Cracking The Lunchbox Code: Top 5 Ways To Pick A Healthy Lunchbox

Nutritious and delicious foods go into the box. But which lunchbox should you pick for Back to School 2015? It's hard to keep up with the news on food container safety and figure out what's good - and what's not. Here are the Top 5 factors to consider when selecting healthy and non-toxic lunchboxes for your kids.

1. What's for lunch?

Via choosingraw.com

Make a list of what foods you pack so you know what your needs are in terms of containers.

Do you generally pack a whole sandwich and two side dishes? Leftovers from the frig? Items that are non perishable? Or do you need a thermos?

2. Open Sesame?

UCSF.edu / Via etc.usf.edu

Make sure your kid can open and close their own lunchbox! This is key if you want them to eat the food that's packed for lunch.

Whether it’s a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid or a stainless steel bento, it’s a good idea for parents to practice opening and closing their new containers at home with their children.

3. Hot or Cold or Room Temp?

Simplici-Tea / Via simplici-tea.tumblr.com

Sometimes lunches contain perishable foods, such as lunch meats, so it’s important to take steps to keep the food cool to prevent spoilage or pack something like a PBJ that won’t spoil if left at room temperatures.

A thermos might be a good idea in some cases, but the food needs to fit in a round cylinder shape to make this work. Make sure what you’re packing will fit in a thermos.

If spoilage is a concern, families can pack the lunchbox the night before and chill the box with the food in it overnight in the refrigerator.

Another strategy is to pack the child’s water bottle with ice cubes and top off with water. Or do both – pack the night before and add the iced water bottle. (NOTE: Do not freeze steel or glass water bottles because water expands when it turns to ice and it will crack the bottles.)

4. Watch Out for BPA and Other Toxins

ECOlunchbox / Via ecolunchboxes.com

When shopping for plastic containers to use as sandwich boxes or snack containers, pick a container made out of non-toxic materials like stainless steel, glass, wood or bamboo. If you want to use plastic, check to make sure it's "BPA-free” and “Phthalate-free."

Sticking with natural materials like steel lunchboxes, glass bottles (if the school allows glass on campus) and bamboo or wooden utensils is a safer bet.

5. Spick and Span

ECOlunchbox / Via ecolunchboxes.com

Ideally, your lunch and snack containers should be healthy for people and the planet. That means waste-free so you don't muck up the environment. And easy to clean at home - ideally dishwasher safe.

Generally plastics are not recommended for the dishwasher because the high temperature breaks down plastics and makes them more prone to leaching toxins.

Additionally, food containers and water bottles with painted designs may look cute but paint often chips and flakes when washed in the dishwasher. Flaky paint at lunchtime is not a healthy mix.