The lunchsack problem
October 24, 2023 8:51 PM Subscribe
Every day, I bring at least breakfast and lunch with me when I leave the house. Several days a week, I also need to bring dinner. Help me find the correct lunch sack to contain all of my many delicious, nutritious, and bulky food items!
I eat breakfast after my 8.5-mile bicycle ride to work (can't eat sooner for various medical reasons, can't get up earlier because I already get up at 4:30am to be at work by 6am). I am also currently going to evening classes a couple days a week after work, so I often need to bring my dinner too.
Preferred sack:
- insulated
- waterproof (to keep spills in and rain out)
- relatively flexible so I can cram various things in there, of various different shapes and sizes
- has some sort of handle to carry it easily
- sturdy so the handle(s) won't break from me cramming so many things in there
- if it has a zipper, zipper has to be very robust for the same reason
- can ride in all weather (rain, snow, sun, etc) on my front bike rack (a generously-sized flat metal rack -- I used to carry an Igloo cooler on there, back in the day), secured by a bungee net
I typically use 2-3 oblong stainless steel bento boxes that stack on top of each other, plus some small to medium glass tupperwares. I also pack one glass jar with a banana-peanut butter smoothie in it, and a can of La Croix. If I bring soup it'll probably be in a separate old-fashioned Stanley thermos, although it would be nice to attach the lunchbox and the thermos together.
Currently I'm using the Black & Blum lunch bag. I love the form factor, and I love that it's green -- but I've had issues with sturdiness. The stitches for the clasp tore out, and the clasp then fell off, which makes it hard to use. I think the clasp stitching isn't meant to withstand me carrying the lunchbox by it like a handle. I also think it's a bit small for how much stuff I'm cramming in there, and that's pulling on the stitching as well.
Do you have a favorite lunch(+breakfast+dinner) sack that would fit these needs? (Bonus points for green, or neon yellow, or covered in cacti or octopuses or a pretty fall leaves pattern or something!)
I eat breakfast after my 8.5-mile bicycle ride to work (can't eat sooner for various medical reasons, can't get up earlier because I already get up at 4:30am to be at work by 6am). I am also currently going to evening classes a couple days a week after work, so I often need to bring my dinner too.
Preferred sack:
- insulated
- waterproof (to keep spills in and rain out)
- relatively flexible so I can cram various things in there, of various different shapes and sizes
- has some sort of handle to carry it easily
- sturdy so the handle(s) won't break from me cramming so many things in there
- if it has a zipper, zipper has to be very robust for the same reason
- can ride in all weather (rain, snow, sun, etc) on my front bike rack (a generously-sized flat metal rack -- I used to carry an Igloo cooler on there, back in the day), secured by a bungee net
I typically use 2-3 oblong stainless steel bento boxes that stack on top of each other, plus some small to medium glass tupperwares. I also pack one glass jar with a banana-peanut butter smoothie in it, and a can of La Croix. If I bring soup it'll probably be in a separate old-fashioned Stanley thermos, although it would be nice to attach the lunchbox and the thermos together.
Currently I'm using the Black & Blum lunch bag. I love the form factor, and I love that it's green -- but I've had issues with sturdiness. The stitches for the clasp tore out, and the clasp then fell off, which makes it hard to use. I think the clasp stitching isn't meant to withstand me carrying the lunchbox by it like a handle. I also think it's a bit small for how much stuff I'm cramming in there, and that's pulling on the stitching as well.
Do you have a favorite lunch(+breakfast+dinner) sack that would fit these needs? (Bonus points for green, or neon yellow, or covered in cacti or octopuses or a pretty fall leaves pattern or something!)
Response by poster: Oh! Yes! Pannier-based solutions also welcome. I have a rear rack and currently carry only one Ortleib convertible pannier (and struggle to jam my lunch sack in there), so a pannier option is a great idea.
posted by cnidaria at 9:46 PM on October 24, 2023
posted by cnidaria at 9:46 PM on October 24, 2023
Response by poster: Oh, and one more requirement: lunch transportation apparatus has to fit in a normal full-sized refrigerator without substantial finagling.
posted by cnidaria at 9:57 PM on October 24, 2023
posted by cnidaria at 9:57 PM on October 24, 2023
I own this cooler and it would work for this task. Much cheaper than the pannier option! Any generic soft-sided beverage cooler will do.
posted by shock muppet at 10:23 PM on October 24, 2023
posted by shock muppet at 10:23 PM on October 24, 2023
Best answer: As you have access to a fridge and therefore the cooling needs are limited, and as you are really looking for a transport solution (unless I have misunderstood your requirements) - going by Black & Blum's own description of the bag you use............explore the world of actual dry bags. Many options in different sizes (as a lot of standard lunch bags are going to be on the small side for your needs), with different aesthetics and a range of carrying mechanisms to choose from. Some look more kayak/camping than others.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:49 AM on October 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:49 AM on October 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
lunch transportation apparatus has to fit in a normal full-sized refrigerator without substantial finagling
That may be asking a bit much. I think you should get a holding bag that solves your transportation requirements well, and then an inner canvas or other thin material bag to pull out and place in the fridge.
When I was in NYC on the tail end of Ophelia, I noticed all the Grubhub/Doordash/Postmates bike/scooter couriers used food delivery bags, some using additional rain covers, and then they'd have the to-go bags inside, which you could replicate with reusable grocery bags or a folding backpack.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:57 AM on October 25, 2023
That may be asking a bit much. I think you should get a holding bag that solves your transportation requirements well, and then an inner canvas or other thin material bag to pull out and place in the fridge.
When I was in NYC on the tail end of Ophelia, I noticed all the Grubhub/Doordash/Postmates bike/scooter couriers used food delivery bags, some using additional rain covers, and then they'd have the to-go bags inside, which you could replicate with reusable grocery bags or a folding backpack.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:57 AM on October 25, 2023
Response by poster: Dry bag fits the bill! I'm sure there's one out there that is the size/toughness I'm looking for. Thanks for thinking outside the box (er, sack?), koahiatmamadl!
posted by cnidaria at 3:48 PM on October 27, 2023
posted by cnidaria at 3:48 PM on October 27, 2023
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posted by rockindata at 9:01 PM on October 24, 2023