We recently invested in two Yumboxes for our girls because they’ll be going to daycare when my maternity leave is up. Because our oldest is already attending a two-day preschool, we’ve had a chance to use it for about a month now. I’m writing this Yumbox review to share what I’ve learned about the Yumbox over the past month.
Below is an unbiased and unsponsored review on the original Yumbox.
What is a Bento Box?
A bento box is a certain style of lunch box that is divided into several sections. It’s designed so you don’t need to fill a lunchbox with many small containers (which may or may not easily fit into the lunchbox).
Originally, the bento concept came from Japan. Bento involved a single portion of several foods, including fish, noodles and vegetables.
Although traditional bento could come in disposable or reuseable containers, the modern bento box is generally a reuseable container that reduces waste.
What are the Benefits of a Bento Box?
No matter which brand of bento box you choose, there are several major benefits to using a bento box instead of the traditional lunch box crammed with adhoc containers and pre-packaged snacks. Using a bento box is one of my top lunch box hacks for moms who pack school lunches.
Bento Boxes Reduce Waste
First, the bento box reduces waste. You don’t need to buy single serving snacks/lunch items. Your bento box provides compartments for all the snacks/lunch items you’ll need, so you can buy in bulk.
Bento Boxes Save Money
Likewise, you’ll likely save money by using a bento box. Because you’ll be able to purchase lunch/snack items in bulk, rather than single serving sizes you’ll save some serious cash over the course of the year.
Bento Boxes are Hard for Kids to Lose
You also won’t be replacing a million small containers your child loses at school. As long as your bento box is labeled, you can be pretty confident it will return home. Unlike small containers, bento boxes are simply too large to go unnoticed in a classroom or cafeteria.
Bento Boxes Encourage Picky Eaters
Bento boxes are also great for picky eaters! By providing your child variety in their lunch, they’ll be more likely to eat at least some of the food (no more uneaten sandwich!).
Yumbox Original Review
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Design
I’ll be honest, in addition to the great reviews, I was drawn to the Yumbox’s beautiful design. This bento box comes in lots of bright, kid-friendly colours. My daughter was super excited to choose her favorite colour!
The Yumbox is divided into five half-cup sections, which are the perfect portion sizes for children.
Each section has a fun illustrations along with labels for each food group. My four year old was instantly interested in the different sections. It was a great learning opportunity to introduce the food groups. She really enjoys choosing which fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains and dairy products she would to fill each section with.
Her involvement in the decision making process encourages her to eat all the food she’s chosen.
Bonus: because each section is labeled, she thinks we need to fill it with the assigned food group. It hasn’t even occurred to her that junk food could go in the Yumbox! She’s been eating super healthy lunches for weeks now with no complaints!
Function
On top of the beautiful design, the Yumbox has excellent function. In fact, it won the Good Design Award for a Children’s Product.
The Yumbox has a lovely, easy to open handle, perfect for young children. My four year old has no trouble opening it and our almost 18 month old could probably figure out for to do it herself. You won’t need to worry about having to open this container for your children and they won’t have to ask a teacher to open it for them at daycare or school.
The Yumbox is leak proof and keeps each portion contained. We’ve sent yogurt and dips several times and we’ve had no leaks at all!
The Yumbox is designed with rounded sides, which are pretty easy to clean (as opposed to square corners).
As a mom, the fact that there are no small containers and lids to keep track of makes packing lunches so much easier!
Yumbox Price
The Yumbox is definitely a more pricey option, even among children’s bento boxes. You can see the current price here.
However, I think the Yumbox IS worth the price. Here’s why.
It is a quality made item. It’s designed well and is very study. This is not the kind of container that will warp with age. THe only complaints I’ve heard about the Yumbox is that the designs printed on the inside of the container can scratch off. I haven’t seen any sign this with my own Yumbox. I imagine this happens when you frequently wash it in the dishwasher. I’d recommend hand washing anyway.
What you’ll spend in the upfront cost you’ll save in the long run. As I mentioned above. buying one Yumbox means you won’t have to buy a bunch of smaller lunch containers. Your child is less likely to lose the Yumbox than a small container, so you won’t have to be constantly replacing the containers. PLUS the lid of the Yumbox is attached (unlike a lot of cheaper bento boxes), so no more having worry about matching lids and containers.
You’ll also save money because you won’t need to buy single serving portion snacks anymore (which we all know are way more expensive–not to mention terrible for the environment). Buying in bulk will easily offset the price of the Yumbox!
Commonly Asked Questions About the Yumbox
Is the Yumbox safe?
The Yumbox is made from food-safe materials and is BPA-free and phthalate-free.
The Yumbox is dishwasher safe (top rack only). It’s recommended to wash the outer shell of the Yumbox seperately, or remove before the drying cycle of your dishwasher.
Personally, I always wash my Yumbox by hand, because I don’t like any plastic in the dishwasher. It did take a little effort to clean out all the compartments. However, the outer compartments are rounded, so there are only a few corners that are tricky to get clean. The Yumbox did take a long time to air dry. You could use a dish towel to dry them, but it would take a bit of effort to make sure all the compartments were dry.
I also love that the Yumbox doesn’t have any teeny nooks that can get moldy. Although it takes a while to air dry, it does fully dry.
Does the Yumbox keep foods cold and hot?
The Yumbox isn’t designed to keep foods hot or cold. However, Yumbox has perfectly fitting ice packs which can be used to keep foods in the Yumbox cool. They also sell thermoses for hot foods. The Yumbox is designed to fit in a standard insulated lunch box (these are our favs).
How many Yumbox varieties are there?
Yumbox has come out with several varieties including:
- Original (five half-cup compartments)
- Panino (three compartments, one of which fits a sandwich)
- Tapas (Larger portion sizes for older kids or adults)
- Mini-Snack (smaller container with two snack compartments pus dip section)
What Yumbox Should I Get?
You’ll need to think about your child’s eating habits before making a choice.
The Yumbox Original has five different compartments, while the Panino has a sandwich-sized compartment along with two smaller compartments.
If your child is a big sandwich eater, the Panino is probably the right choice. If they prefer variety, the original is nice (you could still send a sandwich, but it would have to be cut into smaller pieces).
The Tapas is made for larger portions, so if your child is older, or has a big appetite, this might be the Yumbox for you.
The Mini-Snack is the perfect size for a large snack. Once my children start full time daycare, I’ll probably purchase the mini-snack for my oldest, since she’ll be eating a full lunch and two snacks a day.
Are Yumbox Trays Interchangeable?
The Yumbox Original and Panino trays are NOT interchangeable. This is a mistake I made when purchasing the Yumbox (I assumed I could just buy an extra Panino trays to use in my Yumbox original shell).
After they arrived, I realized that the trays can’t be interchanged.
I would advise you to think about which Yumbox is right for you and purchase one.
Even though this was a disappointment, I’ll likely buy the Panino Yumboxes as well, because I like the product so much.
Note: you CAN purchase additional inner inserts, but they need to be the same variety. (i.e. you could buy two original inserts for the original Yumbox, or two Panino inserts for the Panino Yumbox). This way, you won’t have to worry about getting them washed and dried every night, or if a lunchbox is left at school or on the bus.
However, The Tapas offers interchangeable three and four compartment trays.
Where is the Yumbox Manufactured?
The Yumbox is manufactured in China, but it is FDSA and CPISA approved.
What Do You Put in a Yumbox?
The ideas are limitless for a Yumbox. Here’s a few ideas for you
Fruits:
- apple slices
- orange slices
- pear slices
- grapes
- berries
- melon
- raisins
- dried cranberries
Veggies:
- cucumbers
- tomatoes
- carrots
- celery
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- snap peas
- leftover veggies from last night’s supper
Dairy:
- yogurt
- cheese
Grains:
- small sandwiches
- crackers
- muffin
- noodles
- rice
- flatbread
- naan bread
- pita pocket
- quinoa
Protein:
- salami
- pepperoni
- sliced ham
- chicken
- tuna
- protein balls
- nuts
- peanut butter
- beans
Yumbox Review Summary:
To sum things up, here are the pros and cons of the Yumbox:
Pros of the Yumbox:
- Makes packing a balanced lunch easy
- Gives choice (so your kid will eat their lunch)
- Perfect child-sized portions
- Attractive design
- Learning opportunity about the food groups
- Easy for toddlers/preschoolers to open
- Reduce waste
- Lowers grocery bills
- Less chance of losing containers/lids
- Dishwasher safe
Cons of the Yumbox
- Expensive to purchase upfront
- Pieces are not interchangeable
- Decorations scratch off easily
I hope this honest and unsponsored Yumbox review will help you decide if the Yumbox is the perfect bento box for you!
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