When did lunchboxes get so stylish? (I mean, I know you used to rock that Care Bears lunchbox back in the first grade, and yes, it is hard to top that.) But in case you thought your best lunchbox days were behind you, you should know that there are quite a few sturdy, stylish boxes designed for adults on the go. In celebration of Lunch Week here on The Kitchn, we're highlighting a few of our favorites. Today's pick? The Monbento.
The compact Monbento lunchboxes are designed in France and consist of two airtight containers with an adjustable internal separator held together by a wide elastic strap. The total capacity of both containers is 1000ml, or about 4 cups.
I love the design of this box: it holds quite a bit of food, while keeping it all separate and compact. Plus, the matte rubber finish (in 6 different colors) is really fresh and modern.
SPECS
• Made of PBT, PP, Silicone
• BPA-free
• Microwave and dishwasher safe
• Air-tight
• Includes two waterproof containers (about four cups total), a separator, one top lid, two intermediary lids, and one elastic strap.
• Measures 7.5"(h) x 3.5"(w) x 3.5"(h)
Buy It! Monbento Original Bento Box, $36 from Amazon. Also available in Green, Fuscia, Black, Blue, and Grey.
Related: Three Styles of Bento Lunchboxes
(Images: 1-3. Monbento; 4. Monbento via MocoLoco; 5. Monbento via DigNovelty)
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Thank you. These look amazing, and the elastic is a nice touch. Ironic that they're French designed, given the high quality of workplace/school canteens in France, and the fact that some workers still nip home for lunch (although it's not the norm, admittedly).
i'd really like to have a compartmentalized lunch container made out of glass. i use small snaplock ones for my work lunches but sometimes it would be great to be able to separate the foods from each other.
These are currently for sale on Fab.com! Was thinking of picking one up but they didn't include any photos of the inside - thanks for the more detailed info!
There is also a single-tier version. See BentoandCo.com
This is an incredibly common style of bento box, btw.
News because it's French made? The Japanese have thousands of versions of these, many more stylish than something as generic looking as this.
Hah! Care Bear lunch box. Something I was deprived of in Kindy :P gonna find me one soon :
Bento boxes are great but they take a bit of getting used to. Justbento.com (I have no connection to the site) has good advice on how to pack a nutritious bento lunch - and not just with asian food.
interesting....the picture definitely doesn't look like 4 cups! i have a bento at home, but unfortunately it doesnt get much use because i always think it wont carry enough food. perhaps i should measure it to alleviate my fears...
Good design. there are more bento boxes on Bento&co = http://en.bentoandco.com/
The Japanese ones are not dishwasher safe. And the "female" ones are also a bit small for a European girl's appetite, while the "male" ones look very, well, male. So I was quite happy when I found these.
Depends on what you buy. I've got half a dozen Japanese bentos; four of them are dishwasher safe.
I love my purple Monbento, it is a breeze to clean and doesn't leak! (and it looks cute too). The volume is ideal for my medium appetite, with normal tupperware containers I always used to pack too much food but this is perfect for me and I rarely have any leftovers to bring back home. $36 sounds a bit expensive though (but they are cheaper in France).