Lunch bag for work commute, is it worth it?

[Aabbaas]

I need to stop spending a fortune in pret or m&s during office days and be more organised with my lunches.
I have a long-ish commute (London), 1 hr and 15 mins or so, door to door. Office has a fridge but I am considering getting myself an insulated lunch bag to keep food fresh longer. I have seen some very lovely ones and wanted to treat myself to one but is it worth it? Curious to know how people use these. I don’t want to hold it with my hand as I commute with a backpack for practicality and comfort and want my hands free. They seem a bit too bulky to put in my backpack though once I also have the laptop, work stuff and change of shoes etc.
How does everyone do this? 😅

I have a similar commute and carry a cross body bag, rucksack and my pink lunch bag. Keeps all my breakfast and lunch nice and I never spend money on lunch if I can help it so yes I do and never have an issue. My dd also works in london and carries a lunch bag

2nd contigo. Best thermous range ive ever used.
I once broke my phone by having it in my handbag with a leeky thai green currey.
Used to carry lunch seperately in a tote, was fine.

Could you leave a pair of shoes at the office to make it easier to carry your breakfast and lunch?

Love it. Thank you!

Can you get a locker at work where you can keep some bits? If you didn’t have to carry shoes, water bottle, etc in with you that would definitely free up a bit of space.

I much prefer to take a plastic lunchbox in with me, it’s lighter and less bulky than my glass IKEA ones! There are some nice stainless steel ones too.

I don't take a lunch bag or tupperware, everything in rucksack loose but I put it on top so when I get to work I take out and put into fridge. So crisps, sandwiches in foil, daiylea dunkers, yoghurts, cereal bars etc. Sometimes I take a few days at once and leave in work fridge so always have something. Zip lock bags are good too for smaller items.

Yes I was going to suggest IKEA for stainless steel food storage. You could at least try one for a few quid instead of spending many times that amount for a Black & Blum set.

Food flasks don’t take up room and easily fit in bags. Use one for hot food and one for yogurt. They easily survive the school day too.

Do you have a microwave at work? I prefer to take food chilled and heat it up while I want to eat it, both for flavour and food safety.

Just get some decent leak free containers - Lock & Lock are the brand we use.

Similar sort of commute and I stick my breakfast and lunch (usually salad or leftovers) in my rucksack each day.

Neoprene lunch bags - lightweight, washable, don't take up much space, have room for plastic container, protect your bag and contents from spills

Something like this
VASCHY Neoprene Lunch Bag for Women, Men, Kids, Thermal Lunch Bag Lightweight Washable Lunch Tote for Work, School, Outdoor with Detachable Shoulder Strap, Black : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen

Just shove a plastic tub in your bag

You don’t need a bag, just get a leakproof box and put it in your backpack. It doesn’t need to be insulated for an hour commute

I bought a cheap bag off amazon for about a fiver; I pop an ice pack on the bottom and it keeps cool from 7.30am until about 12pm

I also keep in mind that food on a buffet, I think, can be left out for 3 hours

Could you buy some yoghurts and fruit and keave them in your work fridge? Then you don’t have to carry them daily.

You can buy cross body lunch bags. They can be worn with a backpack to travel.

Or depending on your backpack you may be able to clip a lunch bag on it.

Plenty of options but I think you’re over think the carrying it. Do you need your hands free the whole journey?

Clear basic plastic food bags!

I take breakfast, lunch and drinks to work. I put my yoghurt, porridge,cans and similar things inside the smartprice / basic clear plastic food bags to catch any leaks / spills that might happen on the journey - which i save and re-use as much as possible until they catch a leak or get a hole! Much less bulky and heavy than a lunch bag!

I have some lock and locks as well but still put those in a clear bag if they’ve been in the freezer due to condensation.

Then at work I put stuff in the fridge.

I use a metal lunch box with slim ice pack in a well-fitting insulated bag, or a food flask, (sometimes both) depending on what I'm taking. I usually also have nuts / dried fruits / plain popcorn with me in case I feel like a snack is needed. I also have a travel mug and a water bottle with me, so rather than shelling out for a larger work rucksack, my food and drinks get their own tote bag.

Or depending on your backpack you may be able to clip a lunch bag on it.

This is what I do

I often make a batch of soup at the weekend, reheat a portion each morning and take it into work in a thermos food flask. It’s piping hot at lunchtime. Or take a big salad with lots of protein or leftovers in a clip seal Tupperware. I have a 50 minute walk to work and have a breakfast pot of fruit/yoghurt plus lunch in my rucksack all in a foldable lunch bag. Haven’t had a leak yet. I think the main thing you’ll need to do is build the habit of bringing lunch in. Once it becomes part of your morning routine, it starts to feel wierd to not do it. Also, imo, homemade lunches can be tastier than shop bought ones!

Gloppie Small insulated lunch pouch:
https://amzn.eu/d/0j7NhMOe

You can get small insulated pouches. Also small ice packs. I would use an insulated pouch in summer at least. They are very effective.

I have had the rucksack a couple of years now and it's stood up to daily use very well.
I really like the fact that the cool section and the normal bit are separated a zip so if you need a bigger bag ( I do when going shopping ) it can be undone to make one bigger bag.
It's one main down side is it absolutely won't stand up on its own unless you have a large heavy lunch box in the bottom section

This makes it more difficult to fill and it's prone to flinging its self on the floor it's like it's having a tantrum!

I have a laptop rucksack with an insulated compartment in the bottom and use a small icepack. Keeps my lunch cool for hours and only one bag to worry about.

I was amused when I career changed into teaching that teachers, wherever I've worked anyway, have proper lunchbags not unlike the children. Now I'm a total convert and can't imagine having loose items sloshing around my bag. I find a lunchbag much more practical for separate things, including little tupperwares, than a plastic box.