The reinvention of the lunchbox

Who knew, back when we were kids that there would be a lunchbox alternative besides those little metal numbers with the latch, the wobbly handle, and, if you were me, an illustration of the Partridge Family on the front. The contemporary new Oots Lunchbox is a really interesting take on the old sandwich carriers of yore - basically it's a BPA/Phthalate-free plastic box with a contrasting colored top, held together by a wide swath of elastic over the top, plus a fabric carrying handle.

You can pretty much stuff it to the gills with five enclosed plastic storage containers (they come with the deluxe version) that stack up perfectly. And if you do pack it full (I wouldn't know from that - my kids eat pretty much nothing), there's still room for a water bottle on top since you can slide it right under the elastic and it will fit nicely in the little concave well.

My 4 year-old had no trouble opening and closing the containers by herself, but the plastic top would definitely require the help of a parent or a teacher to get it on correctly. So it's probably not the best solution for a preschooler, but for an older grade-schooler--or even her lunch-toting parents--it looks pretty darn swanky. -Liz

Find the Oots Lunchbox online at MadeByOots.com

Congratulations to Darra B, lucky winner of an orange Oots lunch box!

This just in: We've featured even more kid-friendly, eco-friendly lunch container options in our 2009 Back to School Shopping Guide!