Best reusable lunch boxes

Roughly 335 million tonnes of plastic is produced worldwide every year. Half of this is used once and only about 10 per cent is recycled. China is the biggest plastic polluter but the UK is no environmental saint, producing over 170 million tonnes of waste annually, much of which is food wrapping. 

The government is now considering banning the sale of single-use plastic cutlery and plates, with Defra recently announcing a study into the “significant negative impact” such items are having on the environment. France became the first country to axe them in 2016, with the law coming into effect in 2020. 

Environmental concerns aside, there are other key reasons to invest in a good lunch box. Regularly buying lunch on the go can really eat into your bank balance. You’re limited to what the shops are selling and it can be hard to keep on top of a healthy eating regime when you aren’t sure what’s gone into your meal. 

There is an extensive range of styles available, from the traditional faff-free box with a lid, popular for a simple sandwich affair, to trendy bento boxes for those who prefer more variety. 

We considered all sorts of lunch boxes when compiling our roundup. Some come with cutlery and the majority can be popped into the dishwasher for easy cleaning. If you’re a hot lunch lover, there are insulated and microwavable options listed here.

They’re all free from BPA, a chemical used to make certain plastics that can seep into food, leading to the possible increased risk of health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease and impaired brain development in children.

Leakproof claims have been rigorously real-life tested during office commutes and beach picnics. Boxes that failed to make the cut in terms of practicality (read: they didn’t close properly and leaked all over our handbag) haven’t been featured, no matter how pretty they were.

Fortunately, we tried many well-designed products that look cool and contemporary while scoring functional points too. In fact, our brilliantly designed best buy isn’t even a box...