Are you a "mom of munchers" or do you have a picky eater? We know packing school lunches can be a PITA — and we don't mean the pocket bread kind! The typical sandwich for lunch that many of us grew up eating has left the cafeteria and this can make preparing school lunches complicated, and we feel you. Throw food allergies and school restrictions on certain foods into the mix, and you may be ready to throw in the towel. Don't worry — we've got an idea for you. Enter bento boxes.
These can be customized to suit all dietary needs including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or allergy-friendly.
 Natalia Lisovskaya via Canva |
Bento [ ben-toh; Japanese ben-taw ]
A meal, served in a box that is divided into sections for holding individual portions of food.
Bento boxes have continued to grow in popularity at school — it seemed the back-to-school aisles were full of them this year in place of traditional lunchboxes. So this month we've compiled a few "out of the box" bento box lunch ideas that make the grade:
 Getty Images via Canva |
Pinwheels
Create a fun, tasty, and portable lunch by rolling your kid’s favorite protein with fresh veggies and delicious spreads. Start by spreading your choice of creamy base on a flexible wrap, layer on protein and veggies, then roll it up tight and slice into bite-sized pinwheels — perfect for little hands and big appetites! Wrapped with love!
Ingredient ideas:
- Wraps: Tortillas, flatbread, lavash, rice paper or lettuce / collard green leaves for a low-carb option
- Protein: Deli meat, pepperoni, tuna salad, egg salad, hummus, tofu or shredded chicken
- Cheese: Sliced or shredded cheddar, mozzarella, or your child’s favorite variety - go wild with tangy blue cheese
- Veggies: Shredded lettuce, dices or sliced tomatoes, pickles, olives, cucumbers, alfalfa or radish sprouts, shredded carrots
- Spreads: Cream cheese, mayo, mustard, pesto, hummus, avocado mash or go plain
Macaroni Tips:
- For extra flavor, add fresh herbs like basil or cilantro.
- Try a Mediterranean twist with hummus, olives, and cucumbers wrapped in lavash.
- Use colorful veggies to make the pinwheels visually appealing and fun to eat.
Recipe ideas: Kids Tired of Sandwiches? Try This Strawberry Chicken Salad Wrap | Make Your Own Spring Rolls | Cherry Chicken Lettuce Wraps | Leftover Chicken Lettuce Wraps | Easy Taco Lettuce Wraps | BLT or Shredded Chicken BLT recipes
 |
Fun food art
Even a picky eater can't resist a cute sandwich! It just takes another minute to create a sandwich that will make a child giggle — a swipe of the knife or a cookie cutter and some cleverly placed additions will do the trick!
Ingredient ideas:
- Sandwich
- Eggs
- Carrots and celery
- Grapes
- Mixed nuts - if your school allows them
- Cucumbers
- Blueberries
- Red peppers
 |
Not-so-sushi
Deconstruct your typical sushi into different compartments to make each bite different.
Ingredient ideas:
- White rice
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Toasted seaweed
- Avocado chunks
- Dipping sauce of choice
- Add a protein: Imitation crab, turkey, scrambled eggs, hotdog, or smoked salmon
- Don't forget the chopsticks and fortune cookie!
 |
The Traditional
OK, so some of our kids still love sandwiches, and we do too!
Traditional school lunch items that work in a bento box:
- Favorite sandwich
- Sliced carrots
- Mixed nuts - if your school allows them
- Apples, grapes, and / or fresh berries
A version of this article originally appeared in Macaroni KID EATS.
