13 Fabulous Lunch Boxes for Grown Ups

There are a lot of things that are great about moving out of home and into your own place. But one of the things that is not so great is that your parents aren’t cooking anymore. That’s right, you’re on your own. And something we all discover quickly? Cooking is a pain and restaurants are expensive. So once you’ve gone over budget for the week for the third time in a row and have decided it’s time to embrace home cooking, you’re going to need something you never associated with the college girl life, you’re going to need a lunch box.

That’s right! A lunch box!

“But I’m a grown up,” I hear you cry, “I can’t be carrying around a lunch box like a second grader, people will point! People will laugh!”

But never fear, we would never send you off to school with the vinyl monstrosity that was your elementary school lunch box. And we won’t be settling for paper bags that dissolve and leak salad dressing all over your expensive textbooks. No, these are lunch boxes for grown ups, and you’ll be able to carry around these classy creations with pride.

1. Rosie the Riveter Lunch Box – lunchbox.com

We’ll start out with a classic metal lunchbox with a classic design. Show off your feminist chops with a big picture of Rosie the Riveter flexing her guns. Don’t just eat your lunch, be empowered by your lunch! We can do it! $14.95

2. Bento Colors Metallic – Bento & Co

Bento boxes are the ultimate in lunch boxes for adults. They’re from Japan, come in infinite shapes and varieties, and store and sort your food in easy to clean plastic containers. These bento boxes from Bento & Co combine the simple and handy design of bento with the utterly stylish simplicity of metallics. They come in gold and silver, and go for just $25.00. If you’re craving something more colorful, check out the other boxes in the Bento Color line, all of them with the same minimalist look and construction.

3. Hangry Handy Lunch Tote – Perpetual Kid

Because the people around you deserve a fair warning. It may be from Perpetual Kid, but the design is smart enough to make it just fine for adults too. $9.99.

4. Japanese Bento Lunch Box – Japantique

It’s back to the bento box, this time from Japantique, an etsy store with a boatload of drop dead gorgeous Japanese bento boxes. These are high end products with a high end price tag, $49.00, but if you want something classic that will make everyone in the cafeteria stop and stare, you can’t get much more beautiful than these.

5. BNTO – Cuppow

If you’re liking the bento box function but not loving the form, these clever little cups transform any jar into a bento box in a snap! You can fill them with dressing, dip, or yogurt like they suggest, or just use them to keep your different foods separate. For DIY nuts who always have mason jars on hand, these are great for making what you already have lying around into a stylish lunch box. $8.98.

6. Lunch Tote w/ Tab – Artifact

A play off the classic brown bag, but ever so much better. These lunch bags are for serious people and are made of serious materials like waxed canvas and are completely reusable (seriously!). They’ll go with any outfit and add a touch of class to your backpack when you unveil your lunch in the cafeteria. $50.

7. Super Chill Cooler Bag – ban.do

I can’t even with how cute this lunch bag is. Insulated for the summer months, it’ll keep your lunch nice and fresh, plus it looks like a watermelon! You know you’ve always wanted a watermelon purse, you just didn’t know it till now. $32.

8. Magic Garden Lunchbox – Anthropologie

Sometimes you just want something pretty, and when that’s the case, Anthropologie always comes through. These lovely little lunch carriers were designed by artist Lulie Wallace, and are quite simply lovely. The classic metal design is a throwback, but the floral motifs keep it always up to date. $24.

9. Kazeya Bento – Bento & Co

Yes, that is a lunch box. And yes, it is that gorgeous. This ultra-modern take on the bento box by Kitaichi comes with three containers layered on top of each other for storing food separately. It’s compact, it’s functional, and it looks like a piece of art. This is very definitely a lunch box for grown ups. $28.90.

10. Reusable Lunch Bag for Women – Apozi

Simple yet sweet, this lunch bag is another entry from an Etsy store. Etsy is a great place to find vintage and customizable lunch boxes of all shapes and sizes, but this little bag stood out from the crowd with its pared down design that manages to be old fashioned and modern at the same time. The bag is made of cotton, so if it gets dirty just pop it in the washing machine! This contender comes from France, at $28.78 it’s hard to complain about French prices.

11. CHOOZE Lunch – CHOOZE

Sometimes girls just want to have fun, and that’s exactly what these multi-colored, multi-patterned, multi-sided lunch boxes are. The lining is wipeable and insulated, and it unzips to one big storage space. You’ll wonder why your lunch box wasn’t this cool when you were little! $25.

12. Lunch Pot – Black & Blum

If all you want is some ultra-stylish tupperware, turn your eyes to the lunch pot by Black & Blum. Two watertight pots, a spork, and a strap for carrying it around. This lunch box keeps it slick and sleek. $24.95.

13. Out To Lunch Tote – Kate Spade

Excuse me??? Did you say Kate Spade?!?! Yes, that’s right, Kate Spade made a lunch box, and of course it’s absolutely adorable. Minimalist polka dots, gold bow zipper pulls, and “out to lunch” in text just small enough to be fashionable, Kate Spade’s stylish streak continues. That’s really nice, I’m sure you’re saying to yourself, it’s too bad I’ll never be able to afford it in a million years. But wait, and you better sit down for this one, you can get your very own Kate Spade lunch box for $30! It’s linen, it’s lined, it’s actually affordable. Life just doesn’t get any better!