Freshen up your packed lunch routine with this Caprese Bento Box!
It’s a variety of yummy snacks and some leftover pesto, assembled in a way that’s fun to eat. Let me show you how to make one.
Caprese Lunchbox
The best lunch ideas are often made with the most simple ingredients, and while a Caprese bento may sound complicated- it’s not! This box includes mozzarella and tomato skewers with basil pesto and cheesy crostini for dipping.
If your kids aren’t a fan of the green stuff, just swap it for hummus– problem solved. As long as you have a yummy dip for the crostini.
Don’t know what crostini is? It’s basically toasted bread with cheese, and I share the simple recipe below, but you can also pack this lunch with pita chips or wedges.
What is in a Caprese Bento Lunchbox
Here’s what you need to assemble this Caprese bento lunchbox:
- tomatoes: grape or cherry tomatoes.
- cheese: cubed cheese is easy to skewer, but sliced cheese cut into smaller squares works too.
- black olives: pitted olives of any kind.
- Parmesan crostini: recipe included below, or swap for another crunchy snack like pita chips.
- basil pesto: use the jarred option or my Homemade Pesto Sauce.
To create the skewers, you’ll need bento picks, appetizer picks, or plastic coffee stirrers cut in half. Or you can forgo the skewers and toss the tomato and cheese together to make a little ‘salad’. Easy peasy.
Need more fresh and delicious lunch ideas like this one? You’ll find a ton of them right here:
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How to Pack a Caprese Bento Box for Lunch
This Caprese bento lunch includes several wet and dry ingredients, and below I’ll show you how to pack them all in ONE lunch container while keeping everything fresh.
- Make the skewers and crostini
Alternate threading the cubed cheese and grape tomatoes onto a bento pick or coffee stirrer. Prepare the crostini using the recipe below if you aren’t packing pita chips. - Wet ingredients together
You can place the tomato and cheese skewers and olives into the same compartments. Add the basil pesto to a mini sauce container. - Keep dry ingredients fresh
For the crostini or pita chips to stay crispy, they’ll need to be packed in their own compartment. - Prepare for Transport
Close the container lid, and place it into a lunch bag with an icepack.
A compartmentalized lunch container is the secret to keeping wet and dry ingredients fresh under one lid. You can check out my favorite options here.
More packing tips
Swap!
Bento lunch boxes are so convenient because you can keep it simple by using what you have in the kitchen. Meaning: swap pesto for hummus or another sauce. As long as kids have something good for dipping, it will work! Same for the cheese crostini. Pita chips, these Homemade Cheese Crackers, or another crunchy snack is great.
Meal prep
Save time by assembling more than one Caprese Bento Box so you have many lunches ready to grab and pack during the breakfast rush hour! All ingredients can be stored in the fridge for a few days. If including cheese crostini, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days and add it to the bento box in the morning.
Add a healthy dessert
Pack this Caprese bento lunchbox with a healthy treat your kids are going to enjoy, like this Fruit and Yogurt Parfait you can pack in a thermos or these Chocolate Dipped Oranges, placed in a separate container or compartment.
Caprese Bento Lunchbox
Ingredients
Caprese Bento Box:
- 2 ounces mozzarella cheese cubes
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- 3 bento or appetizer picks
- ¼ cup pitted olives
- 1 tablespoon basil pesto
- Cheese Crostinis, recipe below, or 1 serving of pita chips
Cheese Crostini (if using):
- 3 slices French baguette, thin diagonal slices
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
For the Bento Box:
- Alternate threading the cheese cubes and tomato onto the bento or appetizer picks. About 2 cubes of cheese and 1 tomato per skewer.
- Pack the skewers, olives, and remaining tomatoes in a lunch container. Store the basil pesto in a mini sauce container.
- Place the crostini or pita chips in their own compartment to keep the bread (or chips) fresh and crisp. Close the lunch container and place it in a lunch bag with an ice pack.
For the Cheese Crostini:
- Oven: preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.Toaster oven: line the toaster oven's baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the bread slices onto the baking sheet and top each with cheese and sprinkle garlic powd on top. Oven: bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bread, is crispy and the cheese is golden brown. Toaster oven: toast for 1-2 cycles, depending on the length of your toaster oven cycles, until the cheese has melted and is golden brown.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Store extras in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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