Bento boxes beat lunch boxes with utensil slots.

For a lunch box that actually keeps your fork with your food, get a bento-style box — the Sistema Bento is the best value, and PlanetBox is the best if you want something that lasts.

Here’s the thing about built-in utensil slots: they sound good until you slide a normal fork in and it rattles around or falls out in your bag. The “slot” on most standard lunch boxes is a stretchy band on the front that holds a tiny plastic fork you didn’t ask for.

The Sistema Bento Box puts the slot right in the lid. Your existing fork or spoon slides in flat, stays put, and the whole thing goes in the dishwasher. It’s cheap, microwave-safe, and has enough compartments for a main and two sides. This is the one I’d tell most people to buy.

If you’d rather carry your utensils separately, PlanetBox is the only lunch box with a removable holder that’s actually decent. It’s a magnetic metal case that snaps onto the side of the box, so you can take the whole thing off and clean it without digging crud out of a groove. It holds full-size utensils, not the little novelty ones. The price hurts, but the box is stainless steel and survives being dropped.

Bentgo also makes several boxes with a utensils tray built into the top. Fine for the office, but the included utensils run small — you’ll want your own fork.

Future You not digging around the bottom of your bag for a stray spoon is worth ten bucks.