Road Test: Best Materials for Safe and Secure Food Containers

From personalized lunch bags and backpacks to plastic storage containers, Pottery Barn Kids offers a variety of secure vessels designed to make storing and transporting food easy, safe and fun. We carry containers that sport colorful patterns in varying sizes to fit the needs of your entire family. If you want to switch from disposable lunch bags to reusable containers, our guide to secure, safe lunch containers can give you a starting point. Look for containers that are made from non-toxic materials and sized perfectly for your needs.

Stainless-steel

Stainless-steel is commonly used for drinking bottles and hot/cold containers. The durability and lightweight nature of this material makes it a standout among safe lunch containers. Stainless-steel is non-reactive, doesn’t leach potentially harmful toxins and is dishwasher-safe, so you can feel good about using it for the whole family.

We offer multiple stainless-steel drinking bottles ideal for water, juice and other drinks. We make all of our stainless-steel containers from food-grade stainless steel that’s free of lead, phthalates and BPA. Pottery Barn Kids also offers a fun line of utensils in our tabletop collection. Our colorful utensils easily fits into kids’ lunch bags and are made from dishwasher-safe stainless-steel and BPA- and phthalate-free containers and handles.

Plastic

Plastic is tough, durable and washable, which is why it’s used for so many reusable food and drink containers, including our line of reusable storage containers. When it comes to safety, not all plastics are created equally. Most local recycling programs accept plastics #1 and #2, which are commonly used for disposable water bottles. Several types of plastic reportedly leach potentially unhealthy substances, including BPA, phthalates and styrene into food and drinks. Our line of reusable containers gives you an eco-friendly, durable and safe alternative. We design them from BPA-, phthalate-free Tritan, a type of plastic designed to resist scratches, stains and other damage.

Peva

We design all of our reusable lunch totes with polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA) liners. This food-safe vinyl liner is made without any plasticizers and chlorine, so you don’t need to worry about toxic substances leaching into your food. We design our lunch bags to fit our hot and cold food storage containers, with easy-to-clean interiors that make maintenance a breeze. For added security, we design our lunch totes with sturdy 600-denier polyester, which can stand up to the rough and tumble antics of even the most active kids.

Tips for choosing secure containers

Choosing containers and bottles with secure lids is essential to preventing messy spills and leaks in your little one’s backpack. Choosing containers and bottles with secure lids is essential to preventing messy spills and leaks. Look for shatterproof containers with snug lids and bottles that have an integrated stopper. We make our water bottles with vacuum-valve stoppers to minimize leaks, while the sturdy polypropylene cap stays firmly in place when you close the bottle.