Pack Your Lunch With These Bento Box Ideas

As you gear up to start packing lunches for your kids after the summer break, think about packing your own lunch too using a Bento Box! Whether you are heading into the office, working from home or running errands, packing your lunch to bring with you (or to have ready to grab & eat if you are home for the day) is a great way to fuel yourself with nutrient-dense foods that can support your energy so you can perform at your best through the afternoon. To help you pack more “efficiently”, consider a Bento Box lunch box with 3 compartments and these meal ideas that are great for kids and adults:

Greek Pita Bento Box: Makes 4 Bento Boxes

Sliced leftover grilled chicken or use store-bought pre-cooked chicken

1 cup Tzatziki

6 inch whole grain pita bread (cut into triangles or ripped into small pieces)

Salad: 1 cup grape tomatoes + 1 cucumber, diced + ½ bell pepper, sliced +2 Tbsp feta cheese + a few black olives

Square of dark chocolate

1. Mix all Greek salad ingredients together and then divide between four bento boxes.
2. Divide all remaining ingredients between bento boxes

Chickpea Salad Bento Box: Makes 4 Bento Boxes

2 cups red or green grapes

4 carrots

4 celery stalks

6 GG Bran, Wasa or Ryvita Crispbreads

Chickpea salad: 19 ounce can chickpeas (drain & rinse) + ¼ cup mashed avocado + dash black pepper + ¼ diced onion + 1 celery stalk

1. In a medium bowl, mash the chickpeas with a spatula or potato masher
2. Mix the chickpeas with the remaining ingredients for the chickpea salad until completely combined and divide between 4 Bento Boxes
3. Divide the grapes, vegetables & Crispbreads among the 4 Bento Boxes

Vegan Bento Box: Makes 2 Bento Boxes

12 mini bell peppers, cut in half & seeds scooped out

½ cup hummus

½ pint blackberries

1 cup strawberries

Trail mix: ¼ cup raw almonds + ¼ cup vegan chocolate chunks + 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds + 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds

1. Stuff the peppers with hummus
2. Mix the trail mix ingredients together
3. Divide all ingredients between 2 Bento Boxes

Try some of our other healthy meal and snack ideas below!

PLC Recipe: Cauliflower “Steak”

Nutritious & Delicious Snacks Ideas