I truly don't know how other parents pack lunches for their kids all school-year long. Our kids get lunch at school and I feel like I get totally stumped at the start of every summer—it's like I have no idea what to feed them for a mid-day meal! But this summer I decided to try a bento box approach and I LOVED it! The kids did too. I thought it was super easy to come up with colorful, varied, mostly healthy lunches. With school starting in just a few weeks (and having already started in some places!), I thought it would be fun to share the 25 bento boxes I packed for them.
I got lots of Instagram questions about the various tools and goodies I used so I'll link to items throughout. To start, I used the Brigenius bento boxes for our lunches. I wanted a bento box that was big enough to hold enough food for my kids but because I was using them just for the summer, I didn't want to shell out a ton of cash for the stainless steel bentos I originally wanted.
I was pretty happy with the Brigenius for the price, but there was some leaking between compartments (none outside the box though). So if I was going to purchase new ones, I'd go for the YUMbox, which I hear is actually really leakproof.
I also bought a pack of travel salad dressing containers to use and I liked them, but they didn't fit very easily into the bento box. And I used silicone muffin cups to hold items that might leak and simply wrapped a piece of plastic wrap over the top.
All right ... on to the lunches! The kids seemed to like themed lunches and would ask for Mediterranean one day, charcuterie another, and brunch once a week. It was a little hokey, but also easy to pack like this, so I went with it. I used plenty of prepared foods from Trader Joe's (TJ's) and Whole Foods, but added in fresh as well. In addition to what you see inside each bento box, I included a frozen organic yogurt squeeze stick in the kids' lunch boxes along with an ice pack. I knew they'd always eat it and it helped keep everything cold. And even though I wouldn't normally let them have dessert every day, I included a small sweet in each lunch to encourage them to eat everything else.
TJ's brown rice sushi / TJ's pork buns / edamame / watermelon / TJ's chocolate-covered sunflower seeds (naturally colored!)
prosciutto, fresh basil, and mini mozzarella balls / crackers / pineapple / caesar salad / dark cacao coconut cookies
TJ's orzo salad with spinach, red peppers, and olives / sliced chicken sausage / pita and hummus / carrots / raspberry shortbread cookie
whole wheat pancakes / maple chicken sausage / hardboiled eggs / frozen blueberries and strawberries / TJ's chocolate covered candies (naturally colored!)
salami and cheddar / crackers / strawberries / caesar salad / TJ's chocolate covered dried fruits (naturally colored!)
gnocchi with tomato and mozzarella sauce / turkey meatballs / homemade garlic bread / celery / watermelon / organic gummy bears
chicken quesadillas with a to-go guac packet / cuban black beans / pineapple / tortilla chips / TJ's chocolate-covered sunflower seeds (naturally colored!)
pepperoni pan pizza / caesar salad / carrots / strawberries / dark cacao coconut cookies
quiche lorraine / chicken sausage / sugar snap peas / strawberries / yogurt / TJ's chocolate covered candies (naturally colored!)
spaghetti with arrabbiata sauce / turkey meatballs / yellow peppers / snap peas / watermelon / organic gummy bears
taco-stuffed baked potato / corn and black bean salad / pineapple / carrots / figgy pops choco crunch super snacks
deconstructed chef salad / strawberries / pretzels and pimento cheese dip / organic chocolate covered coconut bar
chicken and waffles / strawberries / hardboiled eggs / carrots / celery with cream cheese / fig cookies
turkey sandwiches on a stick / pretzels and pimento cheese dip / grapes / carrots / organic chocolate covered coconut bar
everything bagel with goat cheese cream cheese / ham / hardboiled eggs / pineapple and pomegranate arils / chocolate bunny crackers
ramen with grilled chicken / rice cracker mix / watermelon / edamame / dark cacao coconut cookies
deconstructed mini meatball subs with roll on the side / caesar salad / red peppers and mini mozzarella pearls / organic gummy bears
couscous with feta / chicken spinach sausage / carrots / lemon hummus / pita / watermelon / dark cacao coconut cookies
california rolls / edamame / cantaloupe / rice cracker mix / 2-bite brownie
roast beef sandwich with cheddar and avocado on sourdough / tortilla chips and black bean dip / carrots / watermelon / saltwater taffy
linguine with pesto and tomatoes / turkey meatballs / sliced cucumber / strawberries / sourdough cheese twists / organic dark chocolate coconut pieces
banana bread muffins with cream cheese / ham / strawberries / hardboiled eggs / salad / mini chocolate chip cookie creme sandwich
barbacoa quesadillas / rice and black beans / shredded carrots and red pepper / chips and salsa / TJ's chocolate covered candies (naturally colored!)
turkey cobb salad wraps / cucumbers and yellow peppers / pita chips and hummus / strawberries / figgy pops choco crunch super snacks
veggie spring rolls with sunflower butter dipping sauce / chicken / watermelon / rice cracker mix / 2-bite brownie
Hope that helps spur some new ideas ... HAPPY BENTO BOX MAKING!!
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