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Home » Recipes » Best Of

Bento Box Lunch Ideas

By Laura Fuentes Updated Jan 8, 2025

5 from 14 votes

Recipe

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Save time and money with these healthy bento box lunch ideas that kids will enjoy eating!

With simple and fresh ingredients, you can build epic school lunches in 5 minutes! I’ll share with you delicious ideas and how to pack them perfectly every time.

collage of bento box lunch ideas

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.

Tzatziki Dipping Bento
5 from 19 votes
Pack this protein-rich bento with Tzatziki dip to make veggies more fun to eat!
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Turkey Bacon Bento
5 from 18 votes
Make this yummy bento box lunch idea in minutes with hummus, bacon, veggies, and pita chips!
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Guacamole & Protein Bento Box
5 from 32 votes
A rainbow of fresh ingredients filled with healthy options that it's so easy to assemble!
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Cheese & Fruit Bento Box
5 from 30 votes
This budget-friendly Starbucks-inspired bento packs a variety of options without skimping on the yum factor.
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Turkey & Cheese Cracker Stacker Lunchbox
5 from 27 votes
This balanced bento box is a simple, fresh, and convenient lunch that kids will devour!
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Bento Box with Dill Pickles
5 from 21 votes
This savory bento with dill pickles makes a great lunch idea you can easily pack in 5 minutes or less!
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Salami Bento Box with Pears
5 from 24 votes
Protein, juicy pears, and crunchy snacks make a terrific lunch kids love!
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Easy Reuben Pinwheels
5 from 24 votes
All the classic sandwich flavors in a kid-friendly lunch you'll want to pack for you too!
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Caprese Bento Box
5 from 17 votes
Delicious ingredients like mozzarella, grape tomatoes, and pesto come together in this fun bento lunch idea!
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Ham Roll-Ups Lunchbox
5 from 34 votes
Pack these ham roll-ups with fresh veggies and fruit for a fun and tasty bento box lunch idea.
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Grapes & Cheese Bento
5 from 28 votes
Kids of all ages will enjoy this nutritious lunch you can assemble in 5 minutes.
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a chicken nugget being dipped into a sauce cup of Ranch dressing with a lunch container filled with chicken nuggets, veggies, and strawberries, in the background.
Homemade Chicken Nuggets Bento
4.96 from 24 votes
Kids will love these chicken nuggets lunchables made with REAL chicken and fresh ingredients!
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homemade taco lunchable in a school lunch container
DIY Taco Bento Box
5 from 34 votes
Learn to pack taco night leftovers for a perfect quick lunch that tastes amazing!
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Fresh Mediterranean Bento Box
5 from 21 votes
This quick and easy bento box is a healthy lunch filled with delicious snacks like pita and hummus! 
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Homemade Lunchables Pizza
5 from 42 votes
Your kid will be excited to assemble and eat homemade pizza at school!
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sliced chicken breast, vegetables bacon slices and a boiled egg in a lunch container
Leftover Chicken Bento Box
5 from 24 votes
This high-protein bento is perfect for teens that crave a filling and tasty school lunch!
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Ham, Cheese, and Tomato Skewers
5 from 21 votes
These fun skewers make an interactive lunch that all kids will enjoy eating!
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Protein & Fruit Bento Box
5 from 22 votes
This bento is both a quick and easy lunch and a snack lover's paradise!
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pizza bento box
Pizza Bento
5 from 16 votes
Pack your child’s favorite pizza toppings for a healthy lunch they will love!
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Chips & Guacamole Bento
5 from 18 votes
This epic chips and guacamole bento is the perfect school lunch idea for kids that love snacking. You can easily build it in 5 minutes!
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Hard-Boiled Egg & Turkey Protein Bento
5 from 24 votes
Easy, nutritious, and super tasty: this protein-rich bento is very satisfying to eat!
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Charcuterie Bento
5 from 17 votes
Combine fruit, veggies, and deli meat for a fresh, simple, and delicious school lunch!
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bento box with chicken, hummus, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, pita and cheese
Chicken & Hummus Bento Box
5 from 24 votes
Kids and teens will enjoy eating this delicious Mediterranean-inspired lunch you can pack in 5 minutes.
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homemade version of lunchables nachos
DIY “Lunchables” Nachos
5 from 29 votes
Nachos and cheese make a balanced and healthy bento box lunch idea no one can resist!
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Salami & Cheese Bento Lunch
5 from 16 votes
Kids that love snacking will devour this simple bento lunch with salami and cheese!
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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

collage of bento box lunch ideas
Servings: 1 lunch
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 5 minutes mins
Save time and money with these healthy bento box lunch ideas that kids will enjoy eating!
5 from 14 votes
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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.

Notes

Nutrition information is calculated without veggies and fruits.

Equipment

101 Packed Lunches
Kids Lunch Box
ice pack
six small dip containers with lids
Dips or Dressings

Nutrition

Serving: 1 lunch | Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 208mg | Sodium: 1298mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 676IU | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 2mg

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5 from 14 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




laura fuentes momables holding a lunch bag and lunch boxes

My name is Laura Fuentes
I’m here to help you simplify school lunches with fresh ideas your kids will actually eat.

Mom of 3. Certified in Integrative Nutrition. 5x Cookbook Author.

school lunch ideas! →

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