The Yumbox Classicis now available in the UKfrom the Eats Amazing Shop! As well as theyellow box pictured above, it is also available in several other colours, both pastels and brights, with two cute choices of tray design. We really like the Munchkin Bento Mealtime Set, which is great lunch box suitable for children of all ages. For more details you can read my Munchkin Bento Mealtime Set review. Last but not least we love our TUMTUM Bugs Ladybird Lunch bag! This insulated bag is so cute and holds bentolunch boxes in a range of sizes and shapes, including our Yumboxes and of coursethe TUMTUMlunch boxes.For more details see my TUMTUMLadybird Lunch Bag review. As well as the ladybird design, this lunch bag is also available in agorgeous bee design!

Material: A chunky plastic bento box able to withstand bumps and scrapes may be a good investment to see children through school. But if you’re saying no to plastic, then you may wish to invest in a more eco-friendly alternative, such as stainless steel or bamboo. Sistema bento-style box. It's cheap, easy to clean, and means no need for single use wrappers.” (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user LongDissidence) The third is a foil lined eco-friendly lunch bag that is made from recycled materials. I've found this to be really useful for smaller boxes such as the Sistema Split Containers, and also forthe more traditional style Japanesetiered bento boxes. Ours is space themed, but there are loads of different designs available. As you’d expect from a Sistema product, this box is robust, doesn’t leak and is 100 percent dishwasher-safe so is easy to clean too. Granted, it's not the prettiest bento box around, but if you’re looking for something reliable for the whole family and at a great price, the Sistema To Go Bento Box really can't be beaten. Silicone cups (also known as cupcake or muffin cases) are a great place to start if you are trying bento lunches for the first time. As well as the standard round ones, they come in all sorts of other shapes, sizes and colours, and are great for adding an extra splash of colour to a lunch, separate different foods and help with portion control.Taking afew extra secondsto pop yourfood into silicone cups before adding them to a lunch can make a massive difference to the way the lunch looks. You can find a large selection of silicone cups in different shapes and sizesin the Eats Amazing Shop, including some special Japanesesets that are designedespecially for bento.Some bento boxes are insulated, but many are not, although these can be transferred into an insulated lunch bag to help you keep your food warm. What material is best for bento boxes? Some of the other tools notmentioned above thatI use in my bento lunches include mini containers for carryingdips such as mayonnaise and houmous, mini bento cutleryfor foods such a salads or yoghurt, silicone dividersfor separating and decorating foodand edible marker pens. For a handycomparison chart of the finer points ofmy top12 bentolunch boxes pleasesee my Ultimate UK Lunch Box Guide.

We scoured the Mumsnet forums to find out which bento boxes our users rate highly - and which ones they weren’t impressed by. The Goodbyn Herois now available here in the UK from the Eats Amazing Shop,in a range of five bright colours! As most parents of primary-aged kids will know, Smiggle is currently the brand to beat when it comes to school essentials - and this trendy, graphic print bento lunchbox is no exception. The graphic print is striking and appealing to primary-aged children and the box slips easily into most school bags. She [my daughter] won’t forget her cool Smiggle lunchbox. Blimey though, they certainly know how to charge!” (Recommended by Mumsnet user UnitedRoad) Our verdict Cut vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces so they'll fit nicely into the compartments of your bento box.Use a variety of colours and textures in your bento to make it visually appealing as well as delicious. We use Sistema too. They wash and wear well and don't seem to taint.” (Recommended by Mumsnet user SpeedofaSloth) Our verdict Traditional Japanese bento boxes are usually eaten cold, although this is not a rule. The contents of the bento box can be cooked the night before or early in the morning, then placed in the fridge until it's time to eat. Best Bento Lunch Boxes for Kids The Sistema Salad to Go is a great little lunchbox that will hold a variety of foods. It has a removable top tray, a lidded pot suitable for liquids such as salad dressing, and even a collapsible knife and fork set that attach to the lid. Like most Sistema products, it's good quality butvery reasonably priced. It'd say that it would be a good sized lunchboxes for a range of ages.For more details see my Sistema Salad to Go review. Other lunch boxes that I am happy to recommend include more boxes from the Goodbyn range; the Portions on the Go lunch box set and the Small Meal lunch box, both of which are available in the UK from the Eats Amazing Shop. I also love the Sistema range, including the Sistema Triple Split to Go(read my review here), which is quite large and perfect for adults or older children, the Sistema LunchCube Max(read my review here), another large lunch box which is perfect for holding a sandwich and assorted sides, and the smaller Klip It Lunch Cube, which is a great budget friendly box for younger children.