Top 3 best meal prep bags in 2023:
- Top Pick: Baloray Tote Lunch Bag
- Runner-Up: MAZFORCE Original Lunch Box Insulated Lunch Bag
- Budget Pick: MIER 2 Compartment Lunch Bag for Men Women
Meal prep is gathering more followers. The culprit behind this – the growing number of people leading a healthy lifestyle. Thousands of people are investing more on their health. With this trend, many are forking more resources into things that help them live a healthier life.
Looking into Google search rankings will give you results like best diets, best exercise to stay healthy and best meal prep bags. The last one is equally as important as the first two.
Meal preparation is how people are battling against under – and overeating. It serves as a way for them to check whether they are getting the right amount of vitamins, minerals and other essential components into the body.
In this article, we will introduce you to factors driving people to invest into meal prep bags, features that make up the perfect meal prep bag for you and the top five products in the market.
Why Invest On A Meal Prep Bag?
Meal prep bags are basically lunch boxes for the big boys and girls. Well, this bag is composed of a bag with several food containers insider. These containers hold food that was prepared in advanced and can simply be popped into the microwave before eating.
However, these containers and meal prep bags, in general, are more than glorified lunch boxes.
Factors To Look For In A Meal Prep Bag
There are several options for your meal prep bag out in the market. Each of them offering something that differentiate them from their competitors. With that said, how can you decide which is the right one for you?
This section will help you decide after looking into factors that could impact your decision.
1. Insulation
No one wants to eat cold food, right? Insulation should be the first thing you should look for in a meal prep bag. Each of the companies producing lunch bags offer their own unique approach to keeping your food warm or cold throughout the day. Go for the bag that offers the longest time in keeping your food warm or cold.
Additionally, think whether you want your food cold or warm. This is an important factor to check as there are meal prep bags that only keeps your food cold.
2. Size
Size do matter. Well, at least it does for lunch bags. Meal prep bags should come at a size that fits all your packed meal that could at least last you a day. As each bag comes with its own unique take to packing your food, each brand also incorporates unique storage designs into its products. An example of this is when they maximize the sides or the back portion of the bag to provide additional storage.
3. Materials Used
The meal prep bag’s material is an important factor especially when you want to use it for a long time. Each brand incorporates their own take on materials used in their products. The most recommended is to go for lunch bags that is made with high caliber and top-quality materials like nylon.
It also does not hurt if the materials used are free from any substance that might contaminate your food. Check whether if the bag is free from lead, bisphenol A, PVC and formaldehyde.
4. Design
Design makes or breaks any products, including meal prep bags. A nicely designed bag does not only make it easily fit with your bag or wherever you are heading, it is also important so that it can have sufficient storage to fit everything and be easily carried around.
It is recommended to get a meal prep bag that comes with a top handle, which can be gripped or easily attached to another bag or stroller. The handle should also be sturdy so that it won’t easily fall off due to the heavy weight of the bag.
Additionally, there are some brands that thinks out of the box and incorporate weird but useful ideas to increase storage. An example of this is adding pouches to the side to fit a water bottle or your protein shaker.
6. Price
Price – what can we say ‘bout it? It’s definitely the first thing I consider when I’m buying anything. So, do I need say more?
An ideal meal prep bag is something that brings the buck for your money. This mean that what the bag offers should be at par with its price tag. It should be filled with all essentials expected in a meal prep bag. With various manufacturers competing in this segment, I am sure you can find something that can fit your budget and your needs. Remember, it is best to spend wise rather than buy something expensive and useless.
5 Best Meal Prep Bags In 2023: Detailed Reviews
With more people going healthy, businesses are the first to take notice. It is the reason behind the growing number of meal prep bags in the market. This section will narrow it down to the best five meal prep bags.
1. MIER 2 Compartment Lunch Bag for Men Women
The Mier 2 Compartment Lunch Bag promises durability on top of keeping your food hot or cold whenever you’re heading out. The company claims that its meal prep bags are capable of delivering what it promises due to materials used and its detailed construction.
True enough, the Mier 2 Compartment Lunch Bag was made with an exterior fabric that could last a long time, an easy grip top handle and a removable shoulder strap for easy carrying. It also comes with U-shaped top cover for easy access of containers in the meal prep bag. The top cover is joined to the whole body with a durable zipper and buckles from the Mier brand.
In terms of space, the bag has two compartments. It is ideal when you want to separate your cold food from hot ones or the dry food from the those with liquid. However, it does not come with removable zipper divider. The good news is that the bottom part of the Mier 2 Compartment Lunch Bag is made with materials making it leakproof, an ideal space for storing liquid foods like soups and stews.
The bag also comes in different colors. The fashionista in you should be comforted that it does not only come in bright red, but also in black and navy blue.
The Mier 2 Compartment Lunch Bag is for those who likes to go to the office or school with hot or cold food or drinks. Its construction and the materials used makes it also ideal for kids who like to drag their lunch bags on the floor while walking home.
2. PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag
PackIt is a brand known for its products ensuring that you’ll get fresh lunch, dinner or snack anytime, anywhere. Its approach to lunch bag design is also what makes it stand out among its competitors.
The Freezable Lunch Bag lives up to the PackIt brand. The bag stands out from other meal prep bags out there due to its unique freezing technology. PackIt integrated a freezing gel into the bag so there is no need for you to invest more on a separate ice pack or gel bag.
This feature also makes it as the perfect container for storing cold foods, it also comes in the right size to pack foods like fruits, dairy and vegetables. Being a freezable bag, it is great for people who want to keep their fresh produce staying fresh even after a long trek or a drive across the country.
The PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag does not stop with its freezable feature. It was also made in a way to make it last a long time and frequent use. To keep food cool, it comes with a zip top closure. It can also be easily attached to a bag with its buckle handle. The meal prep bag’s detachable handle can be tagged to a stroller, another bag or tote bags.
If you are worried about chemicals contained in PackIt’s patented cooling technology, the brand claims it is free from anything that may contaminate your food. This bag is certified made from nonpolytoxic canvas and is free from PVC, formaldehyade, and lead.
The Freezable Lunch Bag from PackIt is the right meal prep bag for those who want to eat fresh fruits and vegetables when a fridge is not accessible to store their food. The fact that the bag comes in a wide variety of designs is an added factor. It makes it easier to buy one for you and the whole family.
3. MAZFORCE Original Lunch Box Insulated Lunch Bag
This meal prep bag is for those who want something stylish and compact. The Mazforce Original Lunch Bag prides itself as a tough and spacious lunch bag for adults. Designed in California, the Mazforce meal prep bag’s design philosophy really is sophisticated and will not feel like an outsider inside the office or any corporate setting.
The lunch bag is made with waterproof oxford material. It also comes with insulation and is leakproof provided by the brand’s foam core technology and aluminum foil lining. It comes in Force Black color, which makes it easy to pair with any bag or corporate attire.
The Original Lunch Box Insulated Lunch Bag does not only stand out in design. The bag is also capable in delivering space needed by any user. Its design was made to ensure that you can maximize every space in the bag. The max-efficient, expandable side water bottle holder is one testament to the genius design of this meal prep bag.
As it is made with professionals in mind, the Original Lunch Box bag also comes with features that make it easy to tag along anywhere. Portability is one reason driving people to invest in meal prep bags. This offering from Mazforce realizes that need. It was designed with a handle tough enough to be lunged around everyday whether on hand or attached to your office bag.
While professionals are the main target of this Mazforce lunch bag, it is also for those who need a compact meal prep bag that is minimal in design but has maximum space for a day’s worth of food.
4. Baloray Tote Lunch Bag
A small bag with lots of space for your food. It is the perfect description for the Tote Lunch Bag offered by Baloray to those in the market for a meal prep bag. This one stands out in this list as it is the only meal prep bag designed with women as its target market.
The Baloray Tote Lunch Bag comes in a standard lunch bag size with a design that can easily match your designer bag. The bag is made using high quality materials including a durable oxford cloth and non-toxic aluminum foil for insulating its interior.
There’s also a special insulation designed for its interior. This insulation allows the bag to keep your food warm for up to four (4) hours. Aside from its durable materials, the bag also comes with a padded handle for easy carrying, an upgraded durable smooth zipper and an easy to clean and waterproof exterior.
If you are mama or just cautious on using products treated with harmful substance, the Baloray Tote Lunch Bag claims that it is free from chemicals like bisphenol A.
This meal prep bag is for women looking to bring their own lunch to the office or school, a bag perfect and could handle food for picnic and those looking to have a bag that can serve warm food wherever they go. Those things sound a lot sweeter if you consider that this is the most affordable and dependable lunch bag for moms and kids out in the market.
5. Lokass Insulated Lunch Bag
Lokass touts itself as a brand that focuses on design and quality. That philosophy is evident in the Lokass Insulated Lunch Bag. It is made using the highest quality and most durable materials available and comes in a design that is an eye-pleaser and sophisticated.
The Insulated Lunch Bag is an all-around meal prep bag. It is ideal for children going to school, professionals bringing their packed lunch to work, families going for a weekend picnic and those who loved both the outdoors and warm food.
Its size is what makes it an ideal meal prep bag for anyone. This lunch bag from Lokass was designed with wide-open space so that you can maximize its space and fill it with everything you need. The interior was also designed to have a leakproof lining, which makes it easier to clean if there is a chance that your food or drink spilled.
This bag is made with top-grade materials. The Insulated Lunch Bag comes in high-quality nylon and an insulated lining. The combination of those make it a sturdy bag capable of storing containers filled with food and even your drinks. Lokass claims that it survived a load-shaking test it conducted on the bag. The test involved the bag being placed on a machine that shaked it irregularly about 5,000 times while it was loaded with 22 lbs worth of food.
This Lokass meal prep bag is an recommended buy for those looking for something with minimalistic design, a wide-open design interior and a insulation lining capable of keeping food or drinks warm or cold for about 6.5 hours.
Conclusion – What Is The Best Meal Prep Bag?
An ideal meal prep bag is something capable of holding all your food together and keeping it warm or cold until you are ready to eat. Size, design, insulation and price are some of the important factors to consider before buying one. It is best to settle on a lunch bag that balances all those plus more to take advantage of your investment.
Given all those, the Baloray Tote Lunch Bag is the best meal prep bag in this list. It offers all what you need in a lunch bag. It comes with a great design, is made with high-quality materials, small yet spacious enough to fit all your food, and on top of all those, is the most affordable product out there. One drawback for this lunch bag is that it primarily targets women and children, especially moms. Its design while great are more feminine and colorful, which might not be to others’ liking.
Men, or other minimalistic-loving individuals, looking for a meal prep bag not comfortable using the lunch bag from Baloray should not worry. The Mazforce Original Lunch Box is a runner up in this list. While not as affordable as the Baloray meal prep bag, it does have something extra to compensate for its higher asking price. It does have a professional-looking design, a dependable detachable buckle handle, and comes with the company’s unique approach to keeping your food warm.
Investing in a meal prep bag is a serious task. Research and planning in advance will ensure that you are getting a product that is capable of fulfilling all your meal prep needs while staying low-cost.
