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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

Best Lunch Box for Keeping Food Cold

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Pack all kinds of cold lunches with the right lunch box!
Pack all kinds of cold lunches with the right lunch box!

Everybody needs a lunch box every now and again, but some of us need them on a regular basis. If you are a person that spends a lot of their leisure time outside away from civilization, or somebody who works long hours outdoors, then it makes sense for you to invest in a lunch box that holds enough food to last you several hours.

My Favorite? This lunch box at Amazon.

But size isn’t all that matters when it comes to getting a lunch box that suits your needs properly. You need one that can keep your food at a cold enough temperature so that your food doesn’t get soggy and gross when it is time for lunch.

Looking specifically for lunchboxes to hold your kids’ lunch? Look no further.

When I first started working in the construction field, I quickly realized that if I wanted to keep the money I was making during the day, then I would have to quit stopping at fast food restaurants for lunch all the time. So I got a lunch box.

Not long after that, I realized I needed a lunch box that had decent insulating capabilities. Otherwise, my food was barely even edible by lunchtime. So I set out to find something that fit my needs.

It is important to remember that just because a lunch box is pricey, doesn’t mean that it is going to be worth a darn. Today I will lay out a couple of lunch boxes that don’t break the bank but still provide enough insulation to keep your meal fresh until the afternoon.

If you want to keep your drinks cold too, you might want to invest in a tumbler as well.

ThinkFit Insulated Meal Prep Lunch Box ThinkFit Insulated Meal Prep Lunch Box with 6 Food Portion Control Containers - BPA-Free, Reusable, Microwavable, Freezer Safe - With Shaker Cup, Pill Organizer, Shoulder Strap & Storage Pocket (Blue)

The ThinkFit meal prep lunch box, with its vibrant blue color and compact design, is an all-in-one solution for busy people like me. It’s sturdy, practical, and features six portion control food containers in two sizes. Made from heavy-duty BPA-free plastic, the containers are microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe for utmost convenience. Included are a shaker cup for my protein shakes, a pill organizer for my supplements, and two large reusable ice packs to keep my food fresh.

With its double insulation, my meals maintain their temperature, whether hot or cold. It’s perfect for packing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Above all, the 100% lifetime guarantee ensures complete satisfaction. In essence, the ThinkFit meal prep lunch box is not just a lunch box, but a reliable partner for healthy and organized living.

If protein smoothies are your thing, try out these awesome blenders made just for that purpose.

Should you get this?

Are you an avid gym goer? Are you very precise with how much you eat? Do you need to make sure you have your afternoon protein shakes? If you answered yes, then you might like this lunch box.

Find this lunch box at Amazon.

Not only does it keep your food fresh throughout the day, but it also keeps your meals properly portioned. It is as easy as preparing your weekly meals, throwing them in the fridge, and then transferring them to your lunch box before work in the morning.

Hemingweigh Insulated Lunch Bag

HemingWeigh Reusable Insulated Lunch Box - Durable Lunch Bag Cooler w/Spacious Storage Compartments - Includes 3 Food Storage Containers & Ice Pack (Black)

This is another giant lunch box that can hold several portion control containers inside it. It is highly durable, has a detachable shoulder strap, and a drink cooler compartment. Included in the box are 3 storage containers and an ice pack.

See the Hemingweigh at Amazon.

The containers are BPA free and safe for all foods. The ice pack is large enough to cool the entire lunch box, and the insulation walls ensure that it stays chilled throughout the day. The travel bag is made of heavy duty material that is resistant to tears and punctures. There is enough room to fit a full day’s worth of meals inside it.

Best of all, Hemingweigh offers a 30-day money back guarantee on this product. If you aren’t satisfied with your purchase, they will pay for return shipping and give you your money back.

Should you get this box?

This lunch box isn’t just good at keeping your food and drinks cold throughout the day, but it is also excellent at keeping hot foods hot. If you put a cooked meal inside this box, you can be sure that your food will remain hot for multiple hours later.

There are moments that I wish this item were a little larger though. It doesn’t have room for much more than the containers that come with the product.

Carhartt Gear 358100B deluxe lunch cooler

Carhartt Deluxe Dual Compartment Insulated Lunch Cooler Bag, Carhartt Brown

If you are at all familiar with Carhartt, then you already know what to expect from this product. Carhartt is one of the go-to brands for men and women who work in the fields, on the farm, or at construction sites.

The Carhartt Gear lunch box is made of 100% polyester and is a dual compartment insulated lunch bag constructed with heavy duty water repellent fabric. If you work outside, this lunch box is a no-brainer for you. Just get it.

Find it at Amazon.

The insulated main compartment is made to keep your food fresh throughout the day (it’s also big enough to put a six pack in), and the other compartment is insulated separately, making this the perfect lunch box for having some hot foods with some cold foods.

Should you get it?

Like I said earlier, if you work in the fields, especially during rainy seasons, then this is your best option. The fact that it is water resistant is enough to make this awesome, but having the ability to store hot and cold foods in different insulated compartments is sufficient to make this one of the best lunch boxes out there.

Wrap-Up

Getting a lunch box that can keep your food cool, while being large enough to hold a day’s worth of food was a chore for me. I spent way too much money on lunch boxes that did nothing more than giving me the ability to carry my lunch in a sweet looking container.

Finally, I found a few that worked. If you were to ask me which is my favorite, I would go with the Carhartt, but they all work just fine.

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Kitchen Professor author
About the Author: David McLemore

David learned to cook at an early age after his mother told him that he couldn't live on pizza forever, Dave uses his modest kitchen skills to recreate sorely-missed recipes from home and to occasionally make new favorite ones from places he is visiting.

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