A good thermos can be a lifesaver when it comes to packing a healthy school lunch. Finding the right container? Not always so easy. In this post, you’ll find 5 that we and our lunch plan members love. They will help you utilize leftovers pack lunches like a pro!
We know there are lots of thermos containers out there of different materials. All the recommended thermoses are double-walled, stainless steel. While some plastic “thermoses” exists, none hold the food both warm or cold as well as stainless steel. Don’t waste your money, stainless steel is the way to go (in our humble opinion).
#1 Thermos Foogo
Features & Price
- Holds 10 ounces (a little less than a 1.5 cups) of food.
- Double wall insulation perfect for hot and cold foods.
- Keeps food hot for up to 5 hours.
- Keeps food cold for up to 7 hours.
- KID FRIENDLY. The rubberized grip on the lid makes it easier to open and rubberized bottom keeps it in place.
- Durable. It’s stainless steel, no need to say more.
- Easy to fill and eat out of and not too deep.
- Dishwasher safe.
- Some schools require solid colors (without characters) and bigger kids might want a solid container.
- $15-$18.
- Buy the Thermos Foogo here
- Personalize the Thermos Foogo with your child’s name here.
Check out our top 5 lunch boxes comparison post here.
#2 Thermos Funtainer
Features & Price
- Holds 10 ounces (a little less than a 1.5 cups) of food.
- Double wall insulation perfect for hot and cold foods.
- Keeps food hot for up to 5 hours.
- Keeps food cold for up to 7 hours.
- KID FRIENDLY & easy to open.
- Durable. It’s stainless steel, no need to say more.
- Easy to fill and eat out of and not too deep.
- Dishwasher safe.
- Comes in a couple solid colors (often sold out) and tons of licensed characters kids love.
- $15
- Buy the Thermos Funtainer here
#3 Lunchbots Insulated Container
Features & Price
- Holds 16 ounces (2 cups) of food, perfect for bigger appetites!
- Double wall insulation perfect for hot and cold foods.
- Keeps food hot for up to 5 hours.
- Keeps food cold for up to 5 hours.
- Widest opening (like a bowl) makes it easy for younger kids to get to the food, however, also harder to open for small hands with the wide grip.
- Durable. It’s stainless steel, no need to say more.
- Easy to fill and eat out of and not too deep.
- Handwash only.
- Comes in 4 colors.
- $36
- Buy the Lunchbots Insulated Container here
Check out this post to see how long it’s safe to keep food hot in a thermos
#4 Stanley Classic Food Jar
Features & Price
- Holds 17 ounces (2+ cups) of food, perfect for bigger appetites!
- Double wall insulation perfect for hot and cold foods.
- Keeps food hot for up to 12 hours.
This is the best performing container in our tests. - Keeps food cold for up to 12 hours.
- Leak proof and fully packable.
- Durable with a lifetime warranty.
- The smaller opening might be a little harder for young kids to get food out.
- Handwash only.
- Limited color selection.
- $22-$26
- Buy the Stanley Classic Food Jar here
#5 Kids Konserve Insulated Jar
Features & Price
- Holds 12 ounces (1.5 cups) of food
- Double wall insulation perfect for hot and cold foods.
- Leak proof and fully packable.
- Durable, made of stainless steel.
- The smaller opening might be a little harder for young kids to get food out.
- Handwash only.
- Limited color selection.
- $15-17
- Buy the Kids Konserve Insulated Jar here
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What is your favorite lunch bag that will accommodates these thermoses, a drink and a snack? The lunch boxes my kids have are the regular rectangle ones and they are not deep enough.
Hi Amanda, we like to use these from Easy Lunchboxes. Hope this helps!
Hi Laura,
I’m looking at the Lunchbots insulated container. Does this one have to be pre-heated with boiling water to keep food hot? Or, does it keep food hot for 5 hours without pre-heating?
Some people preheat it while others don’t. Preheating warms up the wall space (insulated air space) in a thermos but we didn’t find that it significantly held the temperature longer.
Do you have recommendations for thermos lunch containers that are more rectangular/square shape? I often pack hot sandwiches, quesadillas, and other “larger” items that have to be shoved into the round containers and then to pry them back out, they get all smooshed and my kid wont eat it.
Mina, unfortunately, I have not come across a square thermos. I wish!
Hi Laura,
I’ve been searching forever for a kids thermos that can hold warm liquids with a straw for the winter months but can’t seem to find anything. Do you have any reviews on that? TIA!
The only thermoses with a straw are drinking thermoses but thicker items like soups won’t go through the straw. If you just need something for both check one like this out.
Hi how do I keep my kids chicken nuggets from getting soggy inside one of these thermos
Thanks
Hi Christel, anything you put in a thermos that isn’t a soup or pasta or rice, for example, is going to change its texture due to the condensation that forms inside.
put a dry folded up piece of paper towel at the bottom of the container before you put in the nuggets. They don’t necessarily stay crispy, but it does help w/ the sogginess.
Great tip, Aurora!
A piece of toast/bread at the bottom will absorb the steam and reduce the sogginess.
Hi, I am looking for a way to bring warm grilled cheese sandwiches to school for my kid’s lunches. I tried stuffing them in a thermos but it’s just not the same. Any ideas?
Hi Isabelle, I made a video a while back that answers this same question. You’ll never be able to pack a hot sandwich and expect it to keep the crisp texture in a thermos or container, but here is how I do it.
My child does not like her food touching. trying to find a thermos (keep warm) container that would have two to three compartments (kind of like a bento box, but insulated). So far had no luck… Any ideas? Thank you
Unfortunately, this type of thermos does not exist. :( You could check out the Omie Box, but only one compartment is insulated.
it wouldn’t be compartments like a bento box, but perhaps the zojirishi mr. bento (or something similar) would would work? it’s an insulated food jar with individual bowls that stack inside.
I’m familiar with Zo’s storage units and they work great. However, I don’t recommend them because they don’t tend to fit standard lunch bags here in the United States.
Great round up!
I noticed on the first three you didn’t put”leak proof”. Was that an oversight on those or did they lack I’m your tests?
My little fellas get into write a I lot of messes. I have to do what I can where I can making those last two leaders for me here.
Thanks for these reviews and your reply :)
yes, completely an oversight. ALL of the thermos containers I recommend are “leak proof”. happy lunch making!
Perfect timing! I needed to research the perfect thermos to send hot food in oour kids’ lunchboxes. Now it’s done for me. Yea!
I’m so glad this helped Amy!