Pack a lunchbox with style

Pack a lunchbox with style

Attention grandmas: If you are looking for a gift to give the grandchild that has everything, I have a suggestion. It’s a stainless steel bento box, called “The Rover,” sold online by PlanetBox.com.

These lunchboxes are chic, eco-friendly and will probably make your adult children praise your brilliance because they make lunch packing easier. I have been in love with PlanetBox ever since I bought two lunchboxes for my kids in September.

The Rover is an all-in-one lunch box that has five wells for food. The largest compartment fits a small sandwich, while the smallest section is ideal for sunflower seeds or chocolate chips. Seeing the five partitions all at once helps me pack healthier lunches because I know one of those slots should hold vegetables, another should contain fruit, and so on.

When the lunchboxes come home, my kids dump out the leftover food and put the boxes directly into the dishwasher. It’s a quick, two-step process that avoids drama.

Like most parents in the Pacific Northwest, I care about the environment. Plastic baggies are out. Reusable lunch containers are in.

Before I bought our stainless steel bento boxes, I relied on small plastic containers that were the right size for carrot sticks and sandwiches. Since I don’t put plastic in the dishwasher, these containers floated around from the sink, to the dishrack, to the cupboard, to school, and then back to soapy water, over and over again, in an endless cycle of drudgery.

Another issue was exploding yogurt. The insulated lunch bags got slimed on a regular basis and washing out the bags without trashing the insulation was tricky.

On average, every lunch I packed contained five items. Multiply that by two kids, and I was hunting down 10 containers each time I packed lunches. With lids, that meant searching for 20 pieces of plastic every single day. No wonder lunch packing was such a detestable chore, and purchasing prepackaged junk food was tempting.

Veggie, fruit, protein, starch, snack and done. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment every time I close the lid on another picture-perfect lunch.

What’s funny is that most of the lunches I pack now are no better than the lunches I used to pack in the little plastic containers; they just look prettier. There is something about seeing celery sticks in a bento box that makes them seem like a gourmet treat.

At $55.95, The Rover isn’t cheap, and once you add the accessories like the insulated lunch bag and thermos, the price climbs to $85.95, but I think the cost is worth it. My kids have taken very good care their PlanetBoxes so far, which tells me that they value the coolness factor.

My second-grader does have one complaint, though. She doesn’t like that the metal lunchbox is heavier than her old one. It makes trudging to school (uphill, both ways) more difficult. Sigh… I guess no lunchbox is perfect.

Jennifer Bardsley is an Edmonds mom of two, and author of the books “Genesis Girl,” and “Damaged Goods.” Find her online on Instagram @the_ya_gal, Twitter @jennbardsley or at teachingmybabytoread.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

What’s Up columnist Andrea Brown with a selection of black and white glossy promotional photos on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Free celeb photos! Dig into The Herald’s Hollywood time capsule

John Wayne, Travolta, Golden Girls and hundreds more B&W glossies are up for grabs at August pop-up.

Rodney Ho / Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Tribune News Service
The Barenaked Ladies play Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville on Friday.
Coming events in Snohomish County

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Edmonds announces summer concert lineup

The Edmonds Arts Commission is hosting 20 shows from July 8 to Aug. 24, featuring a range of music styles from across the Puget Sound region.

Big Bend Photo Provided By Ford Media
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend Increases Off-Road Capability

Mountain Loop Highway Was No Match For Bronco

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Mustang Convertible Photo Provided By Ford Media Center
Ford’s 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Revives The Past

Iconic Sports Car Re-Introduced To Wow Masses

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

The 2025 Nissan Murano midsize SUV has two rows of seats and a five-passenger capacity. (Photo provided by Nissan)
2025 Nissan Murano is a whole new machine

A total redesign introduces the fourth generation of this elegant midsize SUV.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Sarah and Cole Rinehardt, owners of In The Shadow Brewing, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In The Shadow Brewing: From backyard brews to downtown cheers

Everything seems to have fallen into place at the new taproom location in downtown Arlington

Bar manager Faith Britton pours a beer for a customer at the Madison Avenue Pub in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burgers, brews and blues: Madison Avenue Pub has it all

Enjoy half-price burgers on Tuesday, prime rib specials and live music at the Everett mainstay.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.