Time to lift your lunchbox game? I know the feeling. When the kids started complaining the yoghurt was lukewarm and the sandwiches came back all squishy I knew it was time to get out of this food rut and I got an insulated food jar. And boy did it open a huge range of new options.
We’re talking frosty smoothies staying refreshingly icy, yummy pasta staying piping hot and snacks surviving the wild ride to recess. Whether packing last night’s leftovers or keeping the freezer stocked with microwaveable lunches to thaw and go, you can send everything from soup to spagbol to school in a kids’ thermos.
So put on your chef’s hat, grab your spork and let’s dive in as we round up the most popular food containers for keeping food hot, and cold!
Ask yourself before hitting the shops
- Will it need to hold both hot and cold foods?
- Are they leakproof for liquid (yummy soups anyone?)
- Will it stay hot until lunchtime?
- Is the jar dishwasher safe?
- Does it fit in your little one’s lunch bag?
- Can your child open and close it themselves?
- Does it come with a cutlery attachment?
Want to keep your food warmer for longer? Preheat your insulated food jar by filling it with boiling water, and leave for five minutes before pouring out and adding hot food.
OUR PICK OF THE CROP
14 Insulated Food Jars Mums Recommend
As baby product experts with 16 years of experience and a community of over 100,000 Australian mums, we’re committed to helping make sure you pack a healthy lunch and find the perfect thermos to keep your kiddo’s food warm (or cold!) until lunchtime.
Below, you’ll find 15 insulated food containers in no particular order. And the best part? They’re all mum-approved and recommended by our Grapeviner crew.
Tinyme
Tinyme Personalised Insulated Food Container ($38)
A versatile marvel, these personalised food containers keep meals warm or cold for hours. With a double-walled vacuum, BPA-free design and easy cleaning, it’s the perfect companion for any kiddo’s culinary needs.
Capacity: 400 mL
Materials: Stainless steel
Duration: Warm for 6 hours | Cold for 8 hours
Penny Scallan
Penny Scallan Food Jars ($29.95)
No more warm yoghurt or tepid soup, Penny Scallan’s vacuum-insulated double-walled stainless steel food jars keep hot things hot, cold things cold, and everything tastes the way it’s meant to.
One customer left the review “These jars keep food warm for lunch! With a child who doesn’t eat sandwiches, these have been my savour and even better the handle allows my daughter to open it fairly easily.”
Capacity: 350 mL
Materials: Stainless steel
Duration: Warm for 6 hours | Cold for 8 hours
MontiiCo
MontiiCo Insulated Food Jar ($29.95)
This vacuum-insulated, double-walled stainless steel jar keeps food both toasty or chilled. Its scratch-resistant finish, wide mouth opening, flip-up handle and removable silicone seals ensure easy cleaning and durability. We loved the silicone bumper base to add extra protection, making it the perfect lunchtime companion.
“I was happy to discover the food jar stores the perfect amount of food for a decent serving of lunch for my kids at school. Fantastic quality, easy to use and clean.” said one customer online.
Capacity: 400 mL
Materials: Double-walled stainless steel & silicone bottom bumper
Duration: Warm for 5 hours | Cold for 7 hours
Skip Hop
Skip Hop Insulated Food Jars ($39.95)
Hop, skip and jump into container heaven with the cheeky collection of insulated food jars from Skip Hop. These adorable containers are especially perfect for little fingers and first foods. Each comes with a spork (that’s a spoon and fork in one) for extra easy meals on the go.
One reviewer said, “I love this cute thermos. It’s very good quality steel and keeps my daughter’s food warm for when she eats lunch in daycare. The size is perfect and can be used for several years as it fits a lot more food than what the size looks like.”
Capacity: 325 mL
Materials: Stainless steel
Duration: Warm for 7 hours | Cold for 5 hours
Maxwell & Williams
Maxwell & Williams Insulated Food Containers ($24.95)
Crafted from durable stainless steel, these containers feature a secure lockable lid and convenient handle, keeping meals at the perfect temperature on the go. With vibrant designs and playful characters, lunchtime will be transformed into a colourful adventure!
One customer was very happy with their purchase and posted the comment, “My girls love this design and love taking it to school.”
Capacity: 300 mL
Materials: Stainless steel
Duration: Warm for 6 hours | Cold for 7 hours
Béaba
Béaba Stainless Steel Isothermal Jar (from $39.95)
The Béaba Thermo-Portion ensures warm meals on the go for your baby or big kid. With double-walled stainless steel, the solid jar offers an airtight design preserving taste and smell, offering a reliable solution for eating while out and about.
One mum commented “I have bought every one of these food containers and I use them all the time for myself and my bub. Love the colours, love the 2 different sizes, very good quality product. Would highly recommend it!”
Capacity: 300mL & 500 mL
Materials: Double-wall stainless steel
Duration: Warm for 6 hours | Cold for 7 hours
b.box
b.box Insulated Food Jar Mini (from $22.95)
A stylish solution for meals on the go, the Insulated Food Jar Mini is crafted from durable double-walled stainless steel, maintaining the perfect temperature for food. With an easy-fill design and a unique stop feature for independence, it’s perfect for little and big kids alike.
“I have used this food jar for my son’s school lunch for over 2 years. They are the best, keeping the food perfectly warm for his break lunch break. I bought another for my daughter who is starting kindergarten.” said one happy customer.
Capacity: 210 mL
Materials: Double-wall stainless steel
Duration: Warm for up to 4 hours | Cold for up to 6 hours
Frank Green
Frank Green Insulated Food Container ($45.95)
Constructed with food-grade stainless steel in a sleek airtight and mess-free portable design, these insulated food jars are the perfect addition to your little one’s lunch box. Available in Frank Green’s signature stand-out colours, we love the ceramic lining to keep food tasting yummy.
A reviewer wrote, “My daughter loves it. Lightweight and easy to carry. Keeps food warm for longer.”
Capacity: 475 mL
Materials: Stainless steel & ceramic lining
Duration: Up to 4 – 12 hours
Thermos
Thermos FUNtainer Insulated Food Jar ($16)
An absolute classic, these Thermos FUNtainer stainless steel jars not only come in super cute and fun designs but hold 290ml of liquid, ensuring a safe and insulated solution for meals on the go.
One customer commented, “This food jar keeps food warm and is super easy to use and wash!”
Capacity: 290 mL
Materials: Stainless steel
Duration: Warm for 5 hours | Cold for 7 hours
Bentgo
Bentgo Stainless Steel Insulated Food Container ($49.95)
This stainless steel insulated container simplifies on-the-go meals. With its airtight, leak-proof lid and wide-mouth design, you can rely on food keeping warm or cool perfect for your little one’s meal times.
“My daughter loves this container for school. Best purchase this year!” Said one happy customer.
Capacity: 560 mL
Materials: Double-walled stainless steel & triple-layer copper insulation
Duration: Warm for 5 hours | Cold for 7 hours
Avanti
Avanti YumYum Kids Insulated Food Jar (from $24.24)
Airtight and insulated to preserve temperature, Avanti YumYum containers are designed to stand out during lunchtime. With a variety of colourful and fun designs to choose from, we loved the lid with a large handle, perfect for little hands to open and close.
Capacity: 375 mL
Materials: Stainless steel
Duration: Warm for 8 hours | Cold for 16 hours
Thermos
Thermos Foogo Insulated Food Jar (from $25.92)
Another winner from the Thermos range. This clever container offers the superior insulation technology you’d expect from the Thermos brand combined with a sturdy stainless steel exterior, so the kids can’t break it.
One customer left the review “These jars are just the right size and the colours are great. Plus, it’s a breeze for kids to open and close. Super easy, and that’s always a win!”
Capacity: 290 mL
Materials: Stainless steel
Duration: Warm for 5 hours | Cold for 7 hours
More of our favourites…
Know an insulated food container we could add to our list? Contact us and let us know, we’ve been curating Australia’s best baby products into helpful lists for over 15 years and we’re always happy to support new brands and businesses.
Read next …
- 15 Insulated Lunch Bags That Are Easy To Clean
- 14 Creative Ideas To Make Lunchtime Fun
- 15 Bento Lunch Boxes Kids Can Open (And Close)
- 19 More Non-Sandwich Lunch Box Ideas
Ask other mums
Looking for an insulated food jar and still not sure if any of these are right for you? Join the huge Grapeviner community in one of our private Grapeviner Friendship Groups for Mums and ask thousands of other mums with kids starting school which ones they recommend. Get answers today!
We want you to know
At Mum’s Grapevine, we’re a team of passionate mums (with 19 kids!) and over 15 years of experience researching and writing about all things baby and parenting. Our reviews of recommended products, like the ones in this post, may include paid inclusions, but we promise to only feature products that we truly believe in and have used or seen ourselves. We want to ensure that you, our Grapeviner mums have access to the latest and greatest products in the parenting world, and we’re committed to maintaining our high standards of quality and honesty. See our Disclosure Policy.
Thank you for trusting us to be your go-to source for all things baby-related.
xoxo
