Favorite Lunchbox with Compartments? Sick of Plastic Baggies!!!!

I dont know about an actual lunch box, but I love the square sandwich keepers from Tupperware. they fit into any lunch box that we have used over the last 4 years. They keep the sandwhich from getting squashed, and you don't have to put it in a bag first if you don't want to. Also, it is one peice so they are not losing a lid. If you are interested and need a Tupperware lady, e-mail me and I can give you a name.

http://lunchinabox.net/

The link will get you started on the Japenses art of Bento. (means box, how the Japense take their lunches.) Green and healthy. For my husband and I, I just purchased the Fit N Fresh lunch container -- area for your sandwich, entree, then a ledge for your ice pack, then two small containers on top for your yogurt, veggies, whatever. It fits perfectly in a lunch box that is currently on clearance at Land's End (in Sears) at Ross park Mall for $8.50, Fit N Fresh at Target for $8.99.

I will have to begin packing next year. I'd like to produce as little waste as possible.
I found this article on-line:

Packing school lunches day after day can be a tedious and seemingly endless chore. But with over 53 million children eating lunch in schools across the country everyday, the real burden is on the planet. In fact, the average American child produces 67 pounds of trash each year from school lunch alone! Follow these easy tips and you’ll be well on your way to having a very “green” and well–fed child.
Step 1:
The Container: Your child’s lunch bag or box can be an expression of their personality and their concern for the planet. Keep it green by using a reusable container that will last for years.

There are some great options out there that will even make kids excited to pack their own lunch. Check out Built NY’s award winning lunch tote that opens into a placemat and insulates food and drink separately. Or try Lap Top Lunches, a Bento Box style container that holds food in 5 separate compartments. Both are available at Reusable Bags, a resource for eco-friendly bags of all kinds. If you want to really show some style, try using a Furoshiki, a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that can be wrapped in many ways to hold food and drinks. Or if vintage is more your style, Pac-Man and Gremlins lunchboxes abound on eBay and at garage sales.

Step 2:
The Packaging: Packaging has become somewhat of a dirty word these days, and with good reason. In most parts of the developed world, packaging constitutes one–third of the solid waste stream. Although those little individually wrapped snack packs seem so convenient, they create mountains of waste and use up valuable resources. Try buying in bulk and put food in reusable containers. Make sure to use containers that will not leach dangerous toxins into the food. Send kids off with a refillable water bottle. Keep a few informal pieces of silverware and cloth napkins on hand to throw into the lunch box. If you must use throw away materials, wrap food in biodegradable wax paper or tin foil…but just make sure to recycle it!

Step 3:

The Food: Try to buy local, organic and sustainable food. To keep kids healthy all year long, freeze fruits and veggies in the summer.

Step 4:
The Eternal Struggle: Getting kids to eat their lunch. Probably the biggest blow to the environment is wasted food. All the energy and resources used to get food from a seed to your child’s lunch box will truly be wasted if it ends up in the trash. To get your kids to eat, encourage them to help pick out and prepare their school lunch. This is a great opportunity to talk about where the food came from and how it will make their bodies strong. Pack a little variety into their meals. And remember, presentation counts; kids often highly disapprove of different foods touching.

Here are some crowd pleasers they’re bound to like:

Cut up fruit
Rolled cold cuts or cheese
Cut up veggies with dip
Homemade popcorn
Trail mix
Dried mangos (they taste just like fruit roll–ups!)
Step 5:
Skip the School Cafeteria: Always pack a lunch to ensure your kids are getting nutritious and sustainable food.

Preparing lunch together is a great opportunity to teach your kids about their environmental impact and show them how they can make a real difference. And fortunately for us, what’s good for the planet is good for your kids, too.

Links from the article:
Built NY lunch box made of neoprene:
http://www.builtny.com/VGCMS/vg_root/site_root/showPage.p...

Bento Box:
http://www.laptoplunches.com/

Reusable bags:
http://www.reusablebags.com/

Good luck!

I totally agree with you on the baggies... I started using the wax paper ones (you can get them at the co-op, whole foods, or maybe the grocery store) or I bought a bunch of little tupperware containers. Still not as good as a lunch box, but I've not yet found one I like. Sur La Table has bento boxes, which might be something more in line with what you are looking for.

Check out new EasyLunchboxes at http://www.easylunchboxes.com. This clever solution to the lunch-packing chore is the simple two piece EasyLunchbox container: The bottom has three compartments to hold an entree or sandwich and two side dishes. The fitted lid covers all three compartments in a snap. No more mismatched plastic container pieces to keep track of or wasteful baggies. Fits perfectly inside the roomy EasyLunchbox custom carrying bag. And there is still space for a drink, ice pack and more. This is the most affordable lunch-packing solution on the market. You'll be amazed at how much faster, 'greener' and easier lunch box packing will be! FDA approved. No BPA, phthalates, lead, vinyl, or PVC. Safe for dishwasher and microwave. Visit http://www.easylunchboxes.com. Press release here: http://tinyurl.com/yjwk4c4

Updated

The simple EasyLunchbox System is a bento-style, three-compartment container with one lid, that fits perfectly into our roomy cooler bag. No BPA, phthalates, lead, vinyl, or PVC.

My EasyLunchbox System helps families quickly pack healthy lunches without wasting time, money, paper, or plastic. Sized right for kids and adults, it's great for school, work, or travel. Affordable and green.

We are proud to be a Participating Company of the Green My Lunchbox Campaign, a national campaign asking 15,000 families to pledge to pack a waste-free lunch to eliminate 1 million pounds of waste going to landfills. Please use their 10% off code - GREENIT - good through Labor Day 2010. - K. Lester, mom and CEO, www.EasyLunchboxes.com

Hi K., I bought a bunch of containers for lunches at our Walmart last July (that's when all the back to school stuff starts to come out). I got sandwich containers shaped like bread, wide mouth thermos containers for anythiing from soup to spegetto's, and small square containers for snacks. With three girls I got everything in three's and different colors and they work great...even my hubby uses them when he packs lunch for work! The only disposable stuff we still use for lunches is juice pouches (except for field trips of course!). The best time to find this stuff is in July and August of course...but keep your eyes open, you never know what you may find! Best wishes.