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(More customer reviews)The Laptop Lunch system combines two things. First is the American lunchbox, durable and reusable. Second is the Japanese bento, a way of quickly fitting a well-balanced meal into proper potion sizes. Both of these goals are accomplished very well in this elegant package.
On the first front, this system is incredibly durable. The inner compartments are Tupperware-style solid plastic, the lunchbox is heavy plastic, the knife and fork are real and sturdy stainless steel, the drink container is a good-quality sports bottle, and the insulating bag is the sort of material that you'd expect from quality camping gear. I was immediately impressed on opening the package- the whole system has obviously undergone thorough testing and is ready for years of use and abuse.
On the second, the system is very well-designed to accomplish a variety of meal choices. The Japanese bento comes in an infinite variety of flavors, but the basic system is supposed to adhere to a formula designed to give a perfectly-balanced meal with a minimum of effort. The proper ratio is 3 parts grain (incl. rice, pasta, bread), 2 parts vegetables, 1 part protein, with occasional fruits and fats. This box contains two small containers and two large containers, which you can add up as 3 units (large+small), 2 units (large), and 1 unit (small), satisfying the bento format. Newcomers to the field of bentos need not fear- the lunchbox is equally perfect for storing a more standard American lunch, you just have to keep in mind that American ideas about portion sizes do not line up with proper nutrition standards.
With portion sizes as a theme, this is actually a pretty big lunchbox. Filled to bento standards, which are likely to be lower in calories than most American fare, this kit can easily hold over 1,000 calories. If you're packing a Laptop Lunch for a child, you'll actually want to leave a decent amount of space open to give your kid a proper lunch in terms of calories. If you have a picky eater, there's plenty of space to pack in some variety so they can pick and choose and still get a full meal. Completely filled with some sides added in, there's plenty of room for enough food to satisy even a hard-working adult.
With obesity rates skyrocketing in America, portion control isn't just for kids, and failing to realize that is really the greatest downside to an otherwise perfect lunchtime product. The 2.0 system comes in too many kid-oriented colors and patterns, and the included instructional book (while wonderfully informative) is geared only toward parents preparing meals for kids to take to school. I'm a twenty-something adult, and my wife and I bought a pair of these for portion control reasons. Luckily we're a pretty geeky pair, so I'm fine with my powder blue and neon green and she's fine with her pink flowers, but this is clearly an obstacle for anyone taking lunch to work in a serious business environment. It is worthwhile to note that the same company has a line of "bento buddies" that lets you pick up some extra compartments to get a better overall color scheme, but it's still unfortunate that there isn't a better range of defaults out there. At the time of this review, there was an all-black bento system for sale that's pefectly executive, but at a more expensive price than the standard kit despite identical components, so I can't recommend it.
Despite my gripes about the kiddy-oriented materials, this really is a great and worthwhile investment for anyone. Families get a great system to portion out healthy meals for kids, adults get a wonderful and fun portion control system that will instantly inspire you to all sorts of creativity. You'll be amazed at how simple portion control changes your thinking about lunch, and you'll be thanking yourself for getting the Laptop Lunch kit to do it.
Note on lids: I didn't find this information in any clear spot on this website, so I'll cover it here- only three of the inner compartments have lids (counting the additional lidded dip container). That means two compartments- one large and one small- are not protected against spills. However, the compartments do tuck inside the outer lunchbox, so they're fine serving as anything that doesn't have to be completely sealed, including noodles.
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Laptop Lunch B630 Bento System 2.0, Berry BlueEmbrace the bento way of on-the-go lunching with this Bento System 2.0 set from Laptop Lunch, which is designed to help you pack nutritious, environmentally friendly lunches for school, work, and travel. This set includes an insulated carrying case in berry blue, an outer container carries 4 inner containers (2 large, 2 small) with 2 sealable lids, a dip container, stainless steel fork and spoon, and water bottle. The set also includes The Laptop Lunch User's Guide, which provides fresh ideas for making wholesome lunches that kids will love.
The removable inner containers can accommodate a variety of food sizes, and the two containers with sealable lids (1 large, 1 small) prevent wet foods from leaking onto other foods. The two larger containers have 1-1/4- and 1-2/3-cup capacities, and the two smaller containers have 3/4- and 2/3-cup capacities. The covered dip container has a 1/8-cup capacity. The water bottle has 13-ounce capacity, and it features a tight-fitting sports cap for quick hydration. Containers and lids are dishwasher safe, and the containers (but not lids) are microwave safe. Constructed of phthalate free, bisphenol-A (BPA) free, lead free, and PVC free materials. Made in the USA.
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