When did lunch boxes go soft?

By Kris

My son Ben started first grade this fall, and at $2.50 for a hot lunch, I knew he'd bring lunch most days. He needed a lunch box.

At Target, Ben found a beige one with a fluorescent yellow stripe and a star -- a soldier lunch box! With an attached water bottle! As he swung his choice through the air with glee, I glanced up and down the aisle looking for the real lunch boxes. You know, the ones made of hard plastic, not this soft stuff. I saw insulated totes, bags, boxes and backpacks featuring every licensed character and color a kid could want, but none made of hard plastic.

I hesitated. Looking at the box's supple white interior and the delicate cotton threads holding it together, I knew it wouldn't last. But I had no choice. I bought it, and so began my struggle to keep it clean.

Strategy No. 1: Surface clean only. This worked, um ... once? Even though I've asked him to, Ben will not throw his lunch leftovers away at school, or even put them in a plastic bag to protect his lunch box. Therefore, on most days, his lunch box returns home with every crevice of its interior blanketed in granola and oxidized fruit guts.

Strategy No. 2: Wash it under running water, then hang from a cabinet knob to dry overnight. This worked OK for about a month. Except that I always had a lunch box hanging off my kitchen cabinet. Then one day, I realized the thing was rotting from the inside out.

Strategy No. 3: Pretend the lunch box's threads were always black, and that it didn't smell. This didn't work, of course. The damage was done. Ben had also chewed the spout on the plastic sports bottle into a mauled mess.

Strategy No. 4: Throw it away. Go online and find a real, hard plastic lunch box. Price is no object.

In the end, I shelled out $45 at Lunchboxes.com for a plastic lunch box and a stainless steel thermos. Sure, it still comes home covered in goop, but at least I know I can wash it and dry it without staging a multi-hour process that ends with it molding anyway. Even if the Batman sticker falls off, I can stick something else on there to replace it.

This whole episode left me wondering: How are soft, insulated lunch boxes an improvement over the hard plastic ones? I'm not the paranoid type, but have retailers and lunch box makers conspired to force parents into buying several lunch boxes a year? Or do I just have a sloppy eater on my hands?

Kris Clouthier is a stay-at-home mom and freelance writer living north of Boston.

Comments

[Kimberly]

It's a conspiracy to keep getting us to buy the next soft lunch box! I hate the soft lunch box, it smells, it always covered in goo when it comes home. Give me plastic! I can buy one of those to last from grade K to 6!
Thanks for posting!

[bec]

torn with the deliema as the soft ones are much more insulating. I like planet box or the ziplock three compartment containers.

[Amy Smith]

PS: thank you for the website info...I'm about to buy 3 hard lunch boxes for my 3 BOYS no less! Wish me luck.

[Amy Smith]

Replacing hard lunch boxes with a soft lunch box is an interesting solution to a typical problem with kids (of course they will swing their lunchboxes and may even hit/hurt another child!). I doubt any child has ever been killed or maimed by a lunch box and though it definitely hurts, it also offers an opportunity to teach two very important life lessons: control yourself and never hit another living being!

[pamela broudy]

we have been using goodbyn (www.goodbyn.com) for a few months now. and its FABULOUS. sure its $30. but the whole thing goes in the dishwasher. it virtually eliminates the need for plastic bags. and my son loves it! some reviewers complained that its hard to close, but it really isnt once you get the hang of it. my nearly 4yo can open it himself

[Ara]

I think, you should switch to stainless steel container. Because it doesn't contain any lead and harmful toxic effect like plastics have. Moreover, they are reusable and durable that can last long. I've found a very beautiful lunch box tins at Happy Tiffin site (http://www.happytiffin.com) All items are ultimately well designed, beautifully function, portable, and most especially it is earth friendly. Very convenient to use, there's no spilling or leaking of food because it is integrated with lockable design/feature. For more information just visit the site.

[Betsy]

My guess is that the company Arctic Zone holds the patent for insulated lunch boxes with a plastic insert and they charge too much in royalties. They used to make a shoebox-like lunchbox out of the typical insulated foam and fabric like all the others out there, but it had a solid plastic insert that could be removed and easily washed. I've used it for my adult lunch at work for years. But I have searched everywhere for more and find none. You can easily find info on the patent that Arctic Zone holds by doing a Google search.

[Paul]

Innovative, easy to clean plastic lunchboxes:

http://www.motifive.com/

[tracey]

i live in the uk and have looked in so many shops for a plastic hard box to no avail,as said they are all soft and yes they go mouldy ,hence how i got onto this page looking on the internet for one.its not good either with the soft ones how germs are free to breed in the edges ,stitching,as no matter how well they are cleaned(i did my sons with bristle wahinn up brush)and often used sterilising solution to clean it ,it still went mouldy and had that faint aroma of unwashed.im not a clean freak parent,just busy and need the monotany of lunchbox duty to be over....5 days left to find one,but now ive read the comments i will try the sites suggested.

[richard]

I agree - if your in the UK try www.lunchboxesetc.co.uk they sell plain hard plastic (PVC free)lunchboxes in 6 colours that are made i nthe uK and not shipped half way across the world. We got a red one and a pink one and they have been great!

[John]

Metal lunchboxes were banned in the early 1970s as a result of a campaign of concerned Florida mothers. Children were using the metal lunchboxes as weapons. The state of Florida banned the sales of metal lunchboxes in 1972, and other states soon followed. Box makers switched from metal boxes to plastic boxes then to the soft-sided lunchboxes of today.

[Ashley]

I think a lot of plastic lunch boxes were pulled from shelves when they were found to contain high levels of lead.

[Kris]

I just wanted to mention that thermos.com has some cool products too. I just when there to get a replacement part, and their price on Ben's thermos was cheaper than lunchboxes.com buy $9.

[Jessica]

Wow. I guess I really lucked out! We saw the soft lunch bags this year, but right next to them were hard plastic lunchboxes, and even better, a metal one! (This was at Wal-Mart) I had a metal Annie one that I used through all of grade school, and I fully expect my little boy to be able to do the same. As far as a thermos, my mom found my brother's old He-Man one, so that's what we've used (since my boy chewed the straw right off the cup that actually came with the lunch box)

[Maddy]

I suppose using one of those brown paper bags to put inside the soft 'cool' cooler is just too stupid to mention!
Best wishes

[March]

You could try to get a bento box... these are the adaptation of the traditional japanese bento box (still very much in use) and they are great!!
I'm living in Yokohama, and I use a japanese bento box for taking my lunch to work, but for my husbadn and daughter I got a laptop bento
Highly recommended... they are worth every cent you pay for them.

http://www.laptoplunches.com/

[Robin P]

Ahhhh....the old lunch box dilemma. This is mind boggling,isn't it?
Lillianna basically gets a new one every year and I think that's how the manufacturers plan it.

This year,her new lunch box came with a water bottle.....it leaked. They ALL leak. It's only there to look trendy. A water bottle is like jewelry for a lunch box. It doesn't serve any real purpose but it looks good.

Lillianna brings home her uneaten food too. I'm not sure why she does it either and she doesn't have an explanation either.

I don't have any helpful advice for you,Kris. I just wanted you to know you're not alone!

[Monster Mama]

Here's the link about the lead btw.
http://www.cehca.org/lunchboxes.htm

[Monster Mama]

We used the soft plastic one until I saw something on the news regarding lead in the soft plastic ones.....I am just a (wee) bit paranoid! Anyway, he recieved an awesome Ramones metal lunchbox for his birthday last year(talk about the coolest kid in the Pre-k)! This year we got him a hard plastic Pokemon one-that I had to search on e-bay for! That's an awesome link btw-a must bookmark.......I am already planning on getting Lucy the Rosie the Riviter one for Pre-k, I'm jumping the gun....she's only 2 !!

[Stephanie]

I noticed that too when my daughter started preschool and needed a box to bring her snack in. None of her classmates have hard lunch boxes either.

And yes, my daughter does the same, leaving her unwrapped leftovers loose in her lunch box. At least hers only have about an hour to sit....

[Cindy]

I guess I just assumed everyone still had the hard plastic lunchboxes. We got ours at Wal-mart I believe. And he has two metal backup ones. They should be more plentiful around Christmas or Valentines, because I remember one came packed with candy inside when we bought it. Thermos's must be out, though. None came with.

[jenn]

I'm also had a problem finding a grown up lunchbox that is hard plastic. What a pain. I pack my lunch everyday, but even being nice and neat and packing things in separate plastic containers these things can only last so long.

I'm on my way to check out that sight right now. Thanks!

[Plain Jane Mom]

I throw ours in the washing machine on delicate every week (with some towels) and they last over a year -- give it a shot if you ever have to get a soft lunchbox in the future!

[Amy]

My only guess..is that kids were getting hit on the head with the plastic ones....:) Maybe?