A lunchbox is a container designed to carry food from home to school, work, or anywhere else you need to eat during the day. Most lunchboxes have a handle for easy carrying and are made to keep food fresh and protected until lunchtime.

The classic metal lunchbox became hugely popular in American schools during the 1950s and 1960s, often decorated with cartoon characters, superheroes, or TV shows. Kids would proudly carry their favorite designs, trading up for new ones each school year. Today's lunchboxes come in soft insulated bags, hard plastic cases, or traditional metal boxes, and many include ice packs to keep food cold.

Packing a lunchbox involves thinking ahead: choosing foods that won't spoil, won't get squished, and will still taste good hours later. A sandwich might be perfect, but a bowl of cereal with milk probably isn't. Some families pack elaborate bento box-style lunches with separate compartments for different foods, while others keep it simple with a sandwich, an apple, and some crackers.

The term can also describe the contents themselves. If someone asks, “What's in your lunchbox today?” they're asking about your lunch, not literally about the container.