Lunch bags

At monbento®, we have something to suit all tastes! If you're more interested in understated practicality, go for a compact, lightweight and easy-to-clean lunch bag, like the MB Pochette. If you like original designs or often bring along quite a spread for lunch, opt instead for a large-capacity bag with a convenient format, like the MB Daily (this will also keep your meal hot or cold while on the move - bonus!). As for budding explorers, they also need a bag that's just the right size for their lunch box, where they can easily fit not only their lunch but also an afternoon snack and a water bottle to stay hydrated. That's why we've designed the insulated bag for kids,MB Wonder Travel! In a nutshell, there's bound to be a monbento® lunch bag with your name on it! Want to find out more about each of the options? Check out these presentations!

That's a commonly asked question, and for good reason: for there's nothing more satisfying and comforting than a delicious hot meal, whether enjoyed on an outdoor picnic, at the office (where there isn't always a microwave unfortunately...) or the gym after a workout. Here are a few tips for keeping your meal warm in an insulated bag! First, be sure to choose a high-quality insulated lunch bag. Opt for one with an insulated lining, that has been tested and widely approved! The linings in our MB Daily and MB Wonder Travel insulated bags are made out of PEVA and aluminium respectively, not only to guarantee an optimal storage period at the right temperature, but also to ensure they are easy to clean.
The other key tip for enjoying food that's still hot is to choose the right type of container - and meal! Ideally, you should go for an insulated lunch box, like monbento®'s MB Element, which will keep your food warm for up to 10 hours (depending on the contents and conditions of use). Prep your container by filling it with boiling water for a few minutes before spooning your hot meal into it (preferably reheated in a saucepan to ensure a uniform temperature). Food with sauces will stay hot the longest, so treat yourself to comfort food like risotto, pasta dishes and stews, even when out and about!

There's nothing more refreshing on a warm sunny day than a nice cold salad in the shade of a tree! But sometimes, keeping food cold for a picnic or lunch at the office is easier said than done. So we've got a few tips we'd be happy to share with you!

Number one, in the same way as when you want to keep a meal warm, choose an effective insulated lunch bag, with high-quality insulating lining woven into it. The monbento® insulated bags, MB Daily and MB Wonder Travel (for kids), also feature zips for maintaining the interior temperature and ease of use.

Then, it's about opting for the right lunch box and prepping it properly. An insulated lunch box, which we recommended for keeping food hot, is also best for keeping food cold! The MB Element by monbento® will keep your pasta salad chilled for up to 10 hours (depending on the contents and conditions of use). To guarantee optimal temperature maintenance, cool your container first with ice-cold water for a few seconds, before filling it with your cold meal (which, preferably, will have spent the night in the fridge).

If you don't have an insulated lunch box, you can also carry your cold meal in a conventional lunch box, like the MB Original, or the stainless steel version, MB Sense. In either of these cases, we recommend that you put your cold meal in the fridge at least overnight before you need to take it with you, and that you pop an ice pack into your MB Daily insulated bag. Both these lunch box models are even compatible with the MB I-cy ice pack! All you have to do is put this ice pack for lunch box in the freezer for at least 12 hours, before placing it between the container and the top lid of the bento box (or between the two containers of the MB Original) and carrying the lot in your insulated bag.

One last piece of advice: Try and keep your insulated lunch bag in a cool place, which means, when in the bus or at the office, avoid putting it in direct sunlight!

All of these tips should help you to enjoy a deliciously cold meal or drink come lunchtime!

When choosing the bag size, bear in mind how much food you're planning on taking, as well as what you usually tend to do meal-wise. For depending on whether you routinely eat a light lunch, or, on the other hand, a big lunch or perhaps a main course interspersed by light snacks through the day, you won't need the same type of lunch bag.
So here are a few things to think about when choosing your lunch bag:

• If you mostly eat several small items for lunch, such as fruit, a cereal bar and home-made sandwich, a medium-sized lunch bag should do the job nicely. One example is the MB Pochette with its 5.7L capacity, which is also ideal for carrying your kids' MB Gram snack box and MB Pop insulated bottle!
• If you need to carry a lunch box like the MB Square or MB Jar, a piece of fruit, a snack and a water bottle, then a larger lunch bag might be more suitable. In that case, why not opt for the 7L large-capacity MB Daily insulated bag? Thanks to its tote format and trendy design, you'll even be able to fit in your personal belongings or any after-work shopping too!
• On a final note, in addition to its capacity, the format of your lunch bag is also important. This should match the format of your lunch box so that it's easy to slip in and carry around with you. That's why we've designed the MB Wonder Travel kids insulated bag, which will keep the MB Wonder lunch tray flat while on the move and therefore your kids' meal neatly served in the divided tray. Its 6.5L capacity means you can even fit in a water bottle and little snack too!