Been packing lunches for my kids for years and made every mistake in the book. Here's what I learned the hard way:

1. Packing hot food next to cold food. That warm pasta heats up the yogurt. Separate compartments or separate containers — always.

2. Using ice packs that are too small. One tiny ice pack doesn't cut it for a full lunch box. You need enough cooling to last 4-5 hours.

3. Cutting fruit too early. Apples and bananas brown fast. Either cut them morning-of or use a squeeze of lemon juice to keep them fresh.

4. Ignoring the seal. If your lunch box lid doesn't seal tight, air gets in and everything dries out or goes soggy. A good seal is non-negotiable.

5. Overcomplicating it. Kids don't need a Pinterest-worthy bento. They need food they'll actually eat, kept fresh. Simple wins.

That's literally why I built MealBox — separate compartments, proper seal, keeps food at the right temp. Nothing fancy, just works.