Bento Lunch Boxes for Kids

Spixal makes three kinds of bento box for kids. The Spixal silicone bentos seal every compartment on its own and are drop resistant. The Spixal Roundie (1180ml, 6 compartments plus a centre dip container) and the Spixal Quad (800ml, reconfigures from 4 compartments down to 1) suit snack-style lunches. The Spixal Core is a 1200ml stainless steel bento for bigger appetites. Every Spixal bento is BPA free and food safe.

Start with three decisions: the size of the meal, whether any food is runny, and whether you need to reheat it. That narrows the choice more quickly than choosing a colour first. Compare the shape of the largest section with the sandwich, wrap or leftovers you normally pack. For a child, finish with a practical lid-opening test and a check that the box fits their lunch bag with a cooling pack.

Appetite, food preferences and the school timetable are more useful than age on its own. A younger child may want several small foods, while an older child might prefer a wrap and one larger side. Ask whether recess and lunch are unpacked separately. Then choose a lid your child can manage and a layout that fits their usual food, with any fruit-break container accessible without opening the main lunch.

A bento box is a lunch box with built-in compartments, so each food has its own space. It keeps lunches fresh and separated, and makes nude food lunches easy.

For example, put a sandwich in the largest section and fruit and vegetables in the smaller ones. The compartments organise the meal, but they do not automatically seal against one another or keep it chilled. Those features depend on the model. A bento can reduce the need for separate wrapping when the food suits its layout, and it still needs to travel in an appropriately packed lunch bag.

It depends on your child. Silicone bentos and the Duo suit kids who need every section sealed. The Roundie suits grazers who love dips, the Quad suits kids who like to change their layout, and the stainless steel Core suits older kids and teens.

Picture a lunch you already make, then match the sections to it. A large sandwich needs one generous space; a snack-plate lunch needs several smaller ones. Removable dividers are useful when those lunches change during the week. Fixed, separately sealed sections are useful when wet and dry foods travel together. The best layout is the one that holds the food without squashing it or needing several extra containers tucked inside.

A bento lunch box plus the extras that go with it, such as a snack box, a reusable yoghurt pouch, a cutlery set and an insulated lunch bag. Our lunch box sets bundle a lunch bag with matching bentos so the whole kit fits together.

Start with the largest container, then allow for the smaller pieces you actually carry: a snack box, cutlery, cooling pack and perhaps a food jar. Check that the bag closes without pressing hard on the lids. Matching colours do not prove that every possible combination fits at once. If you already own a bag, compare its usable space with the dimensions of the containers before buying another full set.

The silicone bentos and the Duo seal every compartment on its own. The Core's silicone-sealed lid makes the whole box leakproof. The Roundie and Quad lids seal the whole box rather than each compartment, because their compartments can be moved around.

There are two separate questions here: can food escape into the bag, and can it move between compartments? A seal around the outside deals with the first; individual section seals deal with the second. Keep food clear of the sealing edges and close the lid fully. If a meal combines crackers with a runny dip, choose individually sealed sections or put the dip in its own closed container.

Four compartments covers most school lunches: a protein, a carb, a fruit and a veg. Little kids often do well with 3 to 5 smaller sections, while older kids may prefer fewer, bigger spaces.

More sections are not automatically better. Several little spaces can suit a child who likes to see foods separately, but a full sandwich or long wrap may need fewer, larger areas. Leave a section empty when the meal does not need it. If snack time happens well before lunch, a small separate container can be more useful than adding another compartment to the main box.

Every bento box is a lunch box, but not every lunch box is a bento. A bento has compartments built in, so you don't need extra containers or wrapping to keep foods apart.

Pack the food directly into suitable sections and send a reusable pouch or small sealed container for anything that needs its own closure. A simple lunch might be a sandwich, cut fruit and vegetables, with yoghurt in a separate pouch. Check the school's rules about packaged foods and allergens. At home, empty and wash the reusable pieces together so the next morning's lunch does not depend on finding one missing lid.

Yes. Every Spixal bento is food safe and BPA free.

BPA-free describes a material claim; it does not mean every item can be heated or washed in the same way. Use the care instructions for the exact container, including its lid, seals and removable parts. Before packing lunch, check that the closure is clean and the container is in sound condition. Choose the material around the job it needs to do, particularly if you want to reheat food at work.