Mum Shares Horrifying Lunchbox Discovery

A mum has shared ‘disgusting’ photos of the horrifying discovery she made while cleaning her children’s lunchboxes.

Grace Bollen, from New Zealand, posted the shocking images to Facebook as a warning to other parents, after she discovered mould inside hidden compartments in the lunchboxes.

“This is what I found. I’m absolutely appalled,” the mum wrote.

“I have strongly suggested these should not be on the shelves until a new design is created and tested,” Grace tells Be.

“I’ve been inundated with messages of mouldy lunchboxes and very disgruntled parents. I feel strongly that parents need to know these lunch boxes are not ok to be used.”

Grace went on to explain in her post that the lunchboxes were being hand washed every night and left open to dry.

The blue lunchbox has been in use for nine months, while the yellow one was a little older at 12 months.

“I feel awful that my children have been eating lunch out of these,” Grace continued.

“Don’t buy any lunchboxes that you can’t clean all parts.”

Do your children have a similar lunchbox?

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27 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 26 Oct 2022
    12:10 pm
That is really scary.

And for those on about mould in drink bottles. Soak them in milton.

- - Blossom said
  - 01 Sep 2018
    3:35 pm
have seen empty drink bottles with mould in them because the inside of them simply have not been allowed to dry out in fresh air.

- - tessie said
  - 31 Aug 2018
    9:34 am
I use the very simple boxes that can be pulled apart. I’d be horrified if I found one with mould.

- - rachel1970 said
  - 29 Aug 2018
    6:23 am
I wouldn’t even buy lunch boxes like this. My kids lunchboxes can be completely pulled apart so there are not ‘hidden’ compartments. Their water bottles get sterilised once a week as mould can build up in various nooks.

- - mom101628 said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    9:09 pm
I would have thought these lunchboxes were meant to be pulled apart to put things in all the compartments. Think I would have noticed mould in them long before 12 months was up.

- - rovermum said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    4:23 pm
Ewwww, yuk yuk yuk. Thankfully my son uses a lunch bag. This is disgusting. Thanks for sharing though. The awareness is worthwhile.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    1:31 pm
Ewww! Thankfully I don’t use one of these, my daughter uses a bag style one that I can put into the washing machine if need be.

- - Amanda Holland said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    10:50 am
Eww gross. My kids use lunch bags so they are easier to clean

- - mom176887 said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    10:07 am
I find a similar mould grows under the lid of containers… those really nice quality ones with clips at edge.. they usually have a rubber-like seal around the edge of the container too. I only recently discovered that these seals can be removed and cleaned, as well as the plastic under them! SO I’m not surprised that the lunch box with compartment/lid (can’t really see from photo) also developed such mould… just have to know how to get it all apart and clean before the rot sets in perhaps. I think it becomes a design issue when you can’t get the container apart to clean all the bits and mould etc. grows….

- - cherz said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    9:29 am
I’m confused are these lunch boxes designed to Not come apart? If so why would you purchase these. My children grew up with lunch boxes that had extra compartments but ALL could be taken out and thoroughly cleaned.

- - Garry said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    8:09 am
why have you not pulled it apart to clean it, only common sense really

- - castle said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    6:27 am
This has NOT happened over night.

- - castle said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    6:24 am
We have three children all at school never had a problem like this,Why haven’t the children noticed,We like to stay in touch with everything that concerns our kid’s.

- - musicmum said
  - 28 Aug 2018
    2:04 am
I would never use plastic containers for food. Use stainless steel, might be a bit more expensive but you will be keeping your children healthier and they are easier to clean.

- - kjgarner said
  - 27 Aug 2018
    11:41 pm
My girls have a fabric type lunchbox, just one big compartment and easy to clean