What was once utilised by the working classes to keep their food free of flies is now a fashion accessory—models have strutted down the runway toting The Tiffin Company's collection. Striking a pleasing balance between form and function, these tiffins were hand-painted by local artisans, and informed by traditional Baba-Nyonya prints.

PRICE

RM49 – 199

SHOP HERE

https://www.thetiffincompany.com.my/

TATLER TIP: For every order of a tiffin carrier throughout the MCO period, The Tiffin Company will include a Kebaya-shaped keychain for free.

When former Apple executive Vashist Vasanthakumar quit the tech world, he turned his full attention to modernising the humble lunchbox. Thermally-insulated tiffin carriers, which maintain your food's temperature hours later, are Vaya Life's signature product, although we're also fans of the BagMat—trendy enough to turn heads, the invention unfolds into a table mat for minimising mess.

PRICE

RM164 – 226

SHOP HERE

https://vayalife.com/my-en/lunch-box

Considered a non-essentials store, the legendary Yat Hang Trading is closed for the time being, but the popular Chinatown haunt is worth a visit once Malaysia's MCO is lifted.

Fun fact: Rather than have trophies made, the annual Fay Khoo Award presents their winners with tiffin carriers from this century-old store. The ones depicted above were a plain buttercup yellow before Lisette Scheers of Nala Designs gave them some artistic flourish.

PRICE

Around RM88

SHOP HERE

169, Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre, Kuala Lumpur | 03-2072 5907

"If you're reluctant to splurge on tiffin carriers with Nyonya designs, go for the basic silver ones," advises Mark Ng, co-founder of Simply Enak. "Anything from the Thai-Malaysian brand Zebra is reliable. The bottom tier should have thicker walls for saucy dishes or soup, whereas the top two tiers are traditionally for dry dishes."

PRICE

RM60 and above

SHOP HERE

http://zebra.my/

See also: Support Your Local Hawker Stalls By Ordering Takeaway From Them