Bentgo Kids Prints Lunch Bag
In the grand buffet of children's lunch bags, the Bentgo kids print lunch bag serves up a satisfying combination of form and function.
Our Verdict
Light weight, durable lunch bag with appealing designs
Load
Comfortably fit a lunch box and a few additional items
Water
Resistant
Protection against light moisture
Ergonomics
Light weight with adjustable strap adds versatility
Insulation
Food stay chilled for at least 1 hour
Our opinion reflects our personal experience with the product. We encourage you to consider our assessment alongside your own research to determine if it's the right fit for you.
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Full Review
As parents navigating the daily grind, we're constantly searching for gear that can handle our kids' adventures without falling apart. The Bentgo Kids Prints lunch bag, sporting a charming construction trucks design, has landed on our testing bench. After running it through real-world challenges that mimic a typical school day, here's our honest assessment of this lunch companion.
First Impressions
Opening the bag reveals a straightforward layout with a main section for lunch containers, a front zip pocket for bits and pieces, and a side mesh pocket that cradles a water bottle. We'll explore these features more thoroughly below.
Main compartment opens up clamshell-style.
The construction doesn't cut corners on durability or safety. Made from robust polyester, it's engineered to weather the school day battlefield – from being stuffed in lockers to bouncing around playgrounds. The materials tick all the right boxes for concerned parents, with non-toxic nylon, EVA, and polyester all certified BPA-free, meeting American Academy of Pediatrics standards for food storage.
The interior features an insulated lining that works as a temperature guardian. This foam barrier between the outer shell and inner fabric offers decent short-term cooling performance, though it won't match your weekend cooler – we'll dive into specifics in our temperature testing section.
Child-Friendliness
Where this lunch bag truly delivers is its kid-friendly approach. The main zipper features a generous pull tag that most school-aged children can manage independently. Younger ones might need help initially, but it's perfect for practicing those developing motor skills.
Its lightweight build prevents unnecessary burden on small shoulders. The adjustable, detachable strap adds carrying options that grow with your child. Worth noting though – the single-strap design doesn't distribute weight like backpack-style options, which might matter if your little one packs heavy or carries it for extended periods.
The D-rings on both ends accommodate small carabiners for attaching hand sanitizer, keychain treasures, or other lightweight items kids love. However, despite their potential for strap attachment, using them for side-carrying creates an awkward balance point – the bag tilts and swings uncomfortably. Stick with the designed top-handle carry for day-to-day use.
Storage Capabilities
The Bentgo Kids Prints lunch bag presents a thoughtful storage solution, primarily designed to house Bentgo's own bento-style containers. That said, it plays nicely with other brands' lunch boxes too, giving families flexibility in their choices.
Bag excels in organization and efficiency, it prioritizes a streamlined profile over expansive storage.
Our hands-on assessment revealed its practical capacity. It comfortably fits a standard lunch box (measuring 9 x 6.6 x 3.2 inches), a 14 oz water bottle, and a napkin. While this fills the main compartment with minimal breathing room, it covers the essentials most kids need. The storage breaks down as follows:
Main compartment: The insulated core of the bag. An interior mesh pocket creates a dedicated home for ice packs, utensils, or small snacks that need their own space.
Front zipper pocket: Though modest in size, it's perfectly sized for lunch money, napkins, notes for teachers, or flat snacks that don't need insulation.
Mesh side pocket: Engineered to secure a water bottle within easy reach. The mesh construction serves double duty – if your child's bottle leaks, water drains away rather than pooling inside and potentially damaging lunch contents.
Shake test failed! Water bottle slipped out from the mesh pocket.
Our shake test uncovered an important detail about the water bottle pocket. Taller bottles are prone to slipping out, even with the securing cord. For best results, we recommend sticking with shorter, more compact water bottles around 7-8 inches tall. This small adjustment significantly improves security during transit, preventing mid-journey escapes whether the bag is stuffed in a backpack or swinging from excited hands between classes.
Insulation Performance
The insulated interior represents a key selling point, but parents should calibrate expectations about its capabilities. Our detailed temperature testing revealed specific performance boundaries:
Testing Methodology
We conducted controlled tests using thermometers cooled to 46.4°F (standard refrigerator temperature). Tests ran at room temperature (84.2°F) under two distinct
Empty bag scenario
In this scenario, the lunch bag's internal temperature rose to 73.4°F after 15 minutes, further increased to 78.8°F at the 30-minute mark, and reached room temperature within 1 hour.
Testing the insulation feature with an empty bag.
Pre-chilled Lunch Box scenario
During the test, the temperature inside the pre-chilled lunch box rose to 64.4°F after 15 minutes, increased to 68°F at the 30-minute mark, reached 75.2°F after 1 hour, climbed to 78.8°F at 1 hour and 30 minutes, rose further to 80.6°F at the 2-hour point, and finally attained room temperature after 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Pre-chilled lunchbox did slightly better for the insulation test.
The insulated bag demonstrated moderate effectiveness, allowing a refrigerated item to warm from 46.4°F to room temperature 84.2°F over the course of one hour
The pre-chilled insulated lunch box demonstrated improved performance, maintaining temperatures below room temperature 84.2°F for 2.5 hours, with contents gradually warming from 46.4°F to 84.2°F over this period.
What This Means for Parents
The insulation works well for keeping a cold lunch cool until lunchtime, especially when used in conjunction with an ice pack. For a typical school day, where lunch is eaten within 4-5 hours of leaving home, this should be sufficient for most foods.
However, this isn't a high-grade cooler. For all-day temperature control or in very hot conditions, its capabilities may be limited. Parents sending hot lunches might want to consider using an additional thermos for soups or other foods that need to stay warm.
It's also worth noting that the effectiveness of the insulation can be impacted by how the bag is packed. A bag filled to capacity with cold items will maintain temperature better than one that's only partially full. Similarly, pre-chilling the bag (perhaps by storing it in the refrigerator overnight) can help extend its cooling capabilities.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Our testing revealed some realities about stain management. During our ketchup stain challenge, considerable elbow grease was required with cloth and detergent before the stain surrendered. The bag handles everyday cleaning well but struggles with more determined marks.
Wipe away ketchup stain both inside and outside of the bag.
For everyday upkeep, a quick wipe with a damp cloth tackles minor spills and light messes effectively. The smooth interior lining prevents food from bonding permanently, making casual spills manageable without deep cleaning. When more thorough intervention becomes necessary, the bag is machine washable on gentle cycles – a genuine lifesaver after inevitable mealtime disasters. To preserve structural integrity and insulation, air-drying trumps machine drying every time.
Parents should note that with extended use and repeated washing, the printed designs may gradually fade or show signs of peeling around the edges.
Water Resistance
While not claiming waterproof status, the Bentgo Kids lunch bag offers good water resistance. Our practical test – spraying water on the exterior while a paper napkin placed inside – resulted in a completely dry napkin, demonstrating effective protection against everyday moisture.
Spraying water on the bag containing a paper napkin.
The polyester shell efficiently repels light rain and typical spills, handling common scenarios like drink accidents or mad dashes through drizzle. This feature provides valuable reassurance for parents worried about protecting lunch contents from moisture damage.
Technical Details
Dimension
11 x 9.5 x 3.5 inch
Weight
0.9 lbs
Storage
- litres
Material
BPA-free nylon PEVA polyester
Customer Reviews
"Great size to fit my kid's Bentgo lunch box and a food thermos, plus snack bag of crackers for school. Also great for the extra pockets inside and outside, and the drink net on the side."
"My 3-year-old used this lunchbox for just a few weeks before the handle broke. The worst part is that the lunchbox goes in his backpack so it is barely ever even carried by the handle. I for sure thought that for such a well-known (and not cheap) brand, it would last longer than a few weeks. Very disappointed."
Zipper refuses to move from its place.
Loose handle stitching, handle breaks easily.
- Good size for young children – not too bulky but spacious enough for a full lunch
- Clam shell-style opening, easy for child to access their lunch box
- Adjustable strap allows for customized fit
- Durable construction
- Machine washable
- Light weight
- The bag's zipper occasionally catches, hindering smooth opening and closing
- Water bottle slip easily from the mesh pocket
- Moderate insulation performance
- Unpadded shoulder strap
Conclusions
The Bentgo kids prints lunch bag offers a mix of strengths and limitations for parents seeking a school lunch solution. Its thoughtful design accommodates essential items efficiently, though space for extras is limited. While insulation performance is adequate for typical school days, it's not comparable to high-grade coolers. Child-friendly features promote independence, while BPA-free materials ensure safety.
Overall, this lunch bag suits younger children's daily school needs well, balancing functionality and kid-appeal. However, parents of older children or those requiring additional capacity might find it limiting.
