Frequently Asked Questions

• The Bento System is slightly larger than the Bento Kit.
• The Bento System has a roomier carrier, so you can fit a small drink bottle inside of the carrier. The Bento Kit has a collapsible side pouch on the outside of the tote for a drink bottle.
• The Bento System has a shoulder strap, but the Bento Kit does not.
• The Bento System is slightly more expensive than the Bento Kit.
• The Bento System comes in the following styles: Berry Blue, Purple Party, Alien, Dots, Flower, and Red. The Bento Kit comes in Daisy, Garden, Moss, Pastel, Tire Tread Plaid, Stripe and Primary.
• Both products feature a mesh pocket on the inside for an ice pack (not included).
• Both the carrier and the tote are made with 100% post-consumer recycled fabric.
• All of our bento sets contain 10% recycled content.
• All of our bento sets are free of lead, phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and PVC.

We have received a lot of feedback from customers who were not going to use our plastic bottle and thought it was very wasteful to include one in every system. Many consumers have their own stainless bottles that they prefer, so our newest carriers are roomier to accommodate other styles of bottles. They can hold the 12 ounce Kleen Kanteen or a small SIGG bottle. If you prefer our plastic bottle, those can still be ordered separately.

Yes, the water bottle sits along one edge of the Carrier and the Laptop Lunches® Bento Set sits next to it (see photo). Please note that the Totes, however, are smaller and will only hold the Bento Set and an ice pack. Our newest Carriers (Summer 2011) do not come with a plastic water bottle, but are roomier and will hold a small (12 oz) stainless Klean Kanteen bottle (sold separately). Add an ice pack (also sold separately) to the inner mesh pouch to keep your food nice and cold.

The Laptop Lunchbox was designed for cold and room temperature foods. We recommend packing it inside an insulated bag with an ice pack (available at http://secure.laptoplunches.com/AMAZING/items.asp?Cc=ICE_PACK&Bc=). To keep foods hot, consider using our small lunch jar.

The Bento Set can be kept cold by putting it in an insulated carrier with an ice pack. We sell non-toxic ice packs for $1.99. They stay frozen for a long time and fit perfectly in the mesh pocket of our carriers or directly inside a Bento Sleeve.

No. The Carrier was designed to hold the Laptop Lunch Bento Box and our plastic water bottle. However, the Large Carrier, the Dual Compartment Tote and The Bento Bag will all fit a Laptop Lunches® Bento Box, a drink bottle, and the small lunch jar. We also recommend using the Bento Sleeve with a
n non-toxic ice pack to keep cold foods fresh in the Bento Bag.

BENTO CARRIER: The Bento carrier is approximately 12 x 8 x 2.75, and comes with a 2 x 2 x 7 inch water bottle that holds 13oz.

POWER LUNCH BENTO CARRIER: The large bento carrier is 9 1/2 X 12 X 3 1/2. It comes with a 22 oz. plastic water bottle that is 9 inches tall. This item is recommended for teens and adults.

ORIGINAL BENTO SET: The outer container is approximately 9 x 7 x 2 inches.The inner containers are approximately 4.5 x 3 x 1.75 and 4.75 x 3 x 1.75 and 2 x 3 x 1.75, and 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.75 inches. This is a modular system so you can include or omit the containers as needed. The two larger containers hold 1 cup each. The two smaller containers hold 1/2 cup each.

BENTO SET 2.0: The outer container is approximately 9 x 7 x 2 1/4 inches. The inner containers are approximately 4 3/4 x 3 1/8 x 2 and 3 1/8 x 2 1/2 x 2 and 2 x 1 1/2 x 1 3/4 inches. This is a modular system so you can include or omit the containers as needed. The two larger containers hold 1 1/4 cup and 1 2/3 cup each. The two medium containers hold 3/4 and 2/3 each, and the dip container holds 1/8 cup.

The outer container will not leak if you pack your wet foods in the lidded containers. The unlidded containers are designed to accommodate dry foods such as sliced apple, cucumber, carrot and celery sticks, crackers, and pretzels. The outer container lid rests on top of the unlidded containers, so the food will not spill out.

The Laptop Lunches® Bento Set is designed to fit inside a lunchbox with a drink and an ice pack. It will fit in many soft-style lunchboxes and insulated lunch bags with dimensions over 9"X7". For the best fit, consider purchasing an Obentec carrier (as in our Systems), where you can put a small drink bottle inside, or one of our totes (as in our Bento Kits), where you can pack a small stainless or plastic bottle on the outer side pocket. If you pack a drink that needs to stay cold and you are considering a tote, we recommend purchasing the ThinkSport insulated stainless bottle.

Yes. Although we are adding and discontinuing new designs each year, you can view a PDF of most of our products HERE. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

At Obentec, Inc. we are extremely concerned about toxins in our food and in the environment. Thus we take great care to ensure that we use the safest materials available. For this reason we manufacture our lunch containers here in California using plastics (polypropylene and polyethylene) that are FDA-approved for food use. None of our products contain phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), or lead.

Most parents currently pack lunches in plastic wrap, plastic bags, and single-serve plastic packages, including PET water bottles, which are considered far less stable than their reusable counterparts. Plastic may not be the perfect solution, but it does offer a stylish, affordable, non-breakable alternative for families wishing to move from a disposable to a reusable system.

For more information on plastics, click HERE.

I assume that you're referring to the Center for Environmental Health's press release entitled "A Back to School Warning: Children’s Vinyl Lunch Boxes Can Contain Dangerous Levels of Lead." As crazy as this claim sounds, it is--unfortunately--not a hoax.

The good news is that Laptop Lunches have been thoroughly tested and are completely lead-free.

Our plastic containers are all FDA-approved for microwave use. However, some experts believe that microwaving in plastics of any kind may be hazardous. If you microwave in plastics, our containers are fine, but please use short intervals of time, so the containers do not over heat. Please also note that the lids are not microwave safe.

Yes, the bento box outer container and inner containers are dishwasher safe (top rack only, away from the heating element). Our stainless steel bottles, lunch jars, and travel flasks are not dishwasher safe. (CAUTION: Laptop Lunch containers may warp if exposed to very hot temperatures. DO NOT use heat boosters. DO NOT wash in the dishwasher on high heat.)

Yes. The outer container and inner containers are made of polypropylene and the lids are made of polyethylene. Both are recyclable but may not be collected at the curb in your area. Check with your recycling center or waste hauler to find out how you can recycle these materials in your area.

Keep in mind that these containers are built to last a long time, so it is unlikely that they will need to be recycled anytime soon!

In brief:

• The original Bento Set has two lidded containers inside the outer container, and the the Bento Set 2.0 has three.


• The original Bento Set comes with stainless utensils with plastic handles. The Bento Set 2.0 comes with all-stainless utensils.


• The Bento Set 2.0 is about 1/4-inch deeper than the original Bento Set.


• Our Bento Buddies can be used inside the Bento Set 2.0. The Bento Buddies DO NOT fit inside the original Bento Set.


• Both the original Bento Set and the Bento Set 2.0 fit in the original carrying cases and in the new Bento 2.0 carrying cases. However, the Bento Set 2.0 does not fit in the original Bento Sleeve.

Our original Bento set came with only one lid for the large food container and a lid for the dip container. We received such a large number of requests for an additional lid (for a medium sized container) that we decided to launch the next generation of Laptop Lunches® with this new feature - the 2.0 product line. We hope you like it too!

Children don't treat their Laptop Lunches the same way they treat mom's food storage containers. They hang on to them because they take pride in ownership. The Laptop Lunch container belongs to them!

The pieces fit together like a puzzle, so it's easy to see when something's missing from the set.

All of our products can be labeled with a child's name. If a piece is left at school, the adult who finds it will know who it belongs to, and will likely make sure that it's returned.

Please contact us for information on how to obtain replacement parts not found in our shopping cart.

Our Laptop Lunch bento sets, bento bags, and ice packs are made in Northern California. Our carriers, bento sleeves, water bottles, lunch jars, and travel flasks are made in China. The How to Make a Healthy Lunch DVD and the Laptop Lunch User's Guide come from Southern California.

Our unique bento sets are made of high-quality materials, and they are built to last well beyond one school year.

Laptop Lunch bento sets are manufactured in California, where labor costs are comparatively high.

Absolutely not. Our containers are made of very sturdy plastic and are built to last for years under normal use. If one of your containers has cracked, and you have not accidentally backed over it in your car, run it through the garbage disposal, or found one of your kids using it to play fetch with your dog, please contact us. We want to hear about it!

Laptop Lunch products can be purchased online by clicking HERE.

They are also available through select retailers. For a list of current retailers, visit our retail page.

If you prefer to order by mail, please use our printer-friendly order form.

Email us at info (at) obentec (dot) com to get started.

Yes. We started shipping to Canada in April 2003. Please be advised, however, that our international customers are responsible for all customs fees and import taxes imposed by their country's government. If you'd like to order directly from the UK, Australia, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, or Sweden, click on the appropriate flag at http://secure.laptoplunches.com. For all other countries, please contact us directly at info (at) obentec (dot) com, and we'll send you a shipping quote. Please be sure to tell us exactly what (an how many) you are interested in ordering when requesting a shipping quote.

Yes. We'll ship your order via the US Postal Service at no extra charge to you. If you experience problems ordering online, please let us know by sending an email to info (at) obentec (dot) com. To order by phone, call us at 831-457-0301 or fax your order to 831-430-0302.

We have a ready-to-go 2-sided flyer available at www.laptoplunches.com/articles/PackHealthyLunchesFlyer.pdf. Feel free to print it off and distribute as you see fit. Side one provides information on packing nutritious lunches. Side two covers waste-free lunch basics.

Yes, we do. Our highly popular affiliate program is designed to help you spread the word AND earn cash for your school, business, or organization.

Yes. For more information on our company policies, click HERE.