Sweetgreen ain't cheap. Packing a lunch is, though.
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A lot of us have forgotten the utility of a trusty lunch box. Working at a desk in Manhattan, opening up a lunch box full of leftovers is social suicide, and I only do it when I'm waiting for payday. But at my brother's job site, I'd be the idiot if I was asking coworkers where there nearest Sweetgreen was. Point is: Plenty of people still use a lunch box, and everyone else should start using one again.
The best lunch boxes function as tiny coolers—closer to portable beach coolers, honestly. A good lunchbox will have decent insulation and a tough exterior that will hold up over a handful of years. Beyond that it's whatever fits your personal needs. Going hiking and need something to fit in a backpack? Maybe you're gone fishing and need to bring some drinks and snacks. Or are you packing to a desk job (like mine) and want a lunch box that won't clash with your briefcase or messenger bag? No matter your needs, these are the best lunch boxes money can buy.
It doesn't get better than this. For a job site, fishing trip, or day hike, nothing's as good as this insulated box from Carhartt. There's space lunch, snacks, and a couple post-work drinks. Plus, it's insulated, so ice or an ice pack won't melt over the course of a day.
For something more robust and temperature regulating, Pelican makes an amazing little personal cooler. Easy to carry and the perfect size for a couple of drinks, lunch, and a snack. The thing it has on all the other options on this list is ice retention. Like any rotomolded cooler, this thing will keep consistent temperatures for days on end.
Keep it cool! Courtesy of Hydro Flask, nonetheless, whose insulation tech is bar-none the best. It's "maximum insulation", as the brand brags. And we'll eat it up from Hydro Flask like we eat up the contents from its lunch box, chilled in two insulation layers. It's also durable, portable, and easy to clean.
When in doubt, brown-paper-bag it. Or rather, brown-waxed-canvas-bag it. This 10-liter lunch sack is good for use after use, especially since it comes with a nice tote-like handle and a shoulder strap that resolve the biggest hassle of paper-bagging-it—no comfortable means of carrying. Better yet, it's remarkably easy to clean—and waterproof—thanks to the wax finish, and will keep the content insulated for a long while.
With Yeti, you get one of the most impenetrable lunch boxes around, with intensely strong insulating layers, a leak-proof zipper, a water-resistant outer—all look sleek in its tough-as-nails form. It holds six cans, which is plenty of space for your lunch. (Get a lunch bag version of the Daytrip if you'd like.)
If you want to put your cooked food directly into a lunch box sans plastic wrap or Ziploc, a bento box is the way to go. And here's a solid, tried-and-tested bento box option with two layers, and several compartments within that you can use as bowls—all separated by lids but held together with a strap in an airtight, leakproof silicone seal. It can carry plenty of food and probably an ice pack, if you need it.
When it doubt—especially in the style front—go for Herschel, the can't-go-wrong brand for any timeless, classic accessories, like its Pop Quiz lunch box. It makes lunch time feel cooler with insulation, and look cooler with that trademark emblem. It has only one compartment within, so the freedom to arrange your food is yours.
This is your basic, budget lunch box, made by L.L.Bean. In a rugged form that can take a beating, it won't look out of place next to your briefcase in your workplace or hanging off your shoulder from the included strap. It has 6 liters of storage space, a mesh pocket within, and a storage lid that holds smaller bites or drinks.
For a most hardwearing look, Stanley's 50s'-inspired lunch box is the spartan among lunch boxes. Made in stainless steel, you might otherwise confuse it for a fishing gear case or tool box (and there's no reason it can't be used as such), but once put to duly uses, Stanley can keep your lunch—a big lunch, by the way—fully insulated, for trips down in the mine, work near a construction site, or into the wild. Just because danger roams doesn't mean you don't deserve a good lunch.
If a sack will more than do the job for your lunch, Bellroy makes a great cooler sack with a grab handle, and can be squished down for easy packing. You could even call the cooler caddy stylish—it stays to the trend of half-moon, lunar shapes in handbags. Otherwise, it's damn useful with insulation and even a built-in bottle opener, since you probably won't mind a beer for lunch at work or wherever.
This one's for those who don't want to keep their lunch box under the radar. Nothing's wrong with that. Igloo, the OG cooler brand, sells a delightfully out-there—courtesy of the logo—yet old-school option that's also crush-proof. It takes to the smaller side, only holding up to four cans, but still enough for a decent lunch.
W&P's Porter comes with a handy divider as well as a removable tray to make sure your contents won't be cross-contaminated. Then, a nice snap-strap seal will put an end to sauce leakage.
Dagne Dover is known for its Neoprene fabric that offers an awesome feel, look, and can be hand-washed. One might say it's not just lunch that can go inside, and we'll nod in unison—it's too damn good-looking. But, with some mesh slips and pockets inside, as well as the power of insulation, it's best to use the Axel as it is intended.
Unless you're a pro bodybuilder in a bulking phase, three spacious compartments and one tray in a lunch box shall satisfy all the food storage you'll need. That's what Food à Porter offers—carbs on top, protein in the middle main, and veggie at the bottom. That bold modern design with a nifty handle will then give you all the workplace compliments to match.
If you want something more femme, more fashion-y—or are buying for someone who would—Modern Picnic makes a sneaky good looking lunch bag. They're designed to look like handbags but have some decent insulation on the interior. And, they're pretty roomy.
More Styles & Sizes at Zwilling
Zwilling really made a box—no handle, no strap, just a box. It's something you'll likely put inside other means of carriage, where it'll sit safe and sound, protecting the food within in fantastic plastic. Moreover, it's light and breakproof. But to bring out the best of it, consider getting Zwilling's vacuum pump which is meant to work in tandem with the lunch box by sucking any remaining air out of the container.
Lunch never need be more complicated than a really good sandwich—and we strongly advise against putting it in a Ziploc. You're a grown ass man for crying out loud. Anyways, Onyx's stainless steel stacking boxes dedicate one layer to your sandwich, and the other to your sides.
Luke Guillory is the Associate Commerce Editor at Esquire.
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