The first trick in finding a cool lunch bag for teens that they’ll actually use is to make sure they have a say. So sit down with them and peruse our picks, created with the help of our own teens.
As our own kids have gotten older, we know they prefer lunch bags and totes over lunch boxes because they’re so much easier to shove into a backpack or sling over a shoulder, then hang over the back of a chair — especially when they may or may not have a locker at school. We also know that the most popular lunch bags or lunch totes for teens don’t look “little kid,” meaning no cutesie patterns or cartoon characters, unless they’re huge fans. (Or being ironic. Which is entirely possible.)
So we’ve rounded some favorite lunch bags for teens and older kids that are durable, well-designed, and that we feel good about recommending, after years of testing and trying out all kinds of brands. Hope you find something perfect here!
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Cool Lunch Bags for Teens Who Have Outgrown Lunch Boxes
Many teens head straight from school to sports practice, play rehearsal, or other after-school activities, so a small lunchbox just won’t hold enough food for both lunch and after school fuel. We were so happy to find this limited edition 8-Liter Hydro Flask Insulated Lunch Tote from a teen-favorite brand. There a few colors available from the official Hydro Flask Store on Amazon, including some brand new colors for 2024, and some stock at The Container Store online. Whether you get a new Hydro Flask bottle to go with it is up to you — but they are on sale. ($44-54)
If you’ve got an athlete who’s downing sports drinks and chowing down on snacks all day, this Coleman Backroads Series Cooler Bag makes a terrific lunch bag for your (still) growing teen. It’s ruggedly handsome, leakproof, roomy as heck, and keeps everything cool for up to 20 hours. That means those after-school apples and oranges should be just fine before practice. ($45, Amazon)
We’re big fans of Herschel Supply’s durable backpacks for teens so no surprise, we are thrilled to find they make highly-rated insulated lunch bags for teens in three neutral but elegant colors, They pass our teens’ test for style and for eco-friendliness, since the main body is made from 100% recycled materials. As for us, we like the limited lifetime guarantee, free ground shipping, and 30-day return policy. ($48.99 on sale, Herschel Supply – currently 30% off)
For teens who want something a little fun and stylish, check out the wonderful collection of Kate Spade Lunch Totes in bright, colorful, happy-making patterns like flowers, stripes, dots, plaids, and lemons. “It’s sooooo preppy in here,” as the kids say. An insulated lining, interior pocket, and zip top make it practical too. ($34.95, Amazon)
We’ve been recommending SoYoung lunch bags since they first launched, and they’ve even made our list of the best lunch boxes and bags that hold up after time. The Lunch Poches are perfect lunch bags for teens — more sophisticated than a lunch box, insulated and well made, easy-to-clean, and that detachable strap is a great touch. The linen fabrics are sophisticated, but there’s one in basic black too. They’re worth the investment — your teens can take this one to college. ($49, Amazon)
We love everything from OXO (with one minor exception but that’s not relevant here) — and we’re so happy to see they’re now making an affordable insulated lunch bag under $25 that gets phenomenal ratings. Insulated, roomy, and made from 100% recycled polyester. ($24.99, Amazon)
Another fantastic bargain lunch bag for teens is this insulated Tyvec Lunch Bag from VonNova that rings in under $20. This one has that cool wrinkled paper bag look thanks to the Tyvec exterior, but there are plenty of colors to choose from, from black to silver to pink. They all zip closed, have a handy interior pocket, and bonus: Free spork! ($19.95 on Amazon – 20% off for a limited time plus a 5% on-site coupon)
We love the styling of this simple roll top lunch bag from Sunny Bird that comes in over a dozen solid colors and patterns. It’s roomy enough for the basics — images depict wide bento box for a sandwich on the bottom, two oranges, and two cans of Coke. Because of course we’re all sending our kids to school with two cans of soda these days. Hurry for some great discounts right now. ($24-28 on Amazon, plus additional 5% off coupon on site)
For a bargain pick, yes, it’s one of those “brands” on Amazon that comes from who knows where. But the Tellumo Lunch Bags are a great affordable lunch bag for teens. (Like, super super affordable!) They’re quite attractive in that nice “Oxford cloth” polyester exterior, come in a few great neutral colors, and they all get sweet reviews. ($7.98, Amazon)
Nothing says too cool for school like a retro brown paper bag lunch — and maybe a pair of classic Ray Bans. But the waste of disposable bags isn’t ideal. That’s why we’ve been longtime fans of this “Brown Bag” Canvas Lunch Bag from Italic Home on Etsy, which is also one of our readers’ favorite lunch bags for teens each year. ($14, ItalicHome on Etsy)
Related: Easy School Lunch Ideas Kids Can Make Themselves
if your teen is prone to losing bags, or for convenience reasons they truly need something disposable, we get it. Skip the baggies and plastic store bags and instead try these recycled brown Kraft paper bags we found. They’re not only made from recycled paper, they’re biodegradable (provided they’re disposed of properly), which makes us feel better about single-use products. ($18.99 for pack of 250, Amazon)
Sometimes teens don’t need a full lunch bag; just a few baggies packed with snacks to keep them sated. For them, we highly recommend Stasher resealable storage bags, which have become everyone’s favorite eco-friendly alternative to disposable plastic sandwich bags. They are the perfect sizes for sandwiches (even big ones), granola bars, protein bars, cut veggies, you name it. Plus they don’t leak — and yes, you can pop them in the dishwasher! Definitely worth the investment for the household. (Bundles starting at $20.99, Amazon0
PS No judgments if your teen or tween really needs the convenience of a disposable bags. In that case, grab a box of affordable compostable sandwich bags or send them to school with one of these eco-friendly bowls with lids, like the ones you see at salad bars. Both definitely beats plastic.
See all of our Back to School Shopping Guide Picks for 2024
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