I get it, not everyone is a fan of the bento lunchbox. Or you might find some instances where it doesn’t make sense to carry a lunchbox. For example:

• You just started weaning and your baby is eating mainly puree foods.
• You are packing a lunch for something other than school or work and would like to take just a sandwich, or a small snack or a fruit.
• You need the container to fit in a small bag and don’t feel a lunchbox is suitable.
• You want to pack a smoothie or yoghurt but think it might get a little messy in the lunchbox.
• You want the food to remain warm
• You want a container but it doesn’t have to be divided

I totally understand that you or your child might not want to carry a lunchbox everywhere, for example my daughter likes to take a snack with her to drama evening lessons. There is also the question of yoghurt and smoothies. Although some lunchboxes are leakproof and allow you to store these, there are more interesting and mess-free options. So here are some alternatives:

Food pouches

These pouches can be filled with your own home-made baby purees, smoothies, yogurts, or baby food and used over and over again.  Feed your kids exactly what you want them to eat in a convenient, mess free and fun way.

The Nom-nom Kids pouches are easily filled and easy to clean using the unique double zip lock side opening. Perfect for weaning babies as well as packed lunches for nursery, kindergarten and schools. The pouches come in packs of 4 and are currently available in 2 sizes:

• Animal pouches which are 140ml
• Wave pouches which are 250ml

 

Another brand of pouches is the Squeasy Snacker which is made of silicone and is in the shape of a small bottle. It has a removable valve in the cap to control the flow in case the smoothie or yoghurt drink is very runny. Available in several colours, it is easy to fill and clean and is dishwasher safe.

Reusable Snack bags and Sandwich bags

The snack bags are ideal for small snacks and food portions such as a muffin, some crackers or trail mix, cereal bars etc. Reusable pouches & snack bags are a cost effective and eco-friendly way to feed your little ones healthy snacks.
The snack bags come in various sizes:

• kids small snack bags
• kids large sandwich bags 
• wave design small snack bags
• wave design large sandwich bags

 

 All Non Nom Kids items are also free from BPA, PVC and Phthalate and they are freezer and dishwasher safe.

Insulated Food Jars

If your kids prefer a warm lunch for school, especially if you want to pack leftovers, then an insulated food jar in the perfect choice. Check out our b.box insulated food jar here. It comes with a spork utensil that tucks away into the custom bumper. Easy grip handles give kids leverage to open the jar easily, encouraging independence. Removabel arms and bumper ensure the food ar can be tailored for older kids too. It has a unique stop feature which stops parents from over-tightening the lid. When using to keep food warm, for best performance fill the base with hot water for a few minutes to warm it before pouring the water out and filling with delicious hot food. For more info and ideas on using an insualted food jar, check out this other blog post. 

 

If 355ml is too much for your baby or toddler, or perhaps your older child needs to pack just a yoghurt or oats, check out the bbox Mini food jars

Single Section Lunchboxes

The Lekkabox Safe is a 1 litre lunchbox without dividers. It is ideal for salads, pasta, rice, large bread rolls or any packed lunch that doesn't require separate sections. A silicone seal in the lid and a safe clip lock ensures that no food falls out our the box