 | LunchBots Uno Stainless Steel /Food Container,Blue
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $9.99 Made entirely of stainless steel. Uno is 6.5" by 4.5" by 1.75"; Duo is the same size but divided into two compartments; the larger Eco has one compartment and the smaller Pico has two. Some complaints about rough/sharp points on the Duo and Pico.
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 | New Wave Enviro Stainless Steel Food Container
Buy new: $12.41 Dimensions 6" by 4 1/2" by 3 1/2". Reviewer J. Butler recommends it for children 8 or older, since the metal clasps are pretty tight (main reason I did not include To Go Ware stainless steel food carriers/tiffins on this list). BTW, New Wave also makes stainless steel sport bottles.
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 | Oval Stainless Steel Lunch Box System
Buy new: $20.00 See the excellent comparison review by "new mom" on the Amazon product page. There is also a full "Eco-Lunchbox Kit" with matching bag, napkins and bamboo utensils but (as of 11/2009) it costs $30 more and the bag does not seem to insulate very well.
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 | Emsa E503473 Clip and Close Rectangular Food-Storage Container with Lid and 2 Removable Inserts
Less expensive alternative, small enough to fit into most lunchboxes, and flexible because the two removable inserts. Emsa also offers lots of other sizes, including a larger container with 3 inserts.
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 | Skip Hop Palette Plate Extra Bowls
Buy new: $7.99 Lidded bowls this small (for snacks) are hard to find. For babies/toddlers, check out the supercute Palette Plate that is designed to hold these. Did not spot anything on the company's Web page but the highly laudable Z Recommends site lists this, and all other Skip*Hop products, as BPA free.
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 | Kinderville Little Bites Cups Set of Four
Buy new: $13.99 Silicone is one (more expensive) alternative to plastic. I was surprised to learn that 'the jury is still out' on its use for food, but it is certainly interesting for people who want/need microwaveable containers! Four lidded storage jars were $25 (11/2009).
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 | Laptop Lunch Bento Set 2.0, Black And Magenta
Buy new: $32.90 Laptop Lunches offers products without phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) lead, or PVC. This bento set has a stainless steel fork & spoon, plastic containers with and without lids, and an informative user's guide (over 90 pages). Laptop Lunches offers other products such as stainless steel drink bottles and stainless steel (food) jars.
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 | Bento Buddies 2.0 B650-lime X-Large, Large, Medium and Small Dip Lidded Containers, Lime, Set of 4
Buy new: $12.99 These extra containers are what finally sold me on the Laptop Lunch 2.0 system: they all have lids! Use as stand-alone food storage in your own lunchbox, or add flexibility to your Laptop Lunch set. (NOTE: does not fit in the original Laptop Lunches box, just the 2.0 version.)
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 | Laptop Lunch B630 Bento System 2.0, Berry Blue
Buy new: $43.99 This set is pricey, but--in addition to the plastic containers, stainless fork & spoon, and user's guide--you get a slim 12-oz. HDPE water bottle and an insulated carrier that fits everything. The carrier is available in different colors/styles (our little one loved the playful "aliens" design). The water bottle started leaking after a few weeks of heavy usage but the carrier makes it a favorite.
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 | Zojirushi Mini Stainless Thermal Lunch Box, Green
Has 3 bowls: 1 vacuum insulated, 2 microwaveable (plastic). Bag is not terribly useful & many people use their own utensils. But this is one of the few kid-friendly bentos that, if used properly, keeps food warm. Also in metallic blue. Very small, so Zojirushi Ms. Bento may be better for older kids or when packing less "dense" foods like salads.
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 | Crocodile Creek Classic Lunchbox - Solar System 10" x 7.5"
Buy new: $16.99 Lead-free, PVC-free. Several other designs avilable, too. It's really hard to find lunchboxes of this type that have colorful designs for kids and are also listed as PVC-free.
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 | Crocodile Creek 13.5 oz 13.5 oz Stainless Steel Reusable Drinking Bottle - Solar System
Buy new: $15.25 One of several Crocodile Creek designs, and small enough to fit in a lunchbox. Made of stainless steel but one reviewer said the paint is not 100% lead free. Also some people had issues with leaking.
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 | To-Go Ware Large Sidekick Snack Container
Buy new: $7.49 One-cup capacity, diameter 3.5" and 2" high. There is a smaller half-cup version 2.5" in diameter, which---though it is not advertised as 100% leakproof---has been used successfully by some folks for salad dressing and the like.
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 | Thermos Nissan 10 Ounce Stainless Steel Food Container
Buy new: $20.85 / Used from: $11.19 One way to keep foods warm when there is no microwave available. Not as colorful as the popular Funtainer and Foogoo food jars by the same company, but not having a plastic base also means that it cannot crack or come off (see the reports on those at ZRecommends).
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