Embrace the packed-lunch lifestyle with these insulated bags
A good-quality lunch bag is a great investment, especially if it can keep cold and hot food at the ideal temperature for the ideal amount of time. This type of lunch bag expands our options for eating at work or feeding the kids something different and exciting on the go.
However, it can be hard to pick a lunchbox or bag that will stand the test of time, given transporting food can be a messy ordeal.
Whether it's daily use or something to take along to a picnic or a barbeque, we've put together our favourite options for a number of occasions.
What to look for in a lunch bag
A reliable lunch bag is important due to its reusability, which helps us avoid using plastic containers or buying Tupperware we know will end up in landfill. For that reason, our top lunch bag picks are really durable. They also offer excellent insulation, are leak-proof and water-resistant, and are also usually quite easy to clean.
Across this criteria, we found a range of great colour, size, and design options – so scroll on for our best picks from across the internet.
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
Best overall lunch bag
Mziart Insulated Lunch Bag
Dimensions: 23cm x 15cm x 25cm
What makes it the best: This lunch bag has almost everything we're looking for. It has decent capacity, a leakproof design and proper insulation. It comes in five colours, and is very affordable, coming in at just $17.10.
This lightweight lunch bag is our favourite pick. While it's compact enough to carry around, it also has decent capacity if you need to fit a day's worth of food inside. It has an Oxford cloth exterior and non-toxic aluminium for insulating the inside, two durable fabrics for long-lasting use. Featuring a streamlined design, it has a twin-strap handle and a pocket at the back for extra essentials. While carrying a lunchbox always looks a little dorky, we believe this is one of the most stylish.
Best lunch bag for capacity
10-Litre Insulated Reusable Lunch Bag
Dimensions: 26cm х 18cm х 22 cm
What makes it the best: This mighty lunch bag can hold up to 10 litres or 10kg.
Designed for big eaters, or for adventurous days out where you'll need a lot of snacks, this lunch bag can fit a heap of food inside it easily. Reviewers have shared how it fits up to three takeout containers stacked vertically, which is plenty of space for any lunch bag. It also has elasticated pockets to the side for transporting water bottles, and a strap, so you can stay hands-free as you tote it around. Its interior lining is easy to wipe down in case of spills, while its built-in aluminium will keep food warm in the winter or cool in the summer.
Best lunch bag for a picnic
TYB Soft Cooler Bag
Dimensions: 24cm x 15cm x 20 cm
What makes it the best: This lunch bag weighs just 250 grams, making it light to carry once it's been emptied out.
While capacity is important at a picnic, we're thinking about the inevitable pack-up and transportation of everything back home. This lunch bag is ultra-lightweight and collapsible, so it can easily slide into a bigger bag, basket, or Esky once you've emptied the contents. It also has a really sweet tropical print, so you'll be able to identify it immediately when it comes to reclaiming your things at the end of the picnic.
While it makes a great picnic bag, it also has all the trimmings of an excellent lunch bag. With twin handles that are big enough to sit comfortably on the shoulder and effective foam insulation, this is another strong option for work.
Best novelty lunch bag
Insulated Video Game Lunch Bag
Dimensions: 24cm x 6.5cm x 21cm
What makes it the best: This design is unmatched when it comes to novelty lunchboxes. Gamer kids will adore it!
With a woven cotton exterior that celebrates a number of gaming elements, this lunchbox looks great while it keeps food organised and temperature-controlled. Featuring a thick aluminium foil interior for effective insulation, it's also leak-resistant and waterproof. It also only weighs 176 grams, meaning it'll feel really light in their schoolbag once they've eaten all the contents.
Best lunch bag for liquids
Insulated Soft Tote Cooler Bag
Dimensions: 23cm x 22cm x 3cm
What makes it the best: While most of these lunchboxes are leak-proof, we've noticed this one is especially strong when it comes to liquid resistance.
Advertised as fitting up to two Tupperware containers or 'multiple baby feeding bottles', this leak-proof lunch bag is a stand out for new mums especially.
"I purchased this to pack baby's bottles and food to take out and it is perfect," one reviewer shared on Amazon. "Very good quality."
Beyond that specific feature, it also has an Oxford cloth exterior that's quick to wipe down, while its dark colour won't leave evidence of any messy eating. We also love its rounded design, which resembles a little purse.
Best lunch bag for the kids
VASCHY Dinosaur Kids Lunch Box Bag
Dimensions: 23.5cm x 17.5cm x 16.5cm
What makes it the best: This lunch bag has two completely separate compartments, which means you can keep food cold and hot simultaneously if need be. This gives the kids greater variety when it comes to their school lunches.
This dinosaur-themed lunchbox has everything the little ones might need for great school snacking. Insulated with water-resistant polyester, it can keep things chilled for 3-4 hours, or 5-6 if you throw in an ice pack. The cubic compartment is designed for bento-style boxes, while the top can be used to fit fruit or snacks, or any food that needs to be kept hot instead. While it will fit in a school bag, it also has a detachable strap for easy carrying.
Best Bento box combo
Haberiya Bento Lunch Box
Dimensions: 23cm x 15cm x 12 cm
What makes it the best: Bento boxes are great for keeping various foods separated with their various compartments, but they often don't have the same level of insulation as a lunch bag. This purchase allows you to have both.
This option from Haberiya does it all, with a bento box and an insulated lunch bag included. The box has a 1600ml capacity and is double-decked for extra storage. It also has a cutlery compartment and a 'dedicated seasoning container' for holding sauces, making for an even neater eating experience. The bag has an internal sealing ring to prevent air and moisture from getting into where the food is stored and features a snap closure for peace of mind. It also works as an extra layer of protection from any unexpected spills. Best of all, it's just $23.99 for the entire package.
Best eco-friendly lunch bag
Pelli Bags 'Chill Homie' Large Waxed Canvas Cooler Bag
Dimensions: 40cm x 20cm x 36cm
What makes it the best: So many of the features included in this bag make it a really eco-friendly option. It has a compostable exterior made from jute, and a recyclable inner lining, which is made from PE insulation and aluminium.
While these materials are earth-friendly, there's so much more to the 'Chill Homie' bag. Standing at 40cm high, it's a perfect bag for a picnic or a festival when you're toting drinks along. It also looks great, with the waxy exterior giving it a particularly unusual outlook. Pelli Bags also has a partnership with Ocean Crusaders, meaning each of their products sold contributes to their effort to help clean up ocean waste, so you can feel great about buying this useful and chic bag.
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