Is there such a thing as a lunchbox that:

[ALunchbox]

• is genuinely leakproof
• has a compartment that keeps food genuinely hot next to compartments that hold cold/room temperature food.
• is big enough for a teen's appetite
• can be handled by a child (e.g. not too tight flask lids)
• has cutlery
• is BPA free
• is good quality and does not break within the first few months
• does not cost the Earth?

In case the child vs teen criteria are confusing: we are entering KS2 and will be bringing our own meals but in an ideal world, I would like the lunchbox to last a few years but perhaps I am being overly optimistic?

I am very new to the game. At work, we have a microwave so I don't need to worry about heat insulation, and can handle bringing different tupperwares and/or leaky dishes by keeping tupperware straight walking from the car to the staff fridge, which, for obvious reasons, is not going to happen at school. I have tried to look on Amazon and Mumsnet already but every time at least one of the criteria is not met. There is the option of sending my child with a flask and tupperware boxes but I would prefer for everything to hold in one box.

Thank you!

Probably not

Bento boxes might fit most of your criteria. But the struggle will be the hot food staying hot next to non hot food and the longevity you're looking for.

The chillys food pot does keep food hot, doesn't leak and will probably last as long as you want but doesn't come with cutlery or other compartments.

Nope.

Unles there is a medical reason, school dinners are so much easier.

If you have to do packed lunches, I'd forget about hot food and just do stuff that can sit at room temp for a few hours. Sandwiches, fruit etc

I don't think so. But you can get insulated lunch bags so you could get one of those and put a flask and then the cold bits separately all in the same bag

If you do shorts at all gave a look at Winny Hayes. She often sends her kids lunch boxes with hot and cold. You can get an idea from there on how. Hers are mostly a bento set up or a flast box set up.

We use these for cold food:
Deal: Vitcoco Stainless Steel Lunch Box Watertight Lunch Box Metal Lunch Box Leak-proof Bento Box Rectangular Lunch Box BPA-Free for Travel/Hiking/School Children and Adults 1400 ml
https://amzn.eu/d/gG0wbVX
and this for warm:
Thermos Stainless King Food Jar, Stainless Steel
https://amzn.eu/d/dSuTzLR

so separately sorry.

Thank you everyone. I thought I may be optimistic here.

I shall take a look at Winnie Hayes and see what she does.

Maggie: for the food jar, is it easy to access the bottom of the jar for a kid? I am assuming it is more for stuff like pasta, etc that don't need cutting?

We have an OmieBox Kids Bento Lunch Box which is quite good, but is expensive, cutlery would have to go inside the long bit, and might not be big enough for a teen. The hot food container is good, a wide opening and you can put hot and cold together in one box. It has been durable for over a year now.

Thank you so much Rollercoaster! I will look into it!

Came to say Omiebox probably fits a lot of your criteria. Although expensive, most reviews say it’s durable and can replace parts so don’t need an entire new lunchbox if any issues.

I haven’t invested in one yet, we use Yumbox and add thermos when DC want a hot meal but may consider it over the year

ZOJIRUSHI Insulated Lunch Jar, Navy, 50-Ounce : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen I bought this for myself thinking it would be useful for winter when I'm out and about visiting clients. It wasn't really that hot tbh - I'd say 65% warm. I haven't used it since my first meal of stew with rice.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zojirushi-Stainless-Non-Stick-Vacuum-Travel/dp/B00HYOGUM2/ref=sr_1_3?crid=394X8BRKM60XN&keywords=zojirushi+thermos+flask&qid=1692221693&sprefix=zojirushi+thermos%2Caps%2C73&sr=8-3 whereas I have two of these for water and the other for a hot drink; they insulate very well. If you add ice cubes, it'll stay super cold by late afternoon, and for hot, I preheat the flask before adding my coffee/herbal tea, with a dash of cold so that it can be drinkable. That'll stay hot till late afternoon too. It's a godsend for very hot summers and cold days.

Sho food flasks stay hotter than chillys and come with cutlery that folds into the lid. You'd need another container for cold food though