b.box Lunch Boxes NZ: Which One Fits Your Kid
b.box has quietly become the lunchbox brand that parents recommend to each other, and the range is bigger than most people realise. There is a small snack box, a big sectioned lunch box, a stackable tub, an insulated jar for hot food, a bottle to match and a bag to carry it all in. Working out which pieces you actually need is the hard part, so here is the whole range laid out by what it is for.
Everything below just landed at Goodie Goodie, with the newest colours and character prints arriving through July and August, so it is all fresh for the new term.
Start with the snack box for little hands
The Snack Box 350ml in Lilac Pop at $19.99 is the smallest piece in the range and often the most used. Two compartments, a lid that a small child can open on their own, and a size that fits in a kindy bag without taking it over.
It is the right pick for morning tea, for kindy, and for anyone who is not yet eating a full packed lunch. There is also a Marvel Spidey version at $27.95 if a character makes the difference between eaten and not eaten.
The lunch tub for one thing at a time
The Lunch Tub 400ml in Ocean at $16.95 is the simplest thing in the range and the one that solves the most annoying problem: pasta, fruit salad, yoghurt, anything that needs its own sealed container rather than a compartment.
It also comes in a Berry colourway, and because the tubs stack, two of them handle a lunch on their own for an older kid who prefers separate containers to a sectioned box.
The large lunch box for a full school day
This is the piece most parents come looking for. The Lunch Box Large at $39.99 has the sectioned tray that keeps a sandwich away from the fruit, a leak resistant seal, and enough room for a full day at school.
Two new colourways just arrived: Night Vision and Blue Blaze, both in the darker palette that tends to survive a term looking better than the pastels.
For a smaller appetite or a shorter day, the Mini Lunchbox in Bluey at $36.95 is the same idea in a more compact footprint.
The food jar for hot lunches
Winter is where the Insulated Food Jar 335ml in Ocean Breeze at $49.99 earns its place. Pasta, soup, leftovers from last night, all still warm at lunchtime.
Two practical notes. Preheat the jar with boiling water for a few minutes before you fill it, tip that out, then add the hot food, and it will hold temperature far better. And check with the school first, since some have rules about hot food.
Bottles that match
The insulated bottles keep cold drinks cold through a whole day, which matters more than it sounds when a bottle has been in a bag since eight in the morning.
The Insulated Drink Bottle 500ml in Marvel Spidey at $54.95 is the biggest of them and the one for a full school day. The Insulated Drink Bottle 350ml in Latte at $42.99 suits younger kids and smaller bags. If you would rather see how much is left, the Tritan Drink Bottle 600ml in Bluey at $39.99 is clear, lighter and holds more, though it will not keep a drink cold the way an insulated one does.
There are more colours and characters across the bottles and cups collection.
The bag that carries it
An insulated bag is the piece people skip and then buy separately a month later. It keeps everything at temperature and stops a leak ending up in a school bag.
The Flexi Insulated Lunch Bag in Surfs Up at $39.99 folds flat when empty, which is the detail that makes it live in the bag rather than in a cupboard. The Bluey version at $45.99 is the same design for the Bluey fans.
Building a set that works
| Who it is for | What to pack |
|---|---|
| Kindy, morning tea only | Snack box plus a small bottle |
| New entrant, first year at school | Snack box plus lunch tub plus bottle plus flexi bag |
| Primary, full day | Large lunch box plus insulated bottle plus flexi bag |
| Hot lunches through winter | Food jar plus snack box plus bottle |
| Older kid who wants separate containers | Two lunch tubs plus a large bottle |
Browse the full lunch boxes and bags range, the bento boxes if you want compartments, or the lunch bags on their own.
b.box Lunch Box FAQs
Are b.box lunch boxes leak proof?
The lunch boxes and tubs are designed with leak resistant seals, which handle normal packed food well. For anything genuinely runny like soup, use the insulated food jar rather than a sectioned box.
Which b.box size suits a five year old?
A snack box plus a lunch tub usually works better than one large box for a new entrant, because it is easier to open and less overwhelming. Move to the large lunch box once they are eating a full day of food.
Can b.box lunch boxes go in the dishwasher?
Check the care label on the specific item, since it varies across the range. Hand washing the seals and lids extends their life regardless, because repeated hot cycles are what perish silicone over time.
How long does the insulated food jar keep food warm?
Long enough for a school lunch when you preheat it. Fill it with boiling water for a few minutes, tip it out, then add hot food, and it will hold heat considerably better than filling a cold jar.
Do you have b.box in store as well as online?
Yes, the range is stocked across our Auckland stores as well as online, though colours and character prints move quickly, so the website is the best guide to what is available right now.
Pack a lunch they will actually eat. See the newest arrivals in the lunch boxes and bags collection. If you are still deciding on the format, our guide to choosing a kids lunch box compares the styles, and character lunch boxes and bottles covers the Sanrio, Disney and Bluey prints.
