LO is starting pre-school this fall, 2 days a week. I will be packing lunch, but I believe snacks are provided. I am thinking lunch may be lots of little things (which is typically how we eat at home), so I am leaning toward bento containers, but I want something that LO can open and close fairly independently (she will be 2 years, 8 months when school starts).
So, what works for you for preschool lunch packing?
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
I use compartment bento boxes (I rotate between a few brands) and also with silicone baking cups if I need more compartments. I also pack snacks and that goes into reusable bag. She also gets a little container of fruit so that and the bento box goes into bag. Water/snacks separate.
cantaloupe / 6885 posts
Ive been using bentgo boxes for my girls nearly daily for years and they are awesome
pomegranate / 3438 posts
We use a Yumbox. I have the Panino. One section is big to hold a sandwich, but I use the silicone cupcake liners for a variety of food. It's super easy to open and it doesn't leak if I put applesauce or yogurt in one of the sections.
persimmon / 1286 posts
ikea bento box, no lunch bag (throw the whole thing right in the school fridge). they unpack/open all the kids' lunches for them (it is a difficult one to open even for me). i also send him a yogurt pouch and a drink separately to eat as a snack.
persimmon / 1367 posts
LO goes to daycare every day and her lunches vary quite a bit so I have a ton of little reuseable containers of various sizes that i put in an insulated bag with her water bottle. It's basically a DIY bento, but I like not being tied down to a certain number of compartments to fill!
Oh, and her teachers open all the containers for her.
persimmon / 1095 posts
I use this. Both my kids can open it (3 and 18 months).
I usually use just the top section for lunch, but occasionally use the top for breakfast and the bottom for lunch. Daycare provides snacks. I often put in spaghetti sauce and it never goes into the next section. If I am using the bottom, I put something messy in the Gerber bowls with a lid. I don't know if my 3 yr old can open the bowl. If I don't want items touching, then I use silicone cupcake holders as @snowjewelz: mentioned.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Classic-Cuisine-Square-Expandable-Lunch-Box-with-Dividers/46100763
persimmon / 1196 posts
Thanks for all of the suggestions (and info about teachers' willingness to open lunch containers)!
@KT326: I'll put Yumbox on the list! Is it easy to clean?
@Charm54: I had not heard of Bentgo before, but I like the look of them!
@Rocker2014: Yeah, I feel like I ultimately might end up going in this direction, but most of the containers I have for my own lunch are glass, so I need to find something lighter and less breakable for LO.
@nana87: I like that the PlanetBox is stainless! It looks like it is not leak-proof for liquids/sauces/etc, but do you find it keeps foods separate pretty effectively?
cantaloupe / 6171 posts
@lady baltimore: It definitely keeps things separate, but liquids can/do leak out. They have small containers that you can buy that fit into the compartments and keep it from leaking though! It's expensive but they hold up super well--we've had lo1's for about 3 years now and it's still in perfect condition (though we've replaced the magnets and the carrying bag)
pomegranate / 3438 posts
@lady baltimore: It's ok to clean, I don't have a dishwasher though so everything gets hand washed. The small dip section can be a pain depending on what goes in there but I just use a bottle brush to get the edges.
grape / 75 posts
We have a LunchBots bento, which is stainless steel and can go in the dishwasher top rack. It's also easy to hand wash. We got it a couple of years ago for our then 2 year old, and he has always been able to easily open it. It keeps food separate well, even things like watermelon, hummus, or guacamole. We don't usually include super liquid-y things like ketchup, but when we do we use a cupcake liner inside one of the bentos. Ours is the trio so it has three sections.
coconut / 8483 posts
Yumbox! Itβs great. My kids a snacker so I have the 6 compartment one.
I fit it inside a skip hop lunch bag with an ice pack, yogurt drink and apple sauce pouch.
persimmon / 1196 posts
@wrkbrk: LOL, I don't know - she is starting preschool, so . . . ? 
persimmon / 1233 posts
Another vote for Planetbox! We have two and they've held up for 4+ years. And they can go in the dishwasher and I'm trying to avoid putting plastic in there.
pomelo / 5220 posts
We use the Yumbox. Started when DS1 was about 2 and it's still going strong at 4. The hinge broke but they replaced it for free, no questions asked.
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