Bento Box Lunch Ideas for Kids

The options are endless when it comes to creating a bento box lunch. Holistic nutritionist, Carley Mendes, shares her favorite lunch time ideas.

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Photo by Carley Mendes

Bento boxes help you to think beyond sandwiches and make it easier to pack a nutritious and fun lunch for your children. Bento box lunches encourage diversity and color to entice little eaters and prevent brown bag boredom. Balance the box by focusing on a variety of colors and incorporate food from different categories, such as fruit, vegetables, proteins and starch. Use these simple suggestions to inspire your own creativity!

Bento Box 1

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  • Roasted asparagus
  • Apple slice sandwich with almond butter (nut-free: sub with sunflower seed butter or tahini)
  • Mixed quinoa salad

Bento Box 2

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  • Carrot sticks
  • Sliced avocado & chicken on nori sheets
  • Sprouted grain & seed crackers

Bento Box 3

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  • Grape skewers
  • Scrambled eggs & roasted peppers
  • Watermelon & blueberries

Turkey Wrap

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Sliced turkey with lettuce, tomato & hummus rolled in gluten-free wraps.

Veggie Rolls

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Shredded carrots, beets, peas, sliced radishes & hummus wrapped in rice paper rolls.

Zucchini Noodles

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Zucchini noodles made with a spiralizer or mandolin, topped with pesto & roasted tomatoes.

Bento Ingredients

Bento Box options are limitless! Here are a few more ingredient ideas to get you started!

Fruit

  • apple
  • berries
  • fresh figs
  • grapes
  • kiwi
  • pomegranate seeds
  • citrus: orange or grapefruit
  • stone fruit: cherries, apricot, peach, nectarine, plum
  • tropical fruit: pineapple, mango, papaya
  • melon: cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon
  • dried fruit or trail mix

Vegetables

  • avocado
  • cherry tomatoes
  • radish
  • sugar snap peas
  • seaweed snacks
  • kale chips
  • raw slices: carrot, celery, cucumber, bell pepper
  • roasted: asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini

Protein 

  • natural sausage with no additives
  • tempeh sticks
  • canned or smoked salmon
  • hard boiled egg
  • organic yogurt or cheese
  • sliced meat

Starches

  • roasted potato
  • homemade yam fries
  • mixed rice
  • grilled squash
  • quinoa salad
  • mix bean or lentil salad
  • crunchy roasted chickpeas