Reasons to Get a Work Lunch Box & How to Pick a Good One
Do you remember your first lunch box? We all had one, or more precisely multiple ones, during the course of our education and we carefully picked their shape and colour. Plus, the lunch box was especially dear to us since it carried the carefully arranged and warm meals our parents prepared for us. So in a way, it was like bringing a little piece of home with you to school.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
But even if you’re no longer a kid, you can still benefit from a nice lunch box for work. For some people, this may sound funny, but you’d be surprised to learn that many adults prefer having a work lunch box and eating a homecooked meal every day. In fact, this is not a trend or a luxury, but a very practical and economical way to keep your daily meals clean, warm and ready for eating whenever you want to. If your kids can have their own lunch box, why would you be an exception?
Are you looking for a good enough reason to get your own work lunch box? Check out the following list, and you’d be surprised of all the ways this humble container can benefit you. And if you’re convinced, then some tips on how to choose the perfect one will come in extra handy.
Reasons to Get a Lunch Box
Having a lunch box that you can use to carry your meals to work allows you to have more control over the ingredients of your food. Many people who follow a special diet, prefer making their own meals instead of putting their confidence into a stranger’s hands. This is usually the case with people with food allergies, sensitivities and those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. But having a lunch box for work can also help people become more mindful about the foods they eat and help them consume the right nutrients.
Source: soeasybeinggreen-blog.com
If you’re tired of spending lots of money on expensive restaurant meals or making suspicious take out orders, it’s time to reconsider your workplace eating habits. Most people believe they don’t have time to cook or prepare a meal for the workweek, and would rather spend their lunch break in a restaurant. However, if you count the amount of money you spend every month, you will realise that it’s quite a lot. If you want to save money, it’s time to invest in a quality lunch box or lunch bag. You can even use it for camping, or hiking, not only for work or school.
When you prepare your own work lunch, this means that you will only need to invest in groceries. You buy that food for home anyway, so it won’t make that big of a difference. Plus, if you’re too busy to manage to eat all the food you have at home before it spoils, bringing your own meals to work with the help of a lunch box can help you reduce your food waste. If you’re super busy and think you don’t have time in the mornings for making a sandwich or another meal, it may be smart to prepare meals for the entire week in advance.
If you’re concerned about the environment, having a lunch box is a good way to help nature. Buying a glass or stainless steel lockproof food container isn’t only a smart investment, but is also an item you will use for years. Compare that to the hundreds of takeout boxes the average office worker throws out in a year, it’s obvious that you’ll make a big impact in reducing pollution. No more using plastic plates, bags, or throwing food.
Source: nytimes.com
Lunch boxes are a good option to store your sandwiches, without worrying that they might get squashed. The market offers various models, so most of them have several sections, so you can separate your food. If you want to keep your food cold or hot, you can get an insulated jar. Most lunch boxes are made of stainless steel or glass, so you can easily wash them in the dishwasher.
Some prefer to get a lunch bag over a lunch box. And there are benefits to this as well. For instance, lunch bags are soft, easy to carry and are often insulated. They won’t break easily and can contain several different foods. Their price is not too high, which makes them budget-friendly and you can easily wash them in the washing machine. Even when they’re empty, they don’t take a lot of space.
What Makes a Good Lunch Box?
When lunch box shopping, it helps to know how to recognise a good model. First of all, now that you’re an adult, you would need a bigger work lunch box. It should be large enough to fit several meals such as rice, steak, a salad, some fruit or just anything you feel like eating that day. Most lunch boxes consist of several separate parts (that can connect easily into one peace) so you can pack food separately. You can even pack soup and desserts.
Source: ohiooutside.com
When you shop lunch box online, make sure it has a tight seal. This is crucial if you want your food to stay inside. There is nothing more annoying than realising that your car seats (or your bag) got all damp and dirty from that spaghetti sauce or soup you cooked. A leakproof lunch box is perfect since it can be stored on its side; this will help you to pack it in your handbag or backpack. These lunch boxes usually have a silicone seal on the lid which keeps the box secure.
An insulated lunch box will keep your meal cold or warm, until lunchtime. This is a good option if you can’t warm up or store your food in a fridge. The best way to keep your food warm for a long time is to pre-warm your lunch box (you can put it in boiling water) and then add the hot food. Don’t do this if your lunch box is made of plastic (only glass and stainless steel can endure pre-warming). The same goes for keeping your food cold. Put the lunch box in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before adding your cold food.
