yubo Lunchbox Review

You might have seen the yubo lunch box in the hands of celebrities such as Jessica Alba and Jennifer Garner.  However, just because a product is hot with celebrities doesn't always mean it's practical enough for regular parents and kids living an everyday life.  Yubo "wanted to make the lunchbox customizable, interactive, fun, flexible, functional, washable, ecological, colorful, beautiful, and of course, very cool and loaded with personality."  The resulting product is fun, recyclable, dishwasher safe, and BPA free.  It starts at $29.95 plus shipping.  Click here to see the 1 Meal 3 Ways lunch I made in the yubo!

When I first opened the yubo package, the amount of pieces made me skeptical.  I always do real world testing, and with all of these pieces, how practical would this lunch box be?  After making numerous lunches in it, I find it simple and easy to use.  The custom ice pack (shown below) is such a great idea.  I hate trying to find room for an ice pack in other carriers.  The three leak proof food containers fit right on top of the ice pack (different size options are available).  You can pack items such as yogurt or fruit, as side dishes, and a sandwich with small snacks in the main container.  The containers give you options, but at the same time help you carefully consider what you are putting in your child's lunch.  The accessory that might be hard to get used to is the drink holder (shown below).  A bottle won't fit inside the box so a drink holder attaches to the outside (for an extra $5.95).

One feature that stands out in this lunch box is the fun factor.  yubo has made their box very customizable.  It comes with faceplates in many designs to complement the colors of the box.  However, you can also have them personalized.  They can include your child's name or you can even upload a picture that they have drawn!  The faceplates are available in horizontal (above) or their brand new vertical designs (to the left).  They easily slip in and out of the plastic panel that holds them so they can be changed to a different set when desired.

As far as durability goes, all the pieces are high quality plastic.  However, with kids (mine at least!) these will get bumped around quite a bit and might get some scuff marks with regular use.  They did hold up well in our testing.  One of the best parts of the yubo is how easy it is to clean.  You just take all the pieces apart and throw them in the dishwasher.  I love how both side panels come off so you don't get gunk stuck in the crevices!  The only thing not dishwasher safe are the faceplates.

If you can't tell, this has turned into one of my favorite lunch boxes to use.  The one drawback is the amount of pieces.  If your child has a habit of losing things, you could be ordering replacement parts for this quite often.  Regular Tupperware might work in the box, but you won't get the perfect fit that the yubo containers offer.  This could be frustrating to some parents.  Other than that, if you are looking for a FUN, easy to clean, personalized lunchbox, then you should try the yubo.  Check out getyubo.com for all the options and designs.

Disclosure: Yubo sent me this product to review.  I have received no other compensation for this post and the opinions I’m expressing here are solely my own.

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PlanetBox Shuttle Product Review

PlanetBox Shuttle Review

The PlanetBox Shuttle is the newest product in the PlanetBox line.  Planetbox desires to make all-in-one lunch containers that are durable, non-toxic, and dishwasher safe.  It sells for $39.95 on Planetbox.com.  To read more about the company and their mission scroll down to check out my review of their PlanetBox Rover.

The Shuttle is the smallest box in their line and I was skeptical at first.  It measures 7.75”x5.2”x2” and is made completely out of stainless steel with one hinge.  There are only two compartments, but a leak proof dipper container is included, as well as a magnet set to decorate the top.  Click here to see the 4th of July Simple Summer meal I made in the PlanetBox Shuttle!

When I first inspected the box, I could see it was as durable as the larger Rover, and would probably clean up as easily in the dishwasher (after testing it does).  The lunch box and dippers are dishwasher safe, but the case must be spot cleaned.  I just couldn’t figure out how I would pack more than a large snack in there! I set to work and found out that the Shuttle is actually a beautifully simple alternative to larger, more complicated lunch boxes.  I found it very easy to pack a smaller meal in this box.  The larger compartment can fit something as big as a sandwich and a small side dish, such as sliced fruit, will fit well in the other compartment.  My six-year-old daughter ate almost her whole lunch and didn’t go hungry.

The Shuttle can also be bought with a carrying case for $5 more.  The case is made to be able to match the design of the magnet set.  It has a small carry handle on the top.  There are two drawbacks with this case, however.  The first one is that it is very hard to put a normal size ice pack inside it.  This makes it almost a necessity to buy the optional PlanetBox ice pack, which does fit inside.  It also does not include a shoulder strap for those who prefer to carry bags in this manner.

The Shuttle is best suited for younger children, or those with smaller appetites.  It could also work well for snack time during a play date, day trip, or after swim lessons.  If you choose the Shuttle I recommend purchasing the case and also the ice pack.  When you factor in these two options, the total price might raise some eyebrows.  However, because of its durable build, the Shuttle should last for a very long time.  It can be purchased with case from www.planetbox.com for $39.95.

Disclosure: PlanetBox sent me this product to review.  I have received no other compensation for this post and the opinions I’m expressing here are solely my own.

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