Bento Lunchbox Ideas

Back to school means back to lunches. How has the first week been? If you’re struggling, you might want to move to a Bento lunchbox.

Kids absolutely love to pick and choose from a wide variety of foods in smaller serving sizes. The different compartments are perfect for little fingers and it’s easy to see if you’re creating a well balanced lunch. You’ll see from the ideas below, going Bento style doesn’t mean you have to do away with sandwiches or leftovers. Quite the opposite. Just fill up the remaining containers or compartments with easy, colourful choices. And, if you have something you’d like your kids to try more often, adding to lunch is a low pressure way get them to have a bite. Of course, it’s not just for kids. I love being able to make good use of all those bits of leftovers in the fridge and it helps keep flavours fresh.

Choosing a Bento Style Lunchbox

You don’t have to toss out all your containers to make the shift to sending a Bento Lunch to school, but it really does  make it easy to clearly see how many sections you have to fill each day and you have minimal parts to wash. Anything that makes lunch easier to pack is AWESOME in my world.

Ninety Ninth Monkey, the exclusive Canadian supplier for Planet Box, sent us the Rover Kit to try.  We absolutely love it. Planet Box Rover kit is eco-friendly, built to last, and is seriously easy to clean (hello dishwasher). It’s customizable with magnets so kids can choose their own look and they can change it when they’re over the dinosaur phase and onto rock stars. The set comes with the Big and Little Dipper for wet messy foods, and a carrying bag to make it easy to take it on the go. 

Need Bento Inspiration? 

These Chicken Pinwheels are so simple to put together, providing a filling and delicious lunch for kids and adults alike.

Christina from I Say Nomato as compiled a great series of 21 nightshade-free lunches, including the brands and where to buy them for those with food allergies to consider. 

Creating a lunchbox theme is sure to peak your kids interest and get them excited about eating. This Lego Lunch is a simple and fun away add interest to your lunchbox today.

Another cute themed lunch is this Koala Bear Lunch which is packed full of yummy and healthy foods, ensuring your kids are well nourished and happy to explore what their lunch has in store.

The bento lunch box isn’t just for kids, it can extend to the whole family. This recipe for Spicy Crunchy Mango Sushi Rolls is perfect for the older kid or adult lunchbox.

 
This kid-friendly Charcuterie Board would lend itself well to bentos!

Healthy pasta salads for school lunches are a good make-ahead option to fill kids up.

Do you have any tips or tricks for packing your kids (and your own) lunchbox? What are your kids favourite foods to find when they open up their lunchbox?