July 14, 2023
updated
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With simple and fresh ingredients, you can build epic lunches in 5 minutes! I’ll share with you delicious ideas and how to pack them perfectly every time.
Bento Box Lunches
With a little of everything, you can build a filling and balanced meal that provides both nutrition and deliciousness! Use what you have in the fridge and pantry for tasty bento box lunch ideas like these.
Ingredients that Make a Bento a Meal
These bento box lunch ideas include a variety of healthy and tasty staples that will make kids eager to open the lunchbox!
Here are some ingredients that make a bento a meal:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Deviled eggs
- Cheese
- Crackers
- Veggies
- Fruits
- Hummus
- Guacamole
- Olives
- Deli Meat
- Oatmeal Energy Bites
- Leftover chicken
Looking for something lighter? Try one of these bento snack boxes next!
Can You Make a Bento the Night Before?
Yes! One of the reasons why bento boxes are so convenient is that you can pack them the night before, so you don’t have to worry about lunch during the morning rush! Use compartmentalized lunchboxes to keep ingredients separated and they will be fresh the next day.
Tips for Successful Bento Lunches
Bentos are quick to assemble and easy to pack ahead. To keep lunch fresh for hours you’ll want to follow these tips.
Keep wet and dry ingredients separate
To pack bento boxes that stay fresh and without soggy messes until lunchtime, keep wet and dry ingredients separate. Using a lunchbox with compartments is a game changer!
Prevent spills
When adding a dip or sauce, like hummus, pesto, or guacamole, pack it in a separate small lidded container. This way, there won’t be any lunch bag mess!
Meal prep
Pack lunches the night before and store them in the fridge to grab in the morning. You can also save time by batch-cooking hard-boiled eggs, slicing veggies and cheese, rolling deli meat, or assembling skewers. The only exception: if you include apples or pears, add them to the lunchbox the same day you’re going to eat them to prevent them from browning.
The Best Bento Box Containers
Compartmentalized stackable bento boxes are your best friend when packing lunches! They are reusable, affordable, convenient, and perfect for meal prep.
You can separate wet and dry ingredients when building a bento lunch or use it for packing a sandwich lunch with fruits and veggies both for kids and adults!
In this post, I share all the pros and cons of the best lunch containers for school.
Epic Bento Box Lunch Ideas
Ingredients
Turkey & Cheese Cracker Stacker Bento
- 2 ounces deli turkey
- 1 ounce cheddar cheese, sliced
- 6 whole-grain crackers
- 1 hard boiled egg
- 1 serving of veggies
- 1 serving of fruit
Instructions
- On a flat surface, roll up the deli turkey slices and cut them into a few pieces. Place them inside the lunch container.
- Slice 1 to 2 slices of cheddar cheese and place them in the lunch container.
- Peel and slice the hard-boiled egg in half or, into smaller pieces for younger kids. Place the hard boiled egg inside the compartment of the lunch container.
- Pack the crackers inside a separate compartment or zip bag so they stay fresh until lunchtime.
- Add a serving of fruit and veggies to this lunch to round up the nutrition.
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