6 Bento Box Lunch Ideas for Kids by Dietitian Moms

Healthy back to school lunch ideas

Are you or your child bored of sandwiches for lunch? Well, you’re in luck! Both kids and adults will love the diversity and benefit of a bento box themed lunch.

3 Reasons Why a Bento Box Lunch is a Good Idea

1. Fun! Opening up a bento box full of different colors, textures, shapes and sizes are visually pleasing.

2. Fresh! When you keep things in compartments rather than mixing them together ahead of time, your food will often taste fresher.

3. Focused! It is easy to get more of the healthy foods such as fruits and veggies that you need in a bento box themed lunch.

What are the components of a healthy bento box lunch?

A healthy balanced meal should contain 3 components:

1. Grains/starches

This includes bread, pita, wraps, crackers, homemade muffins, pasta, potato, rice, quinoa or other grains. These offer fibre, B vitamins, and carbohydrate needed for your brain and muscles for energy.

2. Veggies and fruit

Examples include fresh fruit, frozen berries, canned unsweetened fruit, dried fruit, raw veggies, leftover cooked/grilled veggies, vegetable soup or salad. These offer fibre and health promoting vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

3. Source of protein

Leftover meat/poultry/seafood, legumes (such as chick peas, lentils, black beans, refried beans and more), cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, canned tuna/salmon, hard boiled eggs, tofu, and nuts and seeds are all great examples of protein sources. These provide iron and protein which are key for sustaining energy and fullness.

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6 Fun Bento Box Ideas:

1. Mexican bento box: In divided containers place small flour or corn tortillas/taco chips, refried beans/seasoned meat/tiny cubes of cheese, salsa and guacamole. Serve with cubed honeydew or cantaloupe.

2. Asian bento box: In divided containers place edamame beans/strips of teriyaki salmon/chicken breast/cocktail shrimp, California rolls/cold rice/noodles (yes many kids will eat it cold) and raw snap peas with carrots. Serve with grapes.

3. Italian bento box: In divided containers place pasta mixed with pesto sauce, mini bocconcini cheese balls, grape/cherry tomatoes with fresh basil leaves. Serve with strawberries or apple wedges tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning. Dip fruit in ricotta cheese mixed with honey and cinnamon or Greek vanilla yogurt.

4. Snack attack bento box: In divided containers test out different ideas from the 3 components of a balanced meal such as: mini muffins, crackers, pretzels, popcorn, grapes, strawberries, cantaloupe cubes, cucumber rounds, red pepper wedges, carrot sticks, cheese wedges, pumpkin seeds, grilled chicken, meatballs, black bean salad, hard cooked eggs, rotini pasta or tortellini with pesto.

5. Chicken finger bento box: Bake a big batch of homemade baked breaded chicken breast strips and serve chilled with plum sauce. Include cucumber sticks and cherry tomatoes along with fresh fruit and yogurt and granola.

6. Breakfast for lunch bento box: Make a big batch of whole grain French toast on the weekend and refrigerate or freeze in thin strips. Serve with cream cheese or no-nuts pea butter (if your school is peanut free) and jam (or provide a small jar of maple syrup for dipping). Serve with cottage cheese or yogurt and fresh or frozen berries.

Why stop there? Learn more about nutrition and health with these blog posts: