I Discovered the Best Use for the Trendy Lululemon Belt Bag, and It's Not Storing Lipstick

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Hint: Is anyone hungry?

When I was a kid, whenever I asked for a snack, one always seemed to magically appear out of a purse or a pocket. Whether I was at church or summer camp, an adult was always ready to produce a fruit leather or a juice box. As an adult, the goodwill bestowed on me by the snacking fairy has pretty much evaporated — these days if I want something to eat, I have to make it myself.

But just because I’m grown up doesn’t mean that I don’t occasionally need a quick treat. If you’re anything like me, might I suggest getting your hands on the Lululemon belt bag. This compact bag fits a wide variety of snacks that you can take on the go so that you (or your kids) never have to go hungry when you leave the house.

To buy: Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag, $38 at shop.lululemon.com

The Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag is pretty much inescapable these days — I can’t go to the beach, bar, or gym without spotting at least two people with this bag slung across their chests.

Initially, I bought it because I feel weighed down by bulky purses. This belt bag, on the other hand, is lightweight, matches nearly everything in my closet, and can easily transition from running errands during the day to a casual dinner date.

Measuring 7.5- by 2- by 5-inches (with a 1-liter volume), it comfortably fits my wallet, house keys, cellphone, sunglasses, and one lipstick. The strap length is 41.7-inches long, so there is lots of room for customization, depending on how long or short you prefer to wear it. Personally, I never wear it around my waist, strapping it tightly across my chest instead. That way I never have to reach far to quickly access whatever I need. And there are plenty of colorways to fit your personal style: It comes in dusty rose and pastel pink, as well as versatile neutrals like off-white, navy blue, and sage grey.

But recently, I made a surprising but welcome discovery while at the park with my toddler: This bag is also perfect for storing snacks. We were running around the play structure when suddenly she stopped and asked for an orange (what she really wanted was a clementine, an orange’s smaller and easier-to-peel cousin).

I found two in her stroller, peeled one for her, and thinking she’d want the other one later, I zipped it into the bag. A little while later, I pulled out the second clementine triumphantly, no need to pause playing to dig around the stroller — and suddenly I became that adult I knew from my childhood, who made delicious food appear from thin air.

Since then I have continued to store snacks in the Lululemon belt bag. Even with my wallet and phone tucked inside, it still fits two clementines and two string cheeses, or a bag of goldfish and half a banana. Sometimes (okay, pretty often) my daughter and I end up sharing the snacks I supposedly packed just for her. But it doesn’t have to be used just for kids’ snacks.

If you’re a hiker, you could easily fit a bag of trail mix or a granola bar inside. And who says you only need to pack so-called nutritious snacks? There’s space for a pack of two peanut butter cups, or a sandwich bag filled with Oreo cookies and pretzels. And I probably shouldn’t even tell you this, but this bag is ideal for sneaking 2-ounce bags of candy into the movie theater.

The point is, no matter where you are during the day, a quick bite to eat is never more than arm’s length away when you’re wearing this stylish bag. But no matter how you use it, in my opinion, the Lululemon belt bag is a wardrobe necessity — and at just $38 it's surprisingly affordable, too. Trust me, your inner child will thank you.

At the time of publishing, the price was $38. 

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