Making Kids Lunch Fun with Bento Box Lunches
Part of the back to school fun for my kids is picking out a cool lunch box for the upcoming year. As my girls get older, they are wanting to move away from the traditional PBJ packed lunch and are more interested in having “real” food mid-day. Last year I picked up a few cute bento style boxes and they were a hit, which has put me on a hunt for some new ones this year. (photo at right from Jennifer’s flickr stream)
So far, Asian Food Grocer has the best kids bento selection (just search Bento on their site), but I have also found a few on Amazon like the ones below.
5″ long x 1″ deep x 2.75″ wide Hello Kitty lunch box
Vivo Kids Bento Box, Orange and Pink
Kotobuki 2-Tiered Bento Box, Panda Face
So what do you pack in a bento lunch for kids? Easy to eat finger foods like mini-sandwiches, pre-cooked pasta, veggies, fruit, and other treats work really well. If you are looking for some inspiration, check out these resources:
- 21 Healthy Lunchbox and Snack Ideas
- Bento Lunches – Creative Lunch Box Love
- Search Flickr for a TON of photos of kids bento box lunches
- O’bento Lunch 4 Kidz has the most beautiful pictures and creative ideas
- Laptop Lunches has ideas, recipes and an online store
- 501 Bento Lunches: 501 Unique Recipes for Brilliant Bento
- Hawaii’s Bento Box Cookbook: Fun Lunches for Kids
- My Lunch Box: 50 Recipes for Kids to Take to School!
And I just found even more great eco-friendly, money saving, kid-friendly lunch containers and bento boxes (click on images for more information and where to buy):
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Nice tips for school lunch “bento style”. I no longer pack school lunches, but I do send my husband off to work with a bento box lunch. I look forward to using some of your recipes and ideas.
Here’s another one for your bento-box list – My EasyLunchbox System helps families quickly pack healthy lunches without wasting time, money, paper, or plastic. Perfect for kids and adults who want to pack a healthy lunch for school or work. The simple EasyLunchbox System is a three-compartment, easy-to-clean container with one lid, that fits perfectly into one roomy carrying case. FDA approved. No BPA, phthalates, lead, vinyl, or PVC. Affordable and green.
Please visit us at http://www.EasyLunchboxes.com to learn more.
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What a fun way to spruce up your child’s lunchtime. I remember how proud of my lunchbox (Holly Hobby) but today they just don’t seem to have the same fun they did back in the days of the metal lunch box
I love Bento Boxes, I have just descoved them when I was looking for a way to reduce the plastic bags in my house. These are just perfect. I have already had mom’s ask me what is it that my son is using because their children want it. It is great to have the coolest kid at the lunch table. LOL.
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