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Best lunch bag

Which lunch bag is best?

Are you wasting time going to restaurants on your break? Lunch bags can help without the bulk or heft common with lunch boxes. Lunch bags come in a variety of sizes and styles and a plethora of special features, both external and internal. They can be funky, cool, classy or just plain convenient when it comes to getting to your grub. If you’re looking for a great lunch bag that does it all, check out the MIER Adult Lunch Box Insulated Lunch Bag.

What to know before you buy a lunch bag

When choosing a lunch bag, how and where you will be enjoying the food you pack will be the biggest factor you’ll need to consider. A lunch bag suited for a picnic after a 4-hour hike might look a little out of place in the office. The weather and duration you intend to be out and about with your lunch bag may warrant heavier insulation or extra cooling features like ice packs

Size

Are you packing one meal and a snack or two meals in your lunch bag? Will you need to store your lunch in a cramped office fridge? If you’re going on a picnic with the whole family, one large and easy-to-carry lunch bag that can carry food for everyone could help simplify your day out. 

Sturdiness

Will your lunch bag be lovingly carried from your home to the office each day, or will it be bounced, kicked and thrown around by excited children on the way to and from school? Whatever the reason, some of us may need a little extra protection for the tasty morsels inside. Structured lunch bags that have stiffer sides will help your food survive its journey to the lunch table. Softer, collapsible bags may be easier to store and fit into tight places, but you will need to handle them with more care. 

How much you can expect to spend on a lunch bag

You will find that there is a wide array of quality lunch bags anywhere from $15-75.

Lunch bag FAQ

Do you have to keep food refrigerated if it’s in a lunch bag? 

A. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your lunch bag isn’t out of refrigeration for more than two hours, even if it’s insulated. If there is no way to put your lunch bag in a refrigerator, you can create your refrigeration with an ice pack. Some lunch bags even have a built-in pocket specifically for ice packs.

Will an insulated lunch bag also keep food warm?

A. Insulation isn’t picky. It will help keep your food closer to the temperature when you packed it than if you used a regular bag, but duration and storage may affect your food's warmth. 

What’s the best lunch bag to buy?

Top lunch bag

MIER Adult Lunch Box Insulated Lunch Bag Large Cooler Tote Bag

What you need to know: This spacious and well-insulated lunch bag is a user favorite.

What you’ll love: Users praise this bag for keeping ice frozen all day, even in hot weather. There are two sizes from which to choose. Both have two spacious storage compartments and two side pockets, giving either size plenty of room to pack food for all-day excursions.

What you should consider: At either size, this lunch bag is still quite big and might be hard to store in tightly packed refrigerators. 

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon 

Top lunch bag for the money

Rubbermaid LunchBlox Lunch Bag

What you need to know: This lightweight lunch bag fits compactly into your day while still keeping your food insulated.

What you’ll love: The innovative upright design allows food containers to be stacked upright, allowing for more storage inside of the lunch bag as well as of the lunch bag itself. A handy side pocket allows for easy storage of any drink you want to accompany with your lunch.

What you should consider: Some users reported issues with the handle detaching over time.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Worth checking out

 

OUTXE Cooler Backpack 22L Insulated Cooler Bag for 14-Inch Laptop Lunch Backpack

What you need to know: If you want to minimize the baggage you’re carrying around on any given day, you can now combine your lunch bag and backpack into one.

What you’ll love: This backpack can fit a 14-inch laptop into a special compartment shielded from the insulated food compartment with leak-proof PVA. The exterior of this pack is also covered in rainproof nylon, keeping all contents dry and safe.

What you should consider: This backpack has been reported by reviewers to be smaller than initially expected.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

 

Bentgo Kids Prints Lunch Bag

What you need to know: This sturdy and fun lunch bag is perfect for keeping lunch fresh through the school day.

What you’ll love: The double insulation this lunch bag offers is perfect for keeping food cool while stored in cubbies or lockers. Interior pockets allow for easy storage of ice packs and utensils, while the shoulder strap keeps hands free while going to and from school.  

What you should consider: Although you can use the plastic Bentgo Fresh lunch compartments, one is not included with purchase.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

 

 

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Sophia Jurgens writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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