A good thermos can be a lifesaver when it comes to packing a healthy school lunch. Finding the right container? Not so easy.
In this post, you’ll find 5 thermos containers that will help you utilize leftovers and 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” exist, 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 the 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 of solid colors (often sold out) and tons of licensed characters kids love.
- $15
- Buy the Thermos Funtainer here
#3 Lunchbots Insulated Container
Features & Price
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.
- The 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.
- Leakproof 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.
- Leakproof 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
BONUS Edition! Minimal Food Jar V2
- Hold up to 17 ounces (2 cups) of food.
- Lightweight design, made with 18/8 stainless steel. High durable.
- KID-FRIENDLY
- Wide opening, foldable stainless steel spoon, soup bowl, large silicone handle
- Free of BPA.
- Keep items hot/cold for up to 8 hours!
- Leak-proof.
- Comes in several fun colors.
- $28.80 – Get 10% off any food jar from Minimal with my code: FOOD10
- Buy the Minimal Food Jar V2 here
Need some delicious ideas to pack into these thermoses? I’ve got just what you need in the 101 Packed Lunches eBook. You’ll find recipes for soups and hearty hot lunches the entire family will love.
101 Packed Lunches eBook
All my best kid-friendly lunches from over a decade of creating meal plans. Add some variety to your child’s lunchbox with these epic lunches, plus receive my Pack Meals Like a Pro ebook, free with purchase!
Amanda
Hi! Regarding the Lunchbots thermos: I love it! My daughter has already used it for two school years (kindergarten and grade 1) and it is in great condition. She did not find it hard to open (even with little kindergarten hands). I just make sure that I do not twist the lid on too tightly. I fill with boiling water for a minute, dump out the water and then add the hot food and it is still nice and warm for lunchtime. I also very often put yoghurt in there. While the manufacturer’s instructions may say not to put in dishwasher you definitely can put the bottom piece in. I do it all the time and as I mentioned, it is in great condition. I hand wash the top piece, but that’s just a flick! I think I will actually order the size up (1 1/2 cups) for my grade 2 daughter now, and give the smaller 1 cup one to my little one starting kindergarten.
SHUMAILA
Hi
Which lunchbox exactly you bought for your daughter?
doris hall
thank you for the imformation about the thermos but you had a picture of a thermos made or shape like a cup where do you buy that one. Please e-mail me
MOMables - Laura
Hi Doris, unfortunately, this particular thermos has been discontinued. A close 2nd would be the Thermos Funtainer: http://bit.ly/ThermosFuntainer.
Amanda Buchko
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.
MOMables - Laura
Hi Amanda, we like to use these from Easy Lunchboxes. Hope this helps!
Kavitha Sivakumar
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?
MOMables - Laura
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.
Mina
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.
MOMables - Laura
Mina, unfortunately, I have not come across a square thermos. I wish!
Suet Horhota
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!
MOMables - Laura
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.
Christel
Hi how do I keep my kids chicken nuggets from getting soggy inside one of these thermos
Thanks
MOMables - Laura
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.
Aurora
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.
MOMables - Laura
Great tip, Aurora!
Andrea G
A piece of toast/bread at the bottom will absorb the steam and reduce the sogginess.
Adrian
I have wrapped the chicken nuggets in a paper towel and then in foil before putting them in the thermos. They do stay warm, just not the crunch that he likes at home.
Isabelle
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?
MOMables - Laura
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.
Kate
Hi , I am looking for the thermos cup you have on the pictures above! The red and green ones with handles, I can’t read the brand but it says something like alladin. I’ve been looking for a square thermos ideally but of course there isn’t any that will hold food hot , just metal lunch box containers. This cup is something I would really like to get but I can’t find it anywhere. Please help!
MOMables - Laura
Hi, unfortunately, square thermoses do not exist. I will be updating this post with another thermos since the Aladin is no longer available.
Adrian
Hi. I just watched your video on the sandwich. You said if you close the lid while it’s warm it’ll be soggy. So if you don’t close the lid to prevent it from being soggy, will it still be warm?
MOMables-Laura
Hi Adrian, it will be at room temperature but this ensures a non-soggy sandwich.
katrina
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
MOMables - Laura
Unfortunately, this type of thermos does not exist. :( You could check out the Omie Box, but only one compartment is insulated.
anon
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.
MOMables - Laura
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.
Fiona
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 :)
MOMables - Laura
yes, completely an oversight. ALL of the thermos containers I recommend are “leak proof”. happy lunch making!
Adrian
I have a question regarding a container to keep my sons food warm longer than 5 hours. I was thinking about getting a Swell snack container or a Yeti and then I saw a review for the Stanley kids container. Do you have any suggestions? My son says that his thermos doesn’t keep it very warm, so he doesn’t eat much at all.
MOMables-Laura
Hi Adrian, I have not tried these two containers but I do know the Stanley and other options in this post are durable and keep food warm for 5+ hours. These are the options I’ve tried and used for years.
Amy
Perfect timing! I needed to research the perfect thermos to send hot food in oour kids’ lunchboxes. Now it’s done for me. Yea!
MOMables
I’m so glad this helped Amy!