What was this bucket used for?

When were the lunchboxes we know invented?

This is a lard pail! Long ago in settler-colonial days, it was used to store your lunches, so you could bring them to school or work without fear of flies or ants eating your food. If you've ever heard someone use the phrase "lunch pail," this is where it came from!

In the late 1800s, tobacco companies noticed the trend of using metal containers for lunch boxes, and began putting out decorated tobacco containers for people to reuse. By 1900, other savvy companies began to produce lunchboxes specifically for children. Their popularity exploded after World War II, when they began featuring heroes from movies and television.