If you’re in the market for a plastic, bento-style lunchbox I’ll be breaking down two similar lunchboxes that I’ve researched and purchased for J.
What I own: MunchBox Maxi 6 and YumBox Panino
It’s very tempting to purchase one of the Yumbox Originals since the interior designs are so beautiful. But since we already owned the MunchBox, I needed something that can easily fit a whole sandwich (or main) in 1 compartment.
Now for the comparison between YumBox & MunchBox
Visually off the bat, the two boxes are very similar in style. They both made with ABS (exterior box), Tritan (tray), and silicone (seal) – plus feature an easy to open latch.
Similar to YumBox, Munchbox is bento box that can be used with 5 other interchangeable trays. The names were a bit confusing to me (Mini4, Midi5, Maxi6, Mega3 or Mega4) because it made me think that the bento boxes were actually different sizes, when really they are referring to the actual compartment sizes.
Quality
Both boxes appear to be pretty well made.
I do notice a slight difference between the exterior box. The YumBox has this hard to pinpoint superior quality to it. It feels a little more substantial when felt in the hands. For the two boxes I have, Yumbox also has a more tight close on the sides. But I haven’t experienced any issues with the opening and closing with either box.
The tray in the Yumbox hands down fits more snug with its exterior tray. So you can basically hold the box upside down and it won’t come falling out – I have found that when you open the MunchBox sometimes you can accidentally lift out the tray but it seems to work fine with our JKer. I’ve taught my son to keep the box upright (where he can see the logo & name tag), then open it carefully. Overall the quality of the tray looks and feel very similar.
(Extra Points for YumBox here)
Size & Capacity
The size of the outer box varies slightly for both the snack and main bento size – where Munchbox is larger overall in both surface area and height. Which in the end makes quite a difference when it comes to the capacity of food it can take on.
Even though we have the MunchBox Maxi 6, I was still able to cut a sandwich 4 ways and stacked it standing in two separate compartments. Because of the extra height, that made it possible. Whereas if you have the YumBox original, it won’t be great for sandwiches unless you’re cutting them to fit.
Although the compartments look very similar, the height makes a difference. For us, it was a big win that it can fit a yogurt drink in the blue “dairy” section. The YumBox container is too short to be able to close with one inside.
If your child is a strong eater or you’re looking for something that can grow with your child, I think the Munchbox might last a little longer since it can fit up to 5 cups of food vs 3 cups.
| YumBox | MunchBox | |
| Snack – Dimensions | 5.8 x 4 x 2″ (Mini Snack) 14.7 x 10 x 5 cm | 6.3 x 4.3 x 2.4″ 16 x 11 x 6 cm |
| Snack – Capacity | 1.2 cups | 2 cups+ |
| Original (Main) – Dimensions | 8.5 x 6 x 1.8″ (Original/Presto) 21.5 x 15 x 4.5 cm 9.5 x 6.9 x 1.8″ (Tapas) 24 x 17.5 x 4.5 cm | 8.7 x 6.3 x 2.4″ 22 x 16 x 6 cm |
| Original (Main) | 2.8 – 3.1 cups (Original/Presto) 4.2 cups (Tapas) | 5 cups |
Extra points for Munchbox here. We like how you can fill it more to grow with child and another extra point for being able to fit a yogurt drink.
Colour & Design
This one is more subjective as they both offer a variety of fun colours with different interior graphics. YumBox changes up colours and interior designs (not sure how frequently), whereas I think MunchBox has the same selection.
MunchBox only comes in two sizes, so the main style has a variety of interchangeable trays that you can choose from. This could be more cost effective if you want to share an outer tray and switch up the interior based on the meal that day.
Cost
| YumBox | MunchBox | |
| Snack | $30 (Mini Snack) | $45 (includes extra tray) |
| Main | $43 (Original/Panino) | $43 |
| Stainless | $55 (Presto) | – |
| Large | $49 (Tapas) |
Summary
| YumBox | MunchBox | |
| The Good | Snug tray Offers 3 different sizes Beautiful Exterior colours Tray includes variety of designs | Offers two sizes with interchangeable trays Beautiful bold colours Some trays list out examples for each food group Can purchase replacement latch Can fit a yogurt drink (Activia, Danino) |
| Not so Good | Can’t purchase replacement latch | Tray does not fit snugly – can easily lift out of exterior box |
End of the day many things comes down to personal preference and what you decide to pack for lunch. Both boxes have a similar latch so they are easy to open. For younger children, I still prefer the version with more compartments so that they can have access to a variety of food -especially for those who are a little picky.
After almost a whole school year, we find that we actually reach for the Munchbox Maxi 6 the most.
Looking into a straw cup? Check out our previous article:
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