Bento Boxes

As September nears, we start thinking about lunch options and having a bit more structure is on our minds. Whether you are in school, have kids in school, are trying to establish a bit more routine or are seeking new meal ideas for work, Bento Boxes are an ideal option. They offer an easy, convenient, tasty, healthy solution with a range of options to keep things exciting.

Bento Boxes are simple enough for kids to participate in choosing and packing their meals. Involving children in the kitchen encourages them to be more adventurous eaters which leads to a more varied and nutritious diet, ultimately leading to better health. Kids are also more likely to enjoy and eat what they have prepared - and we believe the same goes for adults too!

What I love about Bento Boxes is that each component has its own compartment. This feature was really important to me as a kid who didn’t like sandwiches or mixed-up flavors! My favorite school lunches were ones where my mom would set out lunch options on the counter and I would pick what went in to the sections of our containers. And don’t worry, if you love sandwiches, they can also be included in your Bento Box!

Need containers? Reduce the plastics and go for stainless steel with silicone lids. I tested out Everusely’s small bento box and container set and found these to work well, seal well. It offers a variety of sized additional containers for things like sauces, dressings and yogurt. They are leak-proof and easy to clean in the dishwasher. Kids under 6 might need help opening them.

Variety and balance is the key! Prepare a salad for the week, along with prepped proteins, fresh fruit and/or complex carbs for simple success! Grain bowls are a delicious concept. Perfect for making something great in just a few minutes by using left over or prepared grains, legumes and proteins combined with homemade or Primal dressings or sauce, topped with fresh veggies and herbs.

Bento box foods are good cold or room temp so the need for heating is eliminated. Often kids prefer to eat the individual parts of a salad without the lettuce, opting to have dressing on the side for dipping. So, if making a marinated salad for yourself, consider letting your children choose from the chopped up options for their box before everything is mixed and marinated.

See the below PDF for a Bento Box blueprint, i.e. category suggestions:

Bento Boxes.pdf

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