How to Pack a Better Lunch
Wirecutter editors discuss the best lunchbox options for packing meals, emphasizing how the right container can transform random ingredients into an appealing lunch. They cover five main categories: bentos, insulated bags, salad containers, food thermoses, and provide recommendations across price points and lifestyles.
Summary
Christine Cyr-Closet hosts Gabby Gershenson, a Wirecutter kitchen editor and accomplished food writer, to explore solutions for making lunch packing more enjoyable. The conversation begins by establishing that lunch packing is a common challenge for parents and professionals, often feeling like a chore despite its importance.
Gabby explains that the physical container matters as much as the food itself—the vessel "absolutely dictates the lunch." She describes how compartmentalized bento boxes transform leftovers and small portions into appealing meals by organizing food into separate sections, making it easier to pack items you might otherwise discard.
The guide recommends specific bento options: the EcoZoi stainless steel bento (leak-proof with metal construction), the Takenaka Bento Bite Dual (aesthetically appealing with pastel colors), and Bentgo models (affordable, durable options for children). The hosts acknowledge that while bentos are appealing, they require more forethought than insulated bags.
Insulated bags represent a broader category with diverse options—from tote-style bags to small puffy boxes—all of which can accommodate cooler packs to maintain food safety for up to four hours. The FDA standard is that perishable food can sit without ice for maximum two hours at room temperature, or one hour in hot weather above 90 degrees. The Bagu Puffy Lunch Bag and Carhartt Insulated 12 can are highlighted as distinct picks for different lifestyles.
For salad enthusiasts, compartmentalized salad containers keep ingredients separate to prevent wilting. Options include the W&P bowl (simple, works for grain salads), the Bentgo salad container (multiple compartments with leak-proof dressing), and the new Swell stainless steel salad bowl (durable, fewer compartments).
Food thermoses enable hot meals without microwave access. The Zojirushi stainless steel food jar maintains scalding temperatures for hours, while the Thermo Flask offers a budget-friendly, colorful option for children with a wide mouth for easy utensil access.
For meal ideas, Gabby recommends following food experts like Molly Yeh and Allie Slagle, who create engaging lunch content on Instagram and the New York Times. She highlights creative options including hand rolls with tinned fish, date-and-nut-butter snacks with sprinkles, and leftover repurposing. She also notes that Molly Yeh includes encouraging notes in children's lunchboxes. Gabby personally relies on CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) vegetables, cottage cheese, and convenient leftovers.
About this episode
If you dread packing a lunch, your lunch box might be the problem. We explain why you may want to upgrade, and fun ways to spice up that midday meal.
Key Insights
- Gabby Gershenson found that the right lunch container can transform random leftover ingredients into an appealing meal, which she discovered while editing Wirecutter's lunchbox guide—contradicting her initial assumption that food choice was the primary factor
- Wirecutter's testing revealed that a bento box's small compartments make it easier to repurpose leftovers that might otherwise be discarded, such as half meatballs or single chicken nuggets, by making them visually appealing when compartmentalized
- The FDA establishes that perishable lunch can sit safely without an ice pack for a maximum of two hours at normal room temperature, but this decreases to one hour in temperatures above 90 degrees
- Gabby noted that insulated bags require less forethought than bentos because users can simply throw whole vegetables into them without pre-planning, which aligns with her personal lunch-packing style
- Food writers Molly Yeh and Allie Slagle demonstrate that creative lunch ideas like hand rolls with separate rice, seaweed, and tinned fish, or dates filled with nut butter dipped in sprinkles, can make packed lunches engaging and appealing to children
Topics
Transcript
If you're a parent of a teen or have teens in your life, it can be hard to figure out the right way to approach social media and technology. Ultimately, if you feel like your teens are ready, there are tools to help. Instagram teen accounts have automatic protections for what your teens see and who can contact them, plus time management tools like daily time limits and sleep mode. And Instagram will continue adding built-in safety features to help create age-appropriate experiences. Learn more about teen accounts and Instagram's ongoing work to protect teens online at Instagram.com slash teen accounts. That's Instagram.com slash teen accounts. I'm Christine Zier-Clessette, and you're listening to The Wirecutter Show. Breakfast may be the…
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