PackIt Freezable Lunch Box review | CNN Underscored

Oct 16, 2024

As a home editor who has been meal prepping for nearly a decade, I have a lot of opinions on products like kitchen gadgets, food storage containers and even lunch boxes. I spent years attempting to stuff my lunch directly in my work tote — which never worked out for a variety of reasons — before I realized I simply needed a separate lunch bag.

But since so many lunch boxes and bags are designed for kids, I had a hard time finding one that wouldn’t ruin my outfit or make me feel like a middle schooler. So when I found out that PackIt — a brand that makes freezable lunch bags — also had a few adult-friendly styles, I had to get my hands on one. And the PackIt Freezable Hampton Lunch Bag immediately caught my eye.

What really makes this lunch bag stand out is that it has built-in ice packs that keep my food cold until lunchtime. It’s stylish enough to bring to the office (I have the black grid pattern) and easy to carry with its shoulder straps. I also appreciate that there's an exterior pocket for napkins and utensils.

I have a 45-minute commute, but I often make a couple stops at press events before heading into the office for the day. I hated the idea of my food being out for so long, which is why an insulated lunch bag was important to me.

The Hampton tote, like all of PackIt’s lunch boxes, takes it a step further. It has built-in ice packs that keep your food cold for hours, eliminating the need for separate ice packs. The entire lunch bag is freezable and collapsible (it folds up pretty flat and doesn’t take up much space), so I simply pop it in the freezer overnight. By the morning, it’s fully frozen and ready to go.

The PackIt lunch bag keeps my food cold for a while, but I usually transfer my meal prep containers to the office fridge as long as there’s space. Depending on your schedule, you might even be able to skip the office fridge altogether — especially if you’re just packing lunch. If you eat late or want your mid-afternoon snacks to stay cold too, I definitely recommend putting them in the fridge at some point. By the end of my workday, the lunch bag isn’t frozen anymore — but that’s to be expected.

Since I’m so thorough with my meal planning, I bring a lot of food with me to the office so that I don’t get hungry and end up snacking on something that will probably make my stomach hurt. I typically bring breakfast (usually overnight oats), lunch (in a 3- or 4-cup meal prep container) and a snack or two. The Hampton lunch bag fits all of it — usually with room for more. I often squeeze my water bottle in there during my commute too so it’s one less thing I have to carry.

A big issue I have with other lunch bags is that my 4-cup containers don’t fit without having to turn them on their side, which I try to avoid to prevent spills (more on this later). But this isn’t an issue with the PackIt; all of my containers fit comfortably upright inside it.

Even though I’m careful, sometimes spills are practically inevitable. Luckily, I never have to worry about the occasional leak because the PackIt’s interior is easy to wipe clean. One time, I put my travel coffee mug, which still had some coffee inside, in the lunch bag and ended up with coffee sloshing around. There was no leakage from the bag, so I had no idea there was a spill until I opened the zipper to put my lunch away. The best part is that it was super easy to wipe down with a damp paper towel (but you could also use a disinfecting wipe for grosser messes).

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A lot of lunch bags on the market — even the ones supposedly designed for adults — come in bright colors and patterns that can seem childish. That’s exactly why I love the minimalist black grid pattern this lunch tote comes in — it’s more fun than plain black (though that’s an option too) and it doesn’t scream “lunch bag.”

And whenever someone does ask me about it, I tell them it’s my lunch bag and that I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to bring their own lunch to work. (In fact, my mom bought one for herself when she saw that I wrote about it being on sale last Prime Day.)

Plus, the Hampton lunch bag is super easy to carry around, even when I can’t get a seat on the train or am walking all over the city for events. It has straps that are long enough to put over my shoulder, so I can keep my hands free for more important things — without trying to stuff it into my already-heavy backpack.

As I mentioned earlier, I love the way this lunch bag looks. But if there’s one thing I think the brand can improve on, it’s adding even more mature colors and patterns to the lineup. I’d also love to see other types of fabrics and textures in the future. For example, I would immediately purchase a faux leather version of this lunch bag. (Modern Picnic, another adult lunch box brand, has styles available in eye-catching materials like vegan leather and wicker, though they aren’t freezable. I haven’t tried this brand myself, but its prices are steep: Its standard lunch bag is more than five times the price of the PackIt Hampton.)

I think the PackIt Hampton is perfect for adults who bring their lunch to work (or want to start bringing lunch to work more often). The freezable walls eliminate the need for separate ice packs, meaning there’s one less thing to keep track of. Plus, you won’t mind carrying it around thanks to its stylish design and long shoulder straps. This lunch bag would also be great for teens and college students who want to save money by bringing their own food to school or class.

And you don’t have to stop at using it for work and school — I’ve also brought mine on picnics and beach days to keep my water bottles and sandwiches nice and cool. So if you’re trying to cook at home more often, I highly recommend getting this lunch bag that makes it so much easier to bring your food to work, school and more.

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