10 Bento Box School Lunch Ideas (Dietitian Mom Approved)
If you’ve ever found yourself staring at an empty lunchbox, wondering how to fill it with something nutritious and kid-approved, you’re not alone. Believe it or not, I’ve been there too! Mornings can be chaotic at best and there’s often not a whole lot of time to solve the “lunch making puzzle” when you’re trying to find missing shoes or clean up spilled milk. As a Dietitian and busy mom of 2 little ones, it is my mission to help bring ease and clarity to meal planning, especially when it comes to feeding kids.
Without further ado, let’s dive into my must-have lunchbox mix and match method that will make planning lunches simple & seamless for you and nutritious & fun for them. Plus, I will provide you with 10 of my personal favourite bento box school lunch ideas to help you get started. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a win-win recipe!
Benefits of a Bento Box
Ok, you may be wondering - what is so great about a bento box for packing school lunches? It is literally the FIRST thing I bought when I started my career as a lunch-packing mama and I haven’t looked back since. These compartmentalized lunch boxes have become a staple in our household and my cupboard is chock full of different versions. I honestly couldn’t live without them.
Here are a few of the benefits of using a bento box:
Variety & Balance - one of the main benefits of using bento boxes is that their design naturally encourages a variety of foods. The compartments make it easy to include different food groups (ie. carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, protein and fat), which promotes a balanced diet. In addition, bento boxes allow you to get creative by offering foods with different textures, flavours, aromas, and colours, which helps keep things fun and interesting.
Reduces Waste & Saves Money - on a practical note, bento boxes allow you to utilize leftovers and minimize single-use packaging, making them both budget-friendly and great for the environment.
Convenience - I’m a “less is more” kinda gal and having one container that you can put up to 4-6 different foods into is the cats meow on the production side of things as a parent. Plus, investing in just a few well-made bento boxes takes up way less space in your cupboard and in the dishwasher. On the flipside, your kids will also love the feature of only having to grab one container out of their backpack when lunchtime rolls around.
Fosters Intuitive Eating Skills - kids thrive off autonomy and independence. In other words, they like to be given options and have the freedom to make their own decisions. Food is certainly no exception! Bento boxes offer an excellent opportunity for children to participate in the lunch-packing process. By involving them in grocery shopping and allowing them to choose what goes into their bento box (from a selection of foods that you provide), this can empower them to listen to their bodies and make decisions based on their preferences and hunger levels. Plus, they will be excited to see the “fruits” of their labour (pardon the pun) when they open their lunch kit, which can increase the likelihood that they will explore, eat and enjoy their food. This autonomy can set the stage for raising intuitive eaters that trust their own bodies to guide their food choices.
Important: bento boxes are not mandatory! They work for me and I highly recommend them for the reasons listed above, but you can 100% still pack a balanced school lunch using whichever container(s) you have handy. Bento boxes are widely available and there are a variety of affordable options to fit your budget.
Benefits Of School Lunch: Nourishing bodies, Minds & Connections
Let’s take a quick aside to talk about why lunch is such an important part of the day for your kiddo while they’re at school. Lunch is more than just a midday pit-stop for your child - it’s a crucial moment for nourishing them in many ways.
Growth & Development: school lunches are crucial for providing your child with essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals necessary for their growth and development. While they have grown significantly from their jolly jumper days, don’t forget that they still have a long ways to go before you can literally see eye to eye with them. In other words, they are still tiny humans undergoing rapid changes as they transition from childhood to adolescence and beyond. To support this journey, your child needs various nutrients (also known as building blocks) like carbohydrates, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin A, and omega-3 fatty acids - to name a few - from a variety of energy-dense food sources.
Energy: it’s no secret that food provides us with fuel (aka energy). Just like gas makes a car run smoothly and go from point A to point B, food provides our bodies with the fuel it needs to breathe, walk, talk, exercise, go to the grocery store and crush those school and work projects. And in the same way that we need to stop at the gas station to fill up our cars with fuel, we need to eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day to ensure that our bodies can keep performing our basic (and advanced) activities of daily living. Not only do children have energy needs to support growth, but they need energy to engage in activities at school. After a busy morning of learning, interacting with peers and moving their bodies, they need to fuel up to keep the party going well into the afternoon. Therefore, a well-balanced school lunch can positively contribute to your child’s ongoing academic, social and emotional success during the school day by providing the fuel they need to improve energy levels, focus, concentration, behaviour and mood.
Joy and Connection: food is also so much more than just fuel! Food is also the vessel for joy, connection, culture, comfort and community. Think back to your own school days - wasn’t lunch often a highlight? Sitting down with friends, swapping stories, making plans for the weekend and just taking a much-needed break. School lunches provide a golden opportunity to experience the joy of eating with friends in a relaxed, social setting. This kind of positive, pressure-free exposure to the variety of foods that have been packed in the lunch kit can encourage kids to try new things and build a more adventurous palate. This can help contribute to a more positive relationship with food.
How To Build A Balanced Bento Box For School Lunches
The term “balanced” is something we throw around often in the Dietitian world, so let me put a Krystal Clear spin on it to help you understand what that really means and how to apply it to making a bento box school lunch for your child.
I’ve always been a fan of using The Plate Method to describe the concept of meal balance. The Plate Method is a simple, visual guide that incorporates principles from Canada’s Food Guide that shows the relative proportion of each food group that is recommended to ensure that you receive enough macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) for optimal health and well-being. Notice here that I used the word proportion. It takes the numbers, the tracking and the portions (which I am not a huge fan of as an Intuitive Eating Dietitian and mama that’s trying to raise diet-culture-free kiddos) and throws them completely out of the window. Poof - see ya!
The Plate Method
1/2 plate vegetables
1/4 plate grains/starches
1/4 plate protein
Finish with fat
Note: not every meal needs to look like this!
This model takes the shape of a plate, but it also works seamlessly for sandwiches, wraps, pasta dishes, bowls and yes, you guessed it….bento boxes!
With that in mind, I introduce you to my Lunchbox Mix & Match Method, which has been adapted from The Plate Method.
Here’s how it works:
All you do is pick 1-2 foods from each of the following categories to plunk in the lunchbox and you’ll be laughing your way out the door to the school drop-off line:
Grains/Starches (for energy)
Protein (for staying power)
Fruit &/or Vegetables (for color)
Snacky Foods (for an added energy boost)
Dips & Spreads (aka fat for satisfaction)
Sweet Foods (for yummy-ness) - optional
Important Notes:
Please create your own adventure! Modifications can and should be made according to your child’s unique needs, preferences and appetite (in addition to other factors such as affordability and access to food).
The total number and size of each bento box compartment that you are using may vary. That is a-ok! Go with the flow and include any packaged food on the side or utilize reusable dividers to create more compartments as desired.
The goal of school lunches is to provide a variety of foods - both safe (aka familiar) and new - so that your child is able to receive a steady supply of nutrients to stay energized, support their growth needs and develop a nourishing relationship with food.
Grains & Starches (For “Energy”)
Carbohydrate-rich starchy foods (like bread, pasta, tortillas and crackers) are going to provide your child with energy. I’ve strategically listed carbohydrates first here because carbs are literally life. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which your brain, nervous system and red blood cells rely on exclusively (aka SOLELY) for fuel. So, in the words of Ron Burgundy, they’re “kind of a big deal.”
Examples of grains/starches to include in your child’s bento box lunch:
Opt for whole grain OR white wheat products. Yup, I’m the kind of Dietitian that promotes both because ALL food fits and all carbohydrates are going to provide your child with energy and essential nutrients.
Whole grain wheat products have the whole grain intact (including the germ, bran and endosperm) so they provide an added boost of fibre and protein, which will provide more long-lasting energy and keep your kiddo feeling full longer. If this is your goal, look for “sprouted wheat,” “whole grain flour,” “100% whole grain flour,” and “100% whole grain whole wheat".”
White wheat-based products have been enriched with micronutrients such as folic acid, B vitamins (such as riboflavin, niacin and thiamine), iron and even some dietary fibre and protein. Amazing news, I know!
Protein (For “Staying Power”)
Protein is next on the lunch-packing list because it will help to stabilize your school-aged kiddo’s blood sugar levels, which is a fancy way of saying that it will give them more long-lasting energy. Protein is also one of the most satiating (aka filling) macronutrients, so it will help your child feeling full for longer.
Examples of protein-rich foods to include in your child’s bento box lunch:
Opt for plant- or animal-based protein sources.
All protein foods contain essential amino acids (ie. building blocks) to support growth and repair of muscles, organs, skin, hair and nails.
Protein foods are also a rich source of iron, which is crucial for red blood cell production to pump oxygen and nutrients throughout your child’s growing body. Iron is also important for supporting a healthy immune system and promotes optimal brain development and cognitive functioning (aka learning!)
*Nut-free schools - be sure to avoid peanuts and/or tree nuts if indicated by your child’s school. Seed/seed butters can be a great alternative source of protein.
Fruit &/or Vegetables (For “Colour”)
Ever heard the saying “eat the rainbow”? Ya, I kinda thought so. It’s a popular saying for a reason because it’s backed by science (the really good kind too). Fruits and vegetables are loaded with fibre, vitamins and minerals and will add a pop of visually-appealing colour to your kiddo’s lunch box.
Examples of fruit and/or vegetables to include in your child’s bento box lunch:
Opt for fresh, frozen or canned varieties.
Aim for vibrant colours (like dark blue, bright red and deep orange) because they have the richest amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Fruits and vegetables contain v
itamins A, C and E, which are important for your school-aged kiddo because they have antioxidant-fighting properties to keeps their immune system strong and in check. Vitamin A also supports eye health, vitamin E protects cell membranes (which are growing and multiplying on a daily basis in your kiddo) and vitamin C will help them absorb iron more readily.
Get creative and be adventurous. Bring your kiddo to the grocery store and ask them to pick out something they’ve never tried before.
For fruits and vegetables that brown quickly (ie. apples, pears, avocados), try tossing them in lemon juice first to delay the browning process.
Snacky Foods (For An Added “Energy Boost”)
Morning recess, circle time, show and tell, math lessons, music class - I don’t know about you, but I’d be tired after all that too! School uses up a lot of mental, physical and emotional energy for your kiddo. That’s why packing foods that provide an added energy boost that includes a combination of the food groups listed above in their lunchboxes is going to refuel their tanks and keep them whistling while they work well into the afternoon.
Snacky foods can be included in 2 different ways:
1) Added directly to the lunch/bento box - kids love seeing something familiar and “fun” in their lunchbox and snacky foods are a great way to add more energy, colour, staying power and nutrients to their busy day.
2) As a separate snack (ie. for morning recess or an afternoon snack) - if this is the case try adding 1-2 of the any of the above items (ie. grains/starches, protein, fruits &/or vegetables) to fill in the gaps and round it out for a well-balanced energy boost (aka pick-me-up)
*Sweet foods can 100% can added here as well*
Dips & Spreads (aka “Fat for Satisfaction”)
This category is not a must, but I would highly recommend incorporate some kind of dip, spread or sauce into your child’s lunchbox because it offers what I like to call “satisfaction factor,” especially when it is in the form of a fat. Fat also has a stabilizing effect on blood sugar levels and will really help to extend the shelf-life of the fuel (aka energy) from all of the other foods that you provide in your child’s lunch. Plus, adding fat to meals enhances the overall enjoyment because it adds mouthfeel (aka flavour), which quite literally makes your tongue dance and do a backflip.
Dips & Spreads can be split into 2 different categories:
1) Fats - adds mouthfeel (aka flavour), contributes to satiety (aka feeling full) and helps with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (aka vitamins A, D, E and K)
2) Other Dips & Spreads - still enhances the overall quality of the meal to contribute to satisfaction (dry bread is ok and all, but it’s not for everyone)
Sweet Foods (For “Yummy-Ness”)
As mentioned before, I am an Intuitive Eating Dietitian with an “all foods fit” philosophy. All foods provide energy and all foods serve a purpose, whether it be fuel, joy, connection, comfort or connection. Most importantly, I am passionate about raising the next generation of kiddos to have a protective shield against the diet culture messages that categorize foods as “good” and “bad.“ Labelling food in this way has the potential to set them up to have a less than ideal relationship with food and their bodies. This is because demonizing certain foods, while lifting up others, inherently implies that they are morally “good” when they eat foods deemed to be “healthy” and that they are moralistically “bad” (aka don’t live up to diet culture’s definition of “health” or “wellness”) if they eat “forbidden” foods. The messaging in my house (and with all of my clients) is that all bodies are good bodies and that all bodies are worthy of love, respect and…food of any kind! Teaching your kiddos that no foods are off-limits sets the tone for them looking at foods as neutral and morally equivalent.
Consider adding sweet foods to your child’s lunch kit.
However, this is completely optional and totally up to you as the parent.
Please do what works best for your child and aligns with your household values.
My Top 10 Favourite Bento Box Lunch Ideas
Sandwich, Wrap or Tortilla Roll-Up/Pinwheel + berries + veggie sticks and dip + granola bar
Meat, lettuce & cheese
Seed butter & jam
Turkey, cream cheese & cranberry (or turkey and avocado)
Chicken caesar
Hummus & peppers w/spinach
Greek chicken or falafel (naan bread or pita) with tomatoes, cucumbers and tzatziki
Pizza - 3 Ways - Naan Bread, English Muffin OR Pizza Crust + mango & cucumber slices + roasted chickpeas
Pepperoni & cheese
Hawaiian (ham & pineapple)
Chicken pesto (*nut-free)
Hummus, spinach & veggies
BBQ chicken
Deconstructed Pizza - naan/pita bread circles + pizza sauce + pepperoni sticks, salami slices, leftover cubed meat or seasoned tofu) + cheese sticks or cubes + celery sticks + seaweed snacks
Quesadillas or Tacos - grilled tortilla w/leftover meat & cheese + apple slices + bell pepper strips + salsa and/or guacamole + chia or chocolate pudding
Noodle Box - pasta + meatballs or edamame beans &/or hard boiled egg + tomato sauce + pear + carrot & celery sticks + ranch dressing + cheese stick
Charcuterie Box - crackers + cheese + grapes + rainbow veggie sticks + dip + trail mix
“Mini”on Meal - mini muffins + mini quiches + banana + baby carrots
+ hummus + energy balls/bites
Bento Breakfast - pancakes/waffles w/ seed butter & jam or yogurt dip
+ hard boiled egg + berries + cucumber slices + dried fruit bar
Greek Yogurt Parfait - granola + yogurt + berries + cherry tomatoes + pretzels + rice crispy treat
Tropical Paradise - chicken or tofu cubes + rice + pineapple chunks + bell pepper sticks (or jicama) + seaweed snack + chips & guacamole
Hot Tips for Packing School Lunches
Ready for some practical advice? I wouldn’t leave you hanging without a few tips & tricks to help you put this all into practice. Because I’m a mom too and I completely understand that time is not something we are blessed with. Here are a few suggestions for bringing simplicity to packing balanced, nutritious lunches that you’re kiddos will give you two thumbs up for and that won’t take you a ton of extra time:
Involve your child in the lunch packing process - I know what you’re thinking, I thought the goal was to save time here, but hear me out….these strategies will increase the likelihood of them engaging in and eating their lunch:
Take them to the grocery store with you to pick out fruits, veggies, snacks
Have your child help you cut, peel and chop fruits and veggies (age appropriate, of course) and assemble part or all of their lunch
Bake muffins, bread, mini quiches, meatballs, cookies, etc. on the weekend - and crank some tunes!
If the lunch comes home uneaten, have a non-judgmental conversation with them to ask for input about what could have been done differently or added to increase enjoyment
Get creative and have fun!
Use shape cutters for fruits, vegetables and sandwiches (hearts, animals, etc)
Alternate between squares, circles and rectangles for sandwiches
Turn a sandwich into a wrap, pinwheel sandwich or skewer
Use brightly-coloured silicone cupcake holders or mini cake molds to hold different foods in the lunchbox
Plan ahead!
Sit down with a pen and paper and start brainstorming meals for the week with your kiddo. Ask them what might sound good this week and add it to your grocery list!
Better yet, grab a highlighter and ask them to pick 1-2 foods from each of the categories on the Lunchbox Mix & Match list themselves.
FAQ: What if my child doesn’t eat some (or aNY) of their lunch?
First and foremost - don’t fret! I can assure you that it is completely normal for the lunchbox to come back partially or completely untouched!
We ALL have days when we feel more and less hungry, including your kiddos. It is important not to coax, bribe or pressure your child when it comes to eating what is provided at any meal. This can have the opposite effect and can set them up for developing a harmful relationship with food and their bodies. Kids are natural intuitive eaters, meaning that they are born with the ability to tune into and respond to their hunger, fullness and satisfaction cues. In real life, this means that they should be provided with the space they need to listen to their needs, including how much their bodies need to feel full and satisfied and to honour their unique likes/dislikes (which can change from day-to-day).
My advice to you - offer foods that are familiar and “safe” at all meals, however this may look for YOUR child. Here are a few examples:
If your child enjoys pretzels, include it in the bento box so that they will have some energizing carbohydrates to help keep their brain and body fuelled for a day of learning and play
If your child can only tolerate certain textures, include foods with that texture (ie. crispy, crunchy, smooth)
If your child gets overwhelmed with bright, noisy and crowded environments, offer foods that make them feel comfortable - this could look like offering grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken fingers, pudding, cookies or chips
Remember, food serves many purposes - so offer food that will check the box for fuel as well as comfort, connection and/or joy.
LUNCHBOX MIX & MATCH FREEBIE
Snag a copy of my 1-page Lunchbox Mix & Match Quick Reference Sheet below!
Post it on your fridge or take with you the grocery store. Making lunches has never been so easy!
