How to Pack a Lunch Box or Bento Box to Keep Food Cold?
Things You Should Know
- Pack your food in an insulated lunch bag to trap the cold air and stop your food from warming up.
- Put ice packs inside of your lunch box to keep food cold. You can make your own ice pack by freezing a damp sponge.
- Freeze a water bottle or juice box, and keep it in your lunch box. It will chill your food and be ready to drink by lunchtime.
- Keep perishable food below 40 °F (4 °C) to prevent bacteria from growing.
Make a simple DIY ice pack with a frozen sponge. Wet a clean sponge with cold water so it’s damp but not dripping. Toss your sponge into a resealable plastic bag and put it in your freezer overnight. Keep the frozen sponge in the bag and put it in your lunch box right before you have to leave.
Freeze a water bottle or juice box. If you normally pack bottled water or a juice box, this trick keeps your drink and meal cold. Leave the water or juice box in the freezer overnight and pack it in your lunch box in the morning. Your food will stay cold and your drink will thaw out by the time you’re ready to eat lunch.
Add frozen fruit or yogurt to your lunch. Fruits like grapes or cherries freeze really well and don’t lose their texture when they’re frozen, so they make great options for a snack that keeps your lunch cool. Otherwise, you can freeze a yogurt cup overnight so it’s thawed by the time you’re about to eat.
