Is a glass lunch box right for you?

A glass lunch box certainly isn't the first choice for most people when choosing a lunch box, and to be honest, it's not a great choice in too many instances, but there are certain times where choose a glass lunch box is a great option.

When a stainless steel lunch box isn't quite right

In our store, stainless steel lunch boxes are the most popular options for their eco savvy benefits. They're sturdy, they last a long time and they're difficult to damage. One of the biggest issues with a stainless steel lunch box is that you can't put them in the microwave*. This makes them less than ideal to take to work if you're reheating your meal. For shift workers, nurses for example, the ability to be able to reheat your dinner quickly is important.

This rules out the stainless steel lunch box for many.

*note: Bentgo do have an option that can go in the microwave, but it's the only one on the market. You cannot put normal 3-4 grade stainless steel in a microwave.

When a bpa free plastic lunch box isn't quite right

BPA Free plastic lunch boxes certainly tick boxes for many people. They're affordable, lightweight and can go in the microwave. What's not to love? They usually have a relatively short shelf life and often need replacing once or twice a year. If you're going to put them in the microwave with anything inside them that can stain when reheated, they're not going to last long at all. Even something like a tomato based sauce inside a bpa free container placed in the microwave is going to leave a lingering scent and stain that you'll never get out.

While some white vinegar might get the majority or all of the smell out, once it's stained, it's stained for life. The microwave is also introducing heat to the plastic and will start to break down a little, each time you heat it up. BPA Free or not, the chances of you ingesting micro-plastic when microwaving a plastic lunch box are high.

What are the pros of a glass lunch box

There are two main pros when it comes to choosing a glass lunch box, and unless you need these boxes both ticked, this may not be the best choice for you.

Reason #1 to choose a glass lunch box is the ability to take it to work and put it in the microwave to reheat a hot meal. All ours are also leakproof with lids that have silicone seals on them. The lids to need to be removed for the microwave, but you can sit it on loosely if there's no microwave splatter cover available at your work. Check our descriptions, but you'll find most of what we sell is also ovenproof, again, with the lid OFF.

Reason #2 to choose a glass lunch box is that glass doesn't retain colour or scent when using it in the microwave. You can put an acid based meal in a glass container and microwave it and after you're done, you'll get it perfectly clean every time. That will never happen with plastic. Think 'reheating SpagBol' filled with tomatoes. Glass won't stain, plastic will.

What are the cons of a glass lunch box

We will openly admit there are some big reasons not to choose a glass lunch box.

• They're heavy - glass weighs more than plastic or stainless steel and it's thicker, even the borosilicate glass that can go in the oven.
• They're fragile - if you drop a glass lunch box, there's a good chance you're breaking it.
• Your unlikely to find a bento lunch box made from glass that will suit your needs. We used to sell one from Glasslock that was 2 compartments, in 2 sizes, but they weren't oven safe and while the bento box as a whole was leakproof, between the 2 compartments, it wasn't. If you want glass and a 'bento' option, you're going to need to use snack pots and then stack them all in your insulated lunch bag. At the time of writing this, we don't have any glass snack pots in stock, but plenty of stainless steel options if you can decant.

What glass lunch boxes do we sell?

A decade ago we had a significant range of single options in store, but they are readily available 'out in the wild' now, so we just have a small range from Glasslock, a duo, triple pack and a quad pack of oven safe, leakproof glass containers that you can multi-task in your life. When you're not using them as a lunch box, they can be pantry storage or used in the freezer for leftovers.

The sizes of the glass food containers in these packs starts at 405ml and goes up to a generous sized 1730ml.