How to Choose the Right Size for Custom Lunch Boxes

The wrong size is the most common reason lunch boxes fail. Here's how to measure, what clearance to allow and which sizes Australian businesses order most.

This guide is for caterers, corporate kitchens, meal prep brands and event planners looking at custom lunch boxes. It covers what matters most before you order, with practical examples from Australian food businesses.

What are custom lunch boxes?

Custom lunch boxes are food-grade boxes made to your size, structure and artwork instead of picked from a generic range. They are used for corporate lunches, school events, tour groups and conference meals, and they are a staple for caterers, corporate kitchens, meal prep brands and event planners across Australia.

Handle lunch boxes are easy to hand out at events and carry one-handed. That practical detail matters because a box that fails in transit costs you the food, the customer's goodwill and often a refund. A well-made box does the opposite: it protects the product, carries your brand into homes and offices, and gives people a reason to remember where the food came from.

You can see standard sizes and options on our Lunch Boxes page, or browse the wider range of catering & meal boxes.

How big should your lunch boxes be?

These are the sizes customers ask for most often. They are a good starting point, but every box can be made to your exact dimensions.

As a rule, allow 5 to 10 mm of clearance on each side of the food and more on top if it has icing, toppings or a domed shape. Too much space lets food slide around; too little crushes it or smears it on the lid.

How to measure for lunch boxes

Getting the size right is the single biggest factor in whether your lunch boxes work. Follow these steps before you request a quote:

1. Measure the largest item you will pack at its widest, deepest and tallest points, including toppings, garnishes or packaging it sits in.
2. Add clearance: 5 to 10 mm on the sides, and 10 to 20 mm on top for anything soft, iced or domed.
3. Decide whether several items share one box, and measure them laid out the way staff will pack them.
4. Write the measurements as length x width x depth in millimetres, measured on the inside of the box.
5. Ask for a plain sample or a printed dieline to check the fit before the full run.

Inside dimensions are what matter for the food. We convert them to the outside dimensions and board allowance when we draw the dieline.

Choosing a style for your lunch boxes

The structure of the box decides how fast it folds, how well it protects the food and how it looks when opened. These are the styles we make most often for lunch boxes:

• Handle box: A built-in handle means customers can carry the order one-handed without a bag.
• Tuck lid box: A lifting lid gives easy access and keeps the top of the food clear.
• Compartment tray: Separate compartments keep different foods apart until they are eaten.

If none of these fits, we can combine features, for example adding a window to a tuck box or an insert to a lid-and-base box. Your dieline is drawn around the food, so the finished box fits properly.

Keeping food fresh in lunch boxes

Keep wet and dry items apart with inserts or separate compartments, and add dressings at the last step. The box should protect the food without trapping the things that ruin it.

• Use vent holes for hot, crisp or steamed food.
• Use a barrier coating or liner where there is oil, sauce or moisture.
• Use inserts where individual pieces could slide into each other.
• Store flat, unused boxes somewhere dry and out of direct sunlight. Humidity in places like Brisbane and Darwin can soften board before it is ever used.

Handle lunch boxes are easy to hand out at events and carry one-handed.

What goes wrong, and how to avoid it

Most problems with lunch boxes can be traced back to a handful of decisions made at the ordering stage:

• Guessing the size instead of measuring the actual food with toppings and packaging.
• Ignoring dressing leaks, weight of full platters, which can stain or weaken boxes that look perfect on the proof.
• Skipping the proof check: typos and phone numbers are the classic errors.
• Ordering too close to peak season. Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day fill print schedules early.
• Over-finishing a box that will be thrown away within the hour.
• Forgetting spares for mis-folds, samples and busy weeks.

A five-minute check of these points saves weeks of reprinting.

What affects the price of lunch boxes?

There's no single price for custom lunch boxes, because every quote is built from a few variables:

• Quantity: the unit price falls quickly as runs get bigger, because setup costs are shared across more boxes.
• Size and board: bigger boxes and thicker or corrugated board use more material.
• Print: the number of colours, printing inside and out, and whether you need exact Pantone matches.
• Finishes: foil, spot UV, embossing and windows each add a step.
• Inserts and tooling: a new cutting die is a one-off cost for a new shape.
• Freight: boxes ship flat, but delivery to regional areas costs more than metro.

The easiest saving is to standardise sizes across your range and reuse the same dieline for seasonal artwork.

From quote to delivery

Ordering lunch boxes is simple, and you see a proof before anything is printed.

1. Request a quote with your size, quantity and any style ideas using our quote form.
2. Get a dieline: a flat template of your box showing folds, cuts and print areas.
3. Add artwork: send your own, or ask our team to lay out your logo and details.
4. Approve the proof: check spelling, colours and positions carefully.
5. Production: printing, finishing, cutting and gluing, typically 10–15 business days.
6. Delivery: boxes arrive flat-packed, ready to fold.

Not sure how a dieline works? Read how to read a packaging dieline.

Frequently asked questions about lunch boxes

Final thoughts

The best lunch boxes are the ones that fit the food, suit the way your team works and look like they belong to your brand. Measure carefully, choose board for the conditions the box will face, and keep the design clear and consistent.

When you're ready, see the full specification on our Lunch Boxes page or request a free quote. We'll send a dieline and price for your exact size.