Snug beats cushioned when it comes to cut fruit.

The best way to keep cut fruit from bruising in a lunch box is to pack it in a small, rigid container that fits the fruit snugly. The enemy isn’t the impact itself; it’s the movement after the impact. Fruit that rolls around keeps hitting the walls and itself, and that’s what turns nice slices into mushy chaos.

So, skip the giant Tupperware with a sad pile of floating melon. Look for small, hard-sided containers with tight-fitting lids — like the tiny 2- or 4-ounce glass or plastic ones you’d use for dips. Or use silicone muffin cups inside a bento-style lunch box. Those cradle the fruit against the sides, so there’s nowhere to go. Divided lunch boxes work too, because they keep the fruit in its own lane, away from the sandwich that tends to lean on everything.

If you’re stuck with one big container, the old trick of a paper towel on the bottom helps absorb moisture and gives a little cushion. But it’s a band-aid, not a real fix. The real fix is just using space better: one layer of fruit, correctly sized container, lids on tight.

Pack it snug and it’ll stay pretty. That’s honestly the whole trick.