals. There is also the smaller extra compartment which is perfect to hold a dip or a treat.
The tray comes in two different designs too, depending on which colour box you choose. There's the fun circus design (available with the pastel colours range) and the original whimsical design, which comes with the rest of the box colours at present. You can see the whimsical design in my photo above, and the circus design below.
I thought the best way to showcase this lovely lunch box would be to share some of the fun lunches that I have made in it over the last term. As I mentioned above, I've been using the Ananas yellow Yumbox Classic up until now, but I've also just bought another one in the gorgeous new zucca orange colour to add to our collection for the new school year ahead.
This lunch had a whole tortilla wrap, which I filled, rolled up and cut into spirals - they fit perfectly into two of the compartments. I decorated this lunch with cute monster cupcake rings.
This fun animal lunch had plenty of food - the new tray design has a bigger long compartment which is perfect for holding breadsticks or flat breads.
The new tray design has plenty of room to hold fun silicone cups like the pea pod cup and lettuce silicone cup below - so it's easier than ever to make a fun lunch!
The 'grains' compartment in the new tray is a great size - I was easily able to fit in 4 slices of french stick for this lunch (you can find full details of this fun garden lunch here).
This celebratory lunch was made for the last day of term before the summer holidays - you can find full details of this lunch here: Lunch for the last day of term. As you can see, yoghurt sits happily next to bread sticks and meat balls in the box, with no leaking between compartments!
All in all I'm really impressed with the new design of the Yumbox classic - the only slight negative I can find is that the v2 is slightly trickier to clean than the old design, due to the ridges in the lid and the new corners within the box (the original design was slightly more rounded), but a quick brush over with a bottle brush soon deals with any mess. The lunch box is dishwasher safe, so still easy to clean (I don't own a dishwasher, so wash everything by hand).
I think the changes to the tray design have really made this lunch box perfect! We can fit in more food, which means we're likely to use this lunch box for an extra year or two at least, but the compartmented design means that this box is still perfect for younger children too - 2 year old Small Baby loves having his lunch in this box when he gets the chance!
The Yumbox Classic v2 lunch box is available from the Eats Amazing Shop in a large range of colours, along with the Yumbox Panino too.
Hayley F says
Cheese. Oh and abit of cake x
Chi says
Little adorable beast going to nursery in a few weeks, so nervous (that will be me!). Has been looking to buy a Yumbox Classic in Orange (daddy likes orange, I like the yellow one). I have been reading Eats Amazing for few weeks now and I will copy some of Grace's lunch box (sorry for cheating :-P). I also plan to put some sushi, spring rolls, sesame toasts, which little beasty loves. Mini muffins also a good way to hide vegetables, little beasty don't like to eat veg 🙁 . Still working on how to get more vegetables in him.
Emily says
I'd pack in homemade pizza rolls for my 11 month old! Along with frozen blueberries, banana and peanut butter, veggie sticks and homemade hummus. And these work perfectly as a divider plate for little ones too!
Vicki says
As a new vegan, I'm finding it easiest to eat if I take a pack up with me everywhere - so my box would contain veggie sticks and hummus - a vegan staple, along with pomegranate seeds, rice cakes and peanut butter and some homemade energy bites.
Lisa Maguire says
We have a lot of daytrips (my toddler and me). At the moment lunch is packed in tun foil, sandwich bags etc. It would be fun to serve his lunches in a fun manner.
Laura says
I pack wraps spread with peanut butter then rolled up and sliced along with cheese, satsuma and maybe a little chocolate in the treat sections
Laura says
My daughter likes peanut butter wrap pinwheel, cheese, chopped fruit and maybe a few chocolate buttons in hers
Tracey Peach says
Lots of different foods, pasta, sandwiches, shaped eggs you name it
janet humphrey says
soda bread, marinated herrings, plum tomatoes and seafood sticks - love that style of lunchboxes in our home
iain maciver says
ham and cheese
Azlinda Muhammad says
Sandwiches, fruit salads, vegetable sticks, chocolate coated raisins, yogurts
Lorraine says
I LOVE this blog!!! So gorgeous and inspiring! Thank you!!!
Stacey says
Something filling for work, so maybe pasta salad or sushi? And i'd make sure to leave room for a treat! 🙂
Katherine says
Great blog with some great food ideas!x
Angela Kelly says
I'm trying to eat more iron-rich foods at the moment, but I'd love to eat what's on your photos. Would you make my lunches please?
Liv says
Fruit, especially yummy mango!
Katie irving says
My daughters favourites would be olives, houmous, pitta sticks some strawberries and cake
KriShnam says
Fruit, meatballs and yogurt for kids lunch!
Tasha says
I have a pink one and am dying to get another pastel or a hot bright colour
Jemma says
Jumbo cherries with little hats (picks), hummus with carrot, cucumber and breadsticks to dunk. A cheese and ham mini kebab and some yogurt with sprinkles!
rachel says
Oh we'd have mini crackers, cooked ham and cheese. strawberries and melon and a homemade mini muffin as
Diana says
I would take it everyday to work! Rolls, a simple salad, fresh fruits, almonds, and yogurt.
Sally Collingwood says
Nuts fruit and vegetables
Chelsee says
I seem to pack strawberries everyday for my 7 yo. It's definitely getting old for me, but not for her I guess. Love the strawberry snake you made in one of the photos!
Clare wood says
love the bright orange colour, so cheerful. Dd loves bento style meals so another box would be great!
Hannah says
These look so wonderful! My children can be picky but I'm sure they'd be excited to open this box for lunch!
Emma says
Tuna wrap, cheese, apples and yoghurt
Shauna Kelly says
Oooo, my little 3.5yr old man starts nursery in Sept. & I'd LOVE him to have a Yumbox. I'd add in his favourites blueberries, avocado (hope it stays green!!!), cheese, ham and corn cakes - with some yoghurt & strawberries for dessert ... and maybe a tiny Kinder square or two!!
Louise Whittaker says
Lots of variations today would have been veg pitta and humous
Tanya Camilleri says
I'd do tacos, so one bit for cheese, nachos, mince, lettuce and toms 🙂
Jane Goben says
I would love to pack lots of veggies and fruits!
lisa says
Would love this and id use the voucher to buy a second one as I've 2 girls in school this year. Id pack it with cracker, cheese, ham and lots of fruit and veg.
winnie says
sausage rolls and dried fruit
Sarah Pybus says
A selection of chicken, cheese, fruits and salad with some sneaky dark chocolate thrown in 🙂
Meg says
We'd pack cheese and veggies and a little treat!
Karen Knox says
My daughter particularly loves ham and cucumber, so I would include those x
Taz says
Oh ohhhhhhh pick me, pick me!!!! I'd put every meal in it.....whether we were going out or not!!!
Hazel Rea says
glutenfree crackers and dip, s few squares of 85% dark chocolate, cherries, walnuts.
Virginia moore says
Tomato pasta salad, Greek yoghurt and blueberries
Kate Reed says
I love how the YumBox seems to make healthy foods fun, especially with the added bonus of some cheeky bug picks or eyes sticking out of some grapes. We've found that we can transform fruit & veg into something that our little girl can't wait to get her hands on (and neither can we!!)
Michelle Banks says
cheese x and grapes x
Nicola McConnell says
I'd pack lots of nibbly bits in a yumbox like nuts and cheese.
laura banks says
lots of different sandwiches
chantelle hazelden says
lots of veggies and dips mmm
Laura Pyper says
tuna wrap,carrots,cucumber and a dip:)
Ola says
I'd make use of the sections to pack sweet potato hummus and lots of things to dip in it.
Natalie Crossan says
Ham and cheese sarnies xxx
Harley says
Cheese!!
Kate Everall says
The naughty person in me says different types of sweets from malteasers to wine gums, but the good person says lots of fruit and veg. Hmmmmm. 😉
Emma Burgess says
Definitely some cheese - love those photos of what you've put in the boxes, they make it look like a little tea party!
claire woods says
some lovely fruit
Momof2 says
Love, love, love our yumbox but could really do with another one so hoping I win an orange origional.
Paula Readings says
Fruit & treats.
Sarah Lemay says
My 2 yr old loves his yumbox! We have just started weaning baby girl, so another yumbox for her snacks and finger food would be great!
Steph says
Baby led weaning picnics for my youngest son when eating out and about at attractions this summer holidays. Cucumber, olives, Pitta, homous, the ubiquitous rice cake!
clair downham says
fresh fruit and twiglets
Tina M Holmes says
Lots of snacks for my son.
Victoria says
I would secretly love to have one of these to take my own lunch to work, but imagining my colleagues' raised eyebrows stops me! So in the absence of one for me, I would love to have one for each of my children so I could pack their favourite kind of nibbly tea - lots of lovely bits and pieces, perfect for when they've got to hang around waiting - usually for their biggest sister!
Claire Elizabeth Noke says
my little ones love carrot sticks and celery sticks, raisins, yoghurts, grapes, cucumber slicess and strawberries in their lunch boxes xx
Nicola bishop says
I'd love one of these, I'd pack lots of gluten free goodies for my son to enjoy as he's coeliac.
Linzi Kavanagh says
I'd have homemade sausage rolls, cheese and fruit kebabs and a homemade chocolate crispie cake!
Ruth Harwood says
Definitely Cake!!
Jenny says
My daughter loves 'a nibble of everything' lunches and this would be perfect for those. Her favourites are cucumber, strawberries, blueberries, chicken and crackers. She's just started school so need to think about packed lunches!
Sally says
Have been looking at Yumbox's for ages and wanting one! I'm starting to pack lunch for my youngest next month and would love to be able to pack houmous, yoghurt and dips that we haven't been able to before. I'd also put roll ups and pasta salad in it, as well as some super secret vegetable powered muffins.
Layla Thomas says
I've just found a recipe for chicken and apple meatballs that I really want to put in my son's lunch.
Anna Robinson says
I'd love to fill the Yumbox with lots of tasty veggies!
Lauren (@laurenbigeejit) says
Carrot sticks and dips!
Marcia says
Fruits, humous, pitta bread, cold meat, bread, cheese and occasional treats 🙂 Thank you for this giveaway.
Susan Lloyd says
Brie and grapes x
Lucy says
Pitta, hummus, carrots, cucumber, grapes and yoghurt. Loving the new design of the tray (and the colours!)
PetitMew says
Fruit bar, apple slices, raisins, sandwich thins with ham and strawberry yoghurt 🙂
Ella says
My older son loves his current Yumbox for preschool crammed full of blueberries, rasperries, grapes, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, cheese cubes and bits of sliced meat... oh and crackers! I can't wait to start packing up little lunch boxes for my younger son!
Rebeka Marschalko says
Wow I love this box!
Emily says
So hard to choose! I think I'd pack some carrot sticks, hummus, cheese (babybel), grapes, strawberries or watermelon, crisps or crackers, a ham wrap and maybe a sweet treat of some kind.
Cheryl Kean says
wraps, fruit , drink and a yogurt. kids school lunch
S Mills says
Lots of finger foods and humous!
Christine Caple says
Nibbles, cheese and fruit
Tiff Jordan says
Inspired by our recent holiday in France, I'd pack French bread, cheese, ham, peaches and cake.
Lizzy Cooper says
Little sandwiches and fruit
Mike Gerrie says
Vegetables and dips
janine atkin says
id put a fruit salad in it
Susan B says
I would add raw carrot sticks, raw sugar snap peas, braised artichokes, hummus, satsumas and probably a naughty piece of carrot cake.
Dami says
I'd pack a gluten and salicylate free lunch for the boy since he had to go free from since last October as they affect his behaviour. Have been following Eats amazing since then and the best ideas for lunches have come from here!
Jayne K says
Picnic food
Rachel Wise says
Carrots, cucumber, grapes, pork pies, scotch eggs - everything that I like!
Nancy Bradford says
Some ham and cheese character cutouts to make it a but fun for my daughter at lunchtime.
Gemma Holland says
Cheese, crackers, straWberries & chocolate buttons
Jason Nutt says
finger foods
Laura Pritchard says
I'd try & sneak lots of salad in for my son to eat.
Claire ward says
Tuna
Kelly Ellen Hirst says
Sushi, vegetables & chocolate!
Lindsay Taylor says
I would use the separate compartments for houmous and veg sticks and try to get a balanced meal in my lunchbox
Victoria Prince says
These are fantastic!
I'd most like to pack a variety of fruit 🙂
Patricia Fraser says
Grapes, Scotch Eggs, Cocktail Sausages, Crisps
Aaroon Milne says
Lots of variety - keep it healthy though
denise cross says
raspberries and chocolate
Keith Hunt says
Pork Pie , Berrys, Curry Eggs
Tanya says
Salad and veg and cheese and meat and pasta and potatoes and loads more
Tamsin Dean says
nibbles like crackers, grapes and the like yummy