How We Carry Ourselves by Emma Smith
When I opened my colorful and glittery lunchbox to see what sort of goodies my mom had packed me for the day was a highlight of my early elementary school years. I loved having an obnoxiously colored bag to contrast my boring school-issued uniform. Starting in fourth grade lunchboxes no longer reflected my interests, but the interests of the girls in my grade. The color and glitter turned into Vera Bradley and lululemon bags, the whimsy and childhood magic of lunchtime soon dwindled to gossip and judgement. Lunchboxes were no longer a form of individualism, but rather another object used to blend in. From a worker’s solution to self-expression for elementary school students, lunchboxes have transformed lunchtime for years and across cultures, proving to have a truly universal significance. In this essay, I will explore how lunchboxes came to be, what they mean to the people who use them, and how they contribute to societal perception.
Beginning in the nineteenth century, western lunchboxes got their start for keeping the working man’s mid-day meal safe. Oftentimes, men who worked in coal mines or as a contractor could have their lunch subjected to all sorts of hazards. They started to use metal lunchpails to protect the contents inside. The concept of a lunchpail worked perfectly for other daily duties like early education, “Around the 1880s, school children who wanted to emulate their daddies fashioned similar caddies out of empty cookie or tobacco tins,” (Bramen 2012). The lunchpails usefulness for its ability to easily transport food was apparent for lunchtime at work, and children who wanted to be like their parents found their own versions as some of the first school lunchboxes. The re-used metal containers proved popular amongst a younger age group for their mealtimes and then later became a new product. Soon enough the commercialization of these new products that paved its way through the U.S. found its way to lunchboxes. In the mid 1930’s characters like Mickey Mouse graced the top of the box, then in the fifties, almost any trendy cartoon character on a lunchbox were all the rage. American children wanted to express themselves with their favorite show, movie, and pop-culture characters. Using the carrying-case to show their classmates what they liked, school-aged children now had a new way of expressing themselves and connecting with peers. In different cultures, Bento boxes are one of the ways that the food inside is more of the expression as opposed to the cartoonish outward designs of the west.
Across the globe, lunchboxes have taken various forms, but their purpose remains the same. From bento boxes to banana leaves, how humanity transports food differs based on their culture. Japanese bento’s date back as far as the 12th century and reflect an artistic lunch culture, that splits the meal into several compartments. While different characters may be popular in Japan, children have a way of implementing their favorites on or in their container. While I may have chosen a My Little Pony lunchbox, I was united with so many other children in choosing a box with characters that I was drawn to. I was even connected across nations by using my box to display to the world that I loved My Little Pony, the same way other kids were showing their classmates what they liked. A manufactured container is not the only way some transport their lunches. Children from some rural areas of the Philippines, bring “…rice and dried fish wrapped in banana leaves, which double as plates when unwrapped,” (Schaus 2025). This is a testament to the needs of some rural Filipino communities and what they have access to. While to some it may seem like a lunchbox has to look a certain way. Banana leaves are just as much a lunchbox as western ones, as their purpose remains the same, “What counts as a lunchbox – and what goes in it – is shaped just as much by climate and culture as it is by routine,” (Schaus 2025). The routine being that while the contents of the container may differ daily, the lunchbox in whatever form remains the same. Each lunchbox has stories and memories behind it, and each one may hold a piece of whoever is carrying it. Whether that reflect the intricately designed meals in bento boxes, cultural foods wrapped in banana leaves, or sandwiches in My Little Pony lunchboxes, the transporting of lunchtime foods has become a staple of life.
I personally can recall the notes my mom would leave me sometimes in my lunchbox, they were heartfelt and made me feel special. As I grew older, I started getting embarrassed by things like handwritten notes and sparkly lunchboxes. My peers had started to take that seemingly mandatory shift into being “too cool” for those childish notions. Wanting to avoid scrutiny, I joined in and traded in my chosen characters and vibrant hues for socially acceptable Vera Bradley designs. While still fun, I missed the easiness of picking school supplies, where fear of judgment wasn’t on the list.
Being perceived as an outsider by my classmates consumed my pre-teen mind. The idea of being seen as “weird” or “different” was akin to a death sentence. The story of 10-year-old Ryker who brought a lunchbox that suited his interests, and got teased as a result, hits close to home. The young boy was ridiculed for having a lunchbox featuring a galaxy and cats. His older cousin David Pendragon notes, “He loves cats and he loves space so [his mom] got him this cool lunch box,” (Adams 2018). Pendragon showed support by bringing the same container to his workplace, where he was also judged before explaining what his purpose was. This example of Pendragon having to explain to his colleagues about the lunchbox proves that social judgement is something that effects all age groups, but pre-teens and adolescents may feel it the most. Ryker being taunted for his interests that he chose to show on his lunchbox, is an example of just how personal other kid’s quips can feel. As a result of the taunting, he no longer wanted to bring his special lunchbox to school. The opinions of peers, especially at a young age can override our personal interests. We would rather sacrifice things that make us happy then be the outsider.
The lunchbox is a tool that has evolved from its initial origins to mean something much more. Being able to show the lunchroom who you are just by holding up your box is something that I miss from my early childhood. I miss the simplicity of those days, and I miss how unconcerned I was with what everyone else was doing or thinking. Whether I had a thermos with leftovers, or a sandwich with fruit, they would be sitting in a box that held my control, my interests. I no longer use a lunchbox and haven’t for many years. Yet right now across the planet many are using a container of their own background to transport their lunch. Showcasing through their box if they value self-expression, or if attempting to fit in is an inevitability. Regardless, lunchboxes have a global impact that cannot be denied. I give the lunchbox three and a half out of five stars.
Works Cited
Adams, Char. “Man Brings Bullied Cousin’s “Girly” Lunch Box to Work to Show “There’s No One Way to Be a Man.”” People.com, People, 5 Apr. 2018, people.com/human-interest/david-pendragon-girly-lunch-box-work/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2025.
Bramen, Lisa. “The History of the Lunch Box.” Smithsonianmag.com, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Aug. 2012, www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-of-the-lunch-box-98329938/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2025.
Schaus, Bernhard. “The History of Lunchboxes: A Journey through Culture, Chaos and Crushed Fruit.” Beyondchutney.com, Beyond Chutney, 23 June 2025, beyondchutney.com/blog/history-of-lunchboxes/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2025.