Packing your lunch is undoubtedly a more sustainable practice than eating at a restaurant every day or buying a packaged lunch. However, the old-fashioned plastic lunch box you might remember from your childhood isn’t the most eco-friendly vessel for your afternoon meal.
In much the same way that water bottle manufacturers have championed sustainability, many modern vendors offer eco-friendly lunch boxes. You can enjoy lots of life from them and use them proudly knowing that lunch habits aren’t damaging the environment.
All of the sustainable and eco-friendly lunch boxes on our list can be used at work or in everyday life. However, some are more lightweight and robust than others making them top choices for hiking and camping. Opt for a beeswax wrap for the most hiker friendly option (ideal for sandwich lovers!), or choose a full set of lightweight and packable biobased plastic containers for varied and versatile lunch feasts.
10 sustainable and eco-friendly lunch boxes
Light My Fire MealKit BIO 8-Piece Mess Kit
It might seem like more than you need for a day in the hills, but the Light My Fire Mess Kit contains eight distinct and lightweight pieces that pack neatly into a single container. This allows you to keep different lunch dishes from mixing with one another, letting you pair those tasty leftovers without making a mess. It even includes a sustainably-sourced spork. It may be one of the more whimsical sustainable lunch box solutions on our list, but it’s also a practical and affordable solution with plenty of storage options for when you’re at camp. Plus, it’s made from Biobased plastics that are 100% BPA-free, making it one of the most eco-friendly lunch box options on our list.
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Light My Fire | Amazon | REI
PlanetBox Rover Stainless Steel Lunchbox
Paying nearly $80 for a lunch box might seem steep, but the Planetbox Rover contends that when you’ve only got to spend it once, $80 buys the most comprehensive, easy-to-live-with lunch container on the market. This sustainable steel lunch box is built using extremely high-quality food-grade steel and features internal dividers to keep your food items neatly in place. It also boasts a handy carrying bag to help you tote your lunch and other important items (like a water bottle) to your next lunchtime picnic. A space explorer theme will resonate with kids or adults with a sense of imagination.
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Amazon
Mira Set of 3 Lunch Box Food Containers
These neat cylindrical stainless steel lunch box containers stack like Russian nesting dolls, but with the added benefit of storing your meal in a sustainable, eco-friendly package. Three different sizes of containers allow you to select the right piece for your lunch and rotate through the group. Or bring multiple containers to separate various food items. You can protect your rations, whether you’re on the trail or in the office, and they double as superb storage pots in your camp kitchen. The containers’ durable, sustainably-sourced tops come in different colours and they’re available at an affordable price so you can stock up.
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Amazon
ReVessel Adventure Kit
This high-tech metal lunch box looks like it’s from the future. And with Climate Neutral status the company has eco-credentials that are just as progressive. It uses an eco-friendly bamboo lid that doubles as a very handy chopping board – perfect for on the trail food prep. Plus, the 304 stainless steel construction of the main box will last you a lifetime. Silicone seals make it leakproof, and it’s also safe to place in the freezer or the oven, for storing or cooking. At roughly 10 inches long, the Adventure Kit can hold just about any lunch item you’d want to carry. It also includes moveable dividers to help you sort your food items out. You’ll keep them from co-mingling while you toil away through the workday or backpack through the wilderness.
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reVessel
ECOlunchbox Three-In-One Classic Lunch Box
ECOlunchbox uses the tried-and-true Bento box model for its sustainable lunch box entry. Made entirely of food-grade 201 stainless steel, the Ecolunchbox sits right in the middle of the pack with a price of about $35, and it offers lunch eaters a three-piece solution to sustainable food storage. The box features a bottom and top section as well as a snack container. The three compartments total 31oz. of capacity and are kept neat and organized using a folding side-clasp system that’s quite elegant in its simplicity.
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Amazon
Eco-Life Bento Box
For another take on the Bento box layout, check out the Eco-Life sustainable lunch box. It’s made using wheat fiber, which gives it a unique pattern and appearance that we think of as a “sustainable style.” Internal dividers break the box’s 100+ oz. volume up into five different compartments. It’s a great, sustainable solution for adults or bigger eaters, who want to have plenty of room for delicious home-cooked meals and leftovers in an eco-friendly package. It also includes a fork and knife made from the same wheat fiber material, for a highly convenient wilderness picnic set up.
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Amazon
YUMUO Bamboo Lid Lunch Box Set
Simpler is often better, and that’s as true in plastic-free lunch boxes as with anything. These YUMOU glass containers feature beautiful bamboo lids that snap into place to ensure your lunch remains where you put it before leaving the house. They’re available in three different sizes ranging from 11 to 30.4 oz. Each size is constructed of eco-friendly borosilicate glass that’s tough enough to handle a visit to the microwave or the freezer. You can use them for lunch, or just as pleasant-looking storage containers at camp or at home. Sounds like a good solution to us!
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Amazon
Bee’s Wrap Lunch Pack
For lightweight hikers and backpackers, lunch wraps are an absolute must. They are THE best eco-friendly food storage solution when weight and space really matter. This pack of three wraps are created using organically grown cotton, beeswax and tree resins; all sustainable and natural materials. They’re ideal for wrapping sandwiches, rolls, wraps and other yummy trail snacks. But the best part is that when your lunch wraps have reached the end of their life, they are safe to throw away because they will naturally biodegrade. The wax can also be renewed before this point, to prolong their life further.
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Amazon | REI
MadeReusable Waxed Canvas Lunch Bag
Another sustainable plastic-free lunch storage option bag is this waxed canvas bag from MadeReusable. Constructed using heavy-duty 16oz. waxed canvas, each bag features a tie and straps to keep your lunch in the bag and traveling with you. The burly materials come clean easily — just use a wet rag to wipe grime or stains off your waxed canvas bag and it’s ready for the next assignment. These stylish and resilient bags lightweight and packable, making them a great choice for camping, hiking or just-for-fun picnics. Plus, MadeReusable donates 1% of all their sales to efforts to preserve the ocean.
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Amazon
Dakine Party Break 7L Cooler Bag
When you need to transport some frosty beverages or a chilled salad and fresh fruit to your summer picnic, the Dakine Party Break offers a sustainable package to do so. It’s made using recycled materials and has room for six 12oz. cans inside. The zip up lunch bag features a fun print in neutral colors, a shoulder strap and a carry handle, and is sure to bring some pizazz to whatever party you’re packing the refreshments for.
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Amazon | REI
These sustainable containers make it quick and easy to pack your lunch in and out. They provide one of the simplest and most effective ways we can imagine to reduce waste. Choose from our value-oriented options or convert your entire household to sustainable storage. You might have reason to buy more than just one of these once you discover how simple life is using sustainable lunch boxes and storage containers.
