Buy a lunch tote that could pass as a handbag

The easiest way to not look like a kindergartner is to buy an insulated lunch tote that looks like a regular bag, not a lunch box.

Skip anything with a hard plastic shell, cartoonish prints, or a clamshell zipper that screams “packed by mom.” The trick is neoprene or softly structured tote-style bags from brands like Dagne Dover, MZ Wallace, or Calpak. They’re basically handbags with insulation inside. They sit flat against the side of your work tote, take up almost no room, and don’t draw attention when you carry them to the break room.

If you already have a tote you love, you don’t even need a new lunch bag. Just get a flat insulated insert or thermal pouch for your food and drop it in the bag you already carry. Same effect, less money, nothing extra to hold.

The hard part is resisting the cute ones. You’re an adult eating at your desk; the bag should be too.