Skip the bento boxes

You don’t need a fancy lunch box — a small screw-top container with a silicone gasket is your best bet for yogurt and dips in a backpack.

The reason is the lid. Bentos with flip-clips and push-button latches look secure, but they can pop open when your bag gets shoved around. A threaded lid, like on small glass meal-prep containers, physically cannot pop off. Even if the seal gets jostled, the threads hold it down.

Look for the little dip-size round ones, about 1/2 to 1 cup. Glasslock, Pyrex Snapware, and even cheap ball-style glass jars with plastic lids all work. Just leave a little headspace before closing — overfilling can push the gasket out and cause leaks. Plastic is safer for backpacks, but glass doesn’t hold yogurt smells.

Trust the screw lid. Your backpack will thank you.