Best bento boxes to take out for delicious lunches
In need of some packed lunch inspiration? If you’re headed back into work or school, bento boxes make packing a filling lunch easy. These Japanese-inspired lunchboxes are separated into compartments, making sure your snacks stay separate. They’re a lot less bulky than individual bags and boxes, too.
We’ve picked out some of our favourite bento boxes available for delivery in the UK. They’re versatile enough to work for kids and adults, in a variety of designs and colours. Most are easy to clean and some are even microwaveable. Some of our choices even come with cutlery.
Looking to fill up your bento box with a hearty packed lunch? Discover our top 50 easy lunch ideas for the ultimate inspiration, or fill up on nutritious picks with our healthy lunch ideas for work. See our lunchbox recipes for wraps, salads and sandwiches. If you’re looking to stay traditional with bento box ideas, see our Japanese-inspired recipes for dishes like miso ramen, okonomiyaki and sushi.
For more like this, head to our reviews section for over 400 reviews and gift guides, including round-ups of the best lunch boxes, best water bottles and best picnic rucksacks for transporting your carefully packed feast in summer.
Best bento boxes to buy at a glance
Best blow-out bento box: Black + Blum stainless steel bento box, £38.95
Best versatile bento box: Mepal bento lunch box, £19.99
Best colourful bento box: Munchkin kids’ bento box, £22.99
Best budget bento box: Sistema to go bento box, £9
Best bento box for personalisation: Jungley personalised bento box, £17.40
Best eco-friendly bento box: Mochi Mart eco-friendly bento box, £19.95
Best for big lunches: Monbento original bento box, £37.90
Best accessorised bento box: Umami premium bento box, £20.99
Best kid’s bento box: Bibury bento box, £7.99
Best bento boxes to buy 2024
Black + Blum bento box
Available from The Green Welly Shop (£38)
Best blow-out bento box
Pros:
Leakproof
Dishwasher safe (excluding lids)
Sliding divider
Concealed fork
Cons:
Expensive
Stainless steel is a lightweight and durable choice for lunch on the go that’s dishwasher-safe and plastic-free. This box’s first airtight (and leakproof) lid doubles as a chopping board there’s a hidden cutlery compartment beneath it. We love the adaptability of the movable stainless steel divider inside the second box, perfect for different dishes. If you don’t need both compartments, just leave one at home as its elasticated strap will do the same job at keeping everything together.
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Mepal bento lunch box
Available from John Lewis (£19.99)
Best versatile bento box
Pros:
Microwave safe
Dishwasher safe
Cons:
Not the best option if you’re looking for a compact bento box
In pretty sage green, this versatile bento box has plenty of compartments to keep food separate and use for a variety of lunches. There’s a small box with separate lid, plus two removable compartments to keep elements apart so they don’t go soggy or get squashed together. The whole box is microwave safe for hot lunches and dishwasher safe for easy clean up.
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Sistema to go bento lunch box
Available from Argos (£9)
Best budget bento box
Pros:
Great value for money
Leakproof
Extra screw-top container
Customisable with removable compartments
BPA-free
Cons:
None!
For a simple option, this Sistema bento box is a wallet-friendly, practical choice. It has an easy locking clip to secure the box closed and inside are several removable compartments that would be easily customisable to suit your lunch needs. This box is also notable for it’s lidded yogurt pot included, great for breakfasts too. Four colours are available, although Argos does not give the option to choose which you’ll receive when ordering.
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Munchkin kids bento box
Available from John Lewis (£22.99)
Best colourful bento box
Pros:
Toddler-friendly utensils included
Handle for easy carrying
Five internal compartments
BPA-free
Cons:
Several colourways are available but it’s not possible to pick which you’d like
Brighten up lunchtimes with this rainbow bento box, ideal for packing kids lunches. Inside are five compartments that are perfect for smaller amounts of food, plus stainless steel toddler-friendly utensils that fix into the inside lid. The box has a handle for easy carrying on the way to school, plus is all dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning at the end of the day.
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Jungley personalised bento box
Available from Not on the High Street (£17.40)
Best bento box for personalisation
Pros:
Personalise the elastic strap
Adjustable compartment slider
Five colourways
Two in one fork provided
Cons:
The fork slides beneath the elastic but isn’t secured to the box
Make sure your lunch is always safe in the office fridge with this simple, minimalist bento box. You can add a name or initials (up to 12 characters) along the fabric strap that holds the box and included cutlery (a three-in-one knife, fork and spoon) together. The box has an airtight seal to keep food fresh and removable divider inside to create two separate sections. Five neutral colourways are available, including black, blue and grey.
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Mochi Mart eco-friendly bento box
Available from Not on the High Street (£19.95)
Best eco-friendly bento box
Pros:
Compostable wheat-straw alternative to plastic
Microwave and dishwasher safe
Flexible catch-lock for leakproof closing
Fork and spoon included
Cons:
Don’t expose to high-temperatures during dishwashing
If you’re concerned about bento boxes being full of plastic, opt for this sustainable option made from wheat straw, a low-impact and compostable alternative to plastic. The box has three layers and a movable divider to keep all your elements separate (or remove the dividers and layers to use the 900ml capacity in its entirety), plus a wooden fork and spoon. The set is available in three pastel colours and is dishwasher- and microwave-safe.
Available from:
Not on the High Street (£19.95)
Monbento original bento box
Available from Monbento (£37.90)
Best for big lunches
Pros:
BPA-free
Airtight and leakproof
Microwave and dishwasher safe
Cons:
Investment price
Monbento specialises in sturdy, well-made bento boxes, so this investment is sure to last a lifetime. We love the original line, available in a wide range of colours and styles. It’s BPA free, made with high-quality PBT and completely airtight due to an internal lid fitted with a hinge. The two tiers are open compartments, better suited for large adult-sized portions. It’s microwave safe, dishwasher safe and fully recyclable, too.
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Umami premium bento box
Available from Amazon (£20.99)
Best accessorised bento box
Pros:
Cutlery included
Dishwasher safe
Leakproof
Two screw-jars included
BPA-free
Cons:
Standard sandwich won’t fit in medium, only large or XL
Looking to go all out on a deluxe bento box? This gorgeous option from Umami comes with all the bells and whistles. The two-tiered box comes with clever adjustable dividers to fit whatever you happen to pack that day, plus it comes with a screw-cap jar for sauces and sides. A full cutlery set is included, all of which lock into place. The sleek, black box is topped off with a natural bamboo lid for a stylish finish.
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Bibury bento box
Available from Amazon (£9.99)
Best kid’s bento box
Pros:
Microwave and dishwasher safe
Cutlery included
Removable inner tray with compartments
Cons:
Not suitable for soups
Kids are sure to love this colourful bento box from Bibury. This one is unique in that the inner tray can be removed and cleaned separately, or used to mix the components of your lunch together. Cutlery is included in the lid, plus it’s microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe. This durable lunchbox is made from food-grade PP material, BPA-free and it’s non-toxic.
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