Make Bringing Your Lunch Great Again

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Do you either Uber Eats or go out every day for lunch? Maybe you think bringing lunch equals a tuna sandwich and some grapes, maybe a cookie. Now that it’s September and we are all thinking back to school lunches for our kids, we need to take a look at what WE do for lunch.

Even if you can bring lunch from home 2 or 3 days a week, think of the money you will save. Put that money in a trip jar and reward yourself at the end of the year with a little holiday. Not to mention improving your diet, eating delicious food you make yourself and use up leftovers that might end up in the garbage. If you read my freezer organization tips you will be able to make a bin for single serving lunch treats.

For Hot Lunches

I bought this Zojirushi insulated bento thermos for my kid when he started middle school. It’s an investment but it is a godsend and it’s still going strong more than 10 years later. It’s so much nicer to have a hot lunch on cold winter days. Just heat up leftovers and enjoy hot rice with stews, chili, soups and pasta. If you really think ahead, you can freeze leftovers in one-portion bags and take one out the night before. I freeze rice in one-cup portions as well for this very purpose.

This thing keeps food piping hot (I never use it for cold food but it will do that too), it is durable and their customer service is amazing if you ever need any replacement parts. I like soup most days so I really do use all three containers in the bento. You can also put pasta sauce in the soup container, hot pasta tossed in a bit of olive oil in the large and mix them together at mealtime. The coolest part about this thing is that the lid of the middle container is insulated so that it creates a heat barrier, keeping the lower two nice and hot while the top container stays closer to room temp so I can put cut-up bread, pita, raw veggies, dessert or even a bit of salad in the top one and it won’t wilt or get weird. Oh, and it comes with a spork (HOW MUCH DO I LOVE THAT WORD??) and a set of chopsticks in a case.

Insulated Lunch Bags

Are lunch bags more your thing? A regular insulated lunch bag is perfect for days when it’s a sandwich, sushi, or other cold lunches. You can get a good bag from The Gap, Old Navy, Loblaws, Canadian Tire or any department store.

This Yeti Daytrip Packable Lunch Bag is a splurge at $100 but it will pay for itself in a couple of months if it means you order food in less often.

Bentos

If that’s not your jam, treat yourself to a pretty bento box like this BentoHeaven Premium Bento Box. It comes in different colours so it’s pretty to look at too. These are perfect for taking pasta salads, rice with salmon or chicken – things that need a little more space. If you have access to a fridge and a microwave, you are all set.

A freely adjustable divider, sauce container, chopsticks, fork, knife & spoon and a sealing strap are all included. Keep your lunch box containers safe with our handy insulated lunch bag that you can buy separately. It has a silicone seal so it won’t leak and this BPS- and BPA-free bento box is completely food-safe and can be put in the dishwasher, freezer, or microwave.

This Bentago is more affordable option and still delivers quality. It all comes down to aesthetics and price.

Bentago has a wide variety of bento style lunch storage, so look around. Their stackable container with a salad bowl is great for people who eat a ton of salads.