With the new school year starting, many people are out shopping for new lunch boxes. I remember doing this when Lucy first started preschool 2 years ago. I searched online for something that was cute, functional, sturdy, and safe. All my research led me to PlanetBox.
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The PlanetBox Launch
Disclosure: PlanetBox kindly sent us a complete set of their Launch lunch packing system to try out. All opinions of total love for this product are solely my own! This post may also contain links to Amazon.
Two years ago I ordered Lucy a Rover lunchbox set from PlanetBox complete with a pink carrying case and some adorable rainforest magnets. (PlanetBox allows you to customize their stainless steel lunch boxes with a huge variety of magnets! How cool is that?!) Can you believe that lunch box has lasted us two years of preschool and is still going strong? (And PlanetBox does offer a 5 year warranty which I love.)
The PlanetBox Rover
There was actually no need to even get another lunch box for this school year, but since Lucy will be attending school five days a week instead of three, I thought it might be handy to have a second lunch box. So I checked out PlanetBox’s website and saw they now offer a new lunch packing system called Launch. I was so thrilled when PlanetBox agreed to send me one for free in exchange for me providing my honest opinion about the product.
So Many Benefits
After trying out our Launch system, I was extremely pleased! Here are my favorite benefits shared by both the Launch and Rover lunch box system:
- These lunch boxes are made from stainless steel and are extremely sturdy. Our original lunch box has withstood being used for two years so far, being dropped numerous times (and who knows what else it’s been through at school). The stainless steel lunch box is also dishwasher safe! It has survived numerous dishwashings, even on the bottom rack!
- The lunchboxes close with a little metal latch. Lucy at age 3 had no problem opening and closing this on her own. And we’ve never had an issue with it accidentally popping open (which I LOVE because I’m thinking I’ve been saved from having to clean out many icky backpacks thanks to this awesome feature!)
- PlanetBox products are independently certified to be safe from lead, phthalates, and BPA.
- Both systems have individualized compartments. At first I simply loved this because it kept all the food nicely separated and in it’s own spot, but over the last few years I’ve learned having these separate compartments has encouraged me to pack healthy, balanced meals for Lucy. Packing these has helped me really see and think about what I’ve packed- it’s all just right out in front of you.
- Less waste! We really try to do our best to reduce the amount of waste we produce. (This can be hard, but luckily Lucy’s school is an Ocean Guardian School where the school community is actively participating in ways to protect our local oceans and watersheds.) One of the ways the students help is by being encouraged to use reusable lunch boxes instead of paperbags or baggies which contribute to waste. I love that no plastic baggies or plastic wrapped foods are necessary to pack lunches in these lunch boxes.
- Using these lunch boxes can help save money over time. The lunch boxes do cost more up front than most others, however in the long run, I’m able to save money over time. I know these are guaranteed to last at least 5 years, so that’s at least 5 years of not having to buy a new lunch box. I also don’t have to buy baggies and plastic food containers to store the food since it already has nice compartments.
- I love how you can personalize these lunch systems with the type and color of case and with the selection of magnets you can use to decorate the outside. I know starting off the school year with something new and different can be exciting for kids, so at the start of the year we let Lucy pick a new magnet set for her lunchbox.
- The carrying cases are very nice too! Both carrying cases have nice pockets to store things like these reusable cloth napkins I made for Lucy.
There’s pockets in the carrying case for things like napkins and utensils.
Packing Lunches
And it’s also tons of fun packing them! Have you seen all those super cute ideas for packing bento-type lunches? They totally work with these! I don’t really have much time to make Lucy super fancy lunches, but sometimes I’ll put a little extra effort into the cuteness department around the holidays.
And to help make packing lunches fun and simple, PlanetBox has a meal planning app. I’m having so much fun with it. It helps you create lunches for the week with a visual planning system and even allows you to share your meal ideas with others. It’s a great resource!
Which One to Buy
So it’s pretty obvious we are in love with both our PlanetBoxes! They both have the same benefits, although there are a couple differences. The Rover actually holds less food than the Launch and has more compartments that are smaller. This makes the Rover more suitable for Lucy’s needs as a younger student. She’s not eating huge portions of food, and I can give her more variety in the Rover. This is not to say we never use the Launch, but I usually go for the Rover most often. If your child is older, the Launch system might suit them better. There’s fewer compartments, but they are deeper and can hold larger quantities of food.
Here’s a side-by-side view of similar lunches in both the Rover (left) and Launch (right) to give you a comparison of the size.
Where to Find PlanetBox
This is definitely one of my favorite purchases in the past and I’m also loving the new one sent to me by PlanetBox. PlanetBox is definitely worth a look next time your in the market for a new lunch box for your family. They have a Facebook Page you can visit if you have any questions or to read rave reviews from PlanetBox owners. You can buy PlanetBox Lunch Systems on the PlanetBox website or on Amazon.com
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Jessica @ Play Trains! says
August 12, 2013 at 10:26 pmWow, it’s like the perfect lunchbox! I love that it’s stainless steel, but more than that it has so many practical (and cute) features. It’s also cool that the smaller one has more compartments…obviously a lot of thought went into this one! When we need our next lunchbox, this will be at the top of my list. Thanks!
Mary Catherine says
August 13, 2013 at 4:40 amI’ve often wondered about getting a Planetbox for my son who’s going into first grade. Love that it’s stainless steel and has separate compartments. My son would likely get a huge kick out of personalizing the Planetbox, too. Thanks so much for the detailed information!! 🙂
Rachael @ Nothing if Not Intentional says
August 13, 2013 at 5:27 amWe just bought a tiered stainless steel lunch container for Nate and I to share, and I love it! Now I want one of these lunch boxes for the girls to go with it! Your review was awesome-I’m sold!
Trisha says
August 13, 2013 at 10:32 amMy friend uses and recommends these lunch boxes, too. They look awesome.
Beth says
August 14, 2013 at 4:50 amI’ve been curious about these bento type lunch boxes, and have a few questions…
How does a wet food such as apple sauce, yogurt, or pasta with sauce stand up in these boxes? Does the liquid seep thru its section to the other sections?
Also, I like to pack my kid’s lunch the night before, to ease the morning rush. Do you think this brand of box will keep all foods fresh overnight in fridge and thru the next morning?
Have you tried to machine wash the carrying case?
Does the whole system fit in your toddler/tyke’s backpack?
Chelsey says
August 14, 2013 at 5:46 amHi Beth, thanks for the questions! You actually brought up a good point that I should have mentioned about the wet foods. If you put the wet foods directly in the separate compartments, they would most likely leak through to the other compartments. BUT, the Rover box comes with two stainless steel containers for wet foods. One is very tiny, more for holding dips (or I use it to store granola for Lucy to put on her yogurt.) Then there’s a larger one I use to hold things like applesauce etc. Both containers have a little seal inside that keeps stuff from leaking out. The Launch has the small dip container, but instead of the larger stainless steel container, comes with a glass container that would hold liquids.
I often pack Lucy’s lunches the night before and keep them in the fridge in this lunch box, and they’ve been fine for us!
The directions that come with the lunch case say not to machine wash it, and I’ve never tried to. I simply wipe it down with a wet cloth or sponge.
Both systems fit in Lucy’s backpack. (She has one from Crocodile Creek.) The Launch is a bit bigger and still fits, but doesn’t leave much room for anything else. With the Rover I can fit that as well as a light jacket and some other smaller items.
Hope that helps!! 🙂
Anonymous says
January 30, 2015 at 5:09 pmThe extra containers that come with it are actually only leak proof when they are inside the actual stainless steel lunch box. So if you are thinking of using them for yogurt or applesauce it will take up space inside your actual lunch box as they are not leak proof on their own.
Stephanie @ Twodaloo says
August 14, 2013 at 5:38 amAlthough the idea of sending the twins to school makes me have palpitations, fun lunch boxes like this might make the transition a little better when the time comes 😉 Great review!
Lorie says
August 14, 2013 at 8:57 pmMy kiddos would love these lunch boxes! They’re crazy for individual compartments. 🙂
Aimee @ Captivating Corner Blog says
August 17, 2013 at 11:45 amI have never seen such a mailbox before. So cool! Do you have a hard time fitting the lunch into the specific size spots?
Chelsey says
August 17, 2013 at 11:56 amIsn’t it neat! I actually haven’t found it to be difficult at all to fit the lunch into the different compartments. For me, it’s made packing lunch so much easier. I love just being able to toss the food in the compartments rather than putting it all into individual baggies. Even things like granola bars will fit in the long skinny slot and applesauce squeezie pouches fit in the big square compartment.
Susan says
August 23, 2013 at 6:47 pmToo cute! Right now I use waxed paper baggies for sandwiches and tiny tupperware for other foods but this might be an improvement…
Monica says
July 11, 2014 at 12:32 amWe’ve had our planetboxes for nearly 2 years and they’re wonderful! Our bags are a little grungy, but a good washing should fix that. The boxes themselves are in pristine condition and are used for at least one meal almost every day!
Jennifer H says
August 6, 2014 at 4:33 pmI’m curious as to whether this would work (ie, hold enough food) for an 11-year old boy. My son has recently gotten interested in “zero trash” so I know he would be fine with the concept. I’m just wondering if it would hold enough food for him – everyone here seems to mention using it with their preschool/early elementary age kids.
Chelsey says
August 6, 2014 at 6:08 pmHi Jennifer~ The Launch actually holds quite a bit of food! There aren’t as many compartments as in the Rover, but the compartments are much bigger. My husband has even used it for his lunch on some days. I don’t think it would hold enough food for an entire school day (like lunch + snack), my kids bring their morning snacks in separate containers.
Jessica says
January 5, 2016 at 12:28 amIt’s a long story, but I was wondering if the metal Launch lunch box would fit inside the Rover soft lunch bag. Do you know, since you have both? Thanks! 🙂
Chelsey says
January 5, 2016 at 7:40 amHi Jessica! I just tried out the metal Launch lunch box in both the Rover carry bag and sleeve, and it actually fit in both! 🙂
Marilyn Richardson says
February 17, 2016 at 10:39 pmIm dying to own a planetbox like really soon they just look like they can get the job done while making me happy very interested