February 16, 2023
updated
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With the help of a compartmentalized container, we can easily turn fruit and cheese into a great bento box lunch- let me show you how!
Starbucks Bento Box
This bistro-style cheese and fruit snack box will make your day with options like fresh apples, grapes, baby carrots, and Brie cheese!
Instead of shelling out $5 for the coffee shop’s version, which is equivalent to a small snack, why not make one that can easily serve as both snack or lunch?
Adding extra ingredients like whole grain crackers, hard-boiled eggs, and dips like hummus or peanut butter will turn this box into a satiating meal for adults or kids.
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What is in this Starbucks Copycat Bento Box?
You can assemble this bento box with any combination of ingredients. Below I’ll share what’s inside this one and items you could add or swap.
- Fruit: this box includes grapes and sliced apples, but you can exchange them for berries, sliced pears, or oranges.
- Veggies: baby carrots, sliced cucumber, and sugar snap peas are perfect options.
- Cheese: try the Brie and apple combo or swap it out with your favorite variety like Gouda, Cheddar or Mozzarella.
- Something crunchy: whole grain crackers, pretzel chips, pita chips- what’s your favorite?
- More protein: rolled deli meat, leftover grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs.
Since we include sliced apples, check out these three simple tips to keep apples from browning. This method also works for pears!
How to Pack This Bento Box
Making this easy bento box goes a little like this:
- Prep
Wash the fruit and slice the cheese into the wedges. - Make it pretty
To make this look like a coffee shop bistro box, pack the cheese, fruit, and veggies into separate compartments (this isn’t necessary since they’re all wet ingredients, but it does look nice). - If adding dry ingredients
To keep ingredients like crackers and pretzels dry, they must be packed in their own compartment. - Put a lid on it
Close the container and pack it into a lunch bag with an ice pack.
I used a compartmentalized snack box for this idea, but you could use any of these highly recommended lunch containers.
Watch this short video to see how quickly you can pack a homemade bento.
More tips for packing a perfect lunch
Save time
This bento box can be made ahead, so you don’t have to worry about lunch on busy mornings. Grab a few lunchboxes, pack all the ingredients, and store them in the fridge. If adding an apple, slice it at the very last minute.
Batch-cook
If you want to add hard-boiled eggs or cooked veggies, batch cook and store them to add to this bento lunch or other great meals the entire family can enjoy, like salads or wraps.
Add a dip
Make this lunch more nutritious and fun by adding a dip like hummus and peanut butter. Pack it in a small lidded container to avoid any lunchbox mess!
Cheese and Fruit Bistro Box
Ingredients
- 1 small apple, sliced
- ½ cup grapes
- 1- ounce Brie, sliced into wedges
- ½ cup baby carrots
Instructions
- Wash the fruit, and slice the apples and Brie into wedges.
- To present this like a classic bistro box, place the fruit, cheese, and veggies into separate compartments.
- To keep the crackers dry, place them in their own compartment.
- Close the lunch box and place it in a lunch bag with an ice pack.
Sandra
At the Starbucks price, I can see that it seem costly. However, I wonder how much it would be to buy all of the ingredients at the grocery store?
MOMables
They key is to use those ingredients in other things, not just one meal. It’s much more cost-effective that way.
TIffany
My kids love fruit and cheese, this is an awesome idea that I would have NEVER come up with!
MOMables
thank you Tiffany!