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, Kir DeVries has the best kids bento selection, but I have also found a few on Amazon, like these:

5″ long x 1″ deep x 2.75″ wide Hello Kitty lunch box

Snoopy 2-Tier Bento 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
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):

Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ 2 Deck Pretty Alice	Shinzi Katoh Monkey Bento Box ~ Single Deck
Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ 2 Deck Cute Red Hood	Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ Cute Red Hood
Shinzi Katoh Bento Box Accessories Ringo Mayo Apple	Shinzi Katoh Bento Box Accessories Ringo Furikake Containers Set
Shinzi Katoh Bento Box Accessories Ringo Apple Cups	Shinzi Katoh Bento Box Accessories Ringo Soy Sauce Container
Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ Cheri	Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ 2 Deck Cheri
Shinzi Katoh Slim Bento Box ~ Cute Red Hood	Shinzi Katoh Perch Bento Box
Shinzi Katoh Double Deck Bento Box ~ Hungry Bee	Shinzi Katoh Slim Bento Box ~ Pretty Alice
Ariel Food Container	DISNEY PRINCESS EZ-Freeze Food Container
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Food Storage Container	SPIDERMAN EZ-Freeze Food Container
Maximum Drift Lightning McQueen Food Container	Butterflies Disney Princess Food Container
Sanrio Hello Kitty Face Shaped Bento Box	Sanrio Hello Kitty Character Bento Create Kit
Airtight Food Storage Container Set – 6 Piece Lock & Lock Lunch Set	Laptop Lunch Bento Buddy 2.0 – Berry
Laptop Lunch Bento Buddy 2.0 – Lime	Laptop Lunch Original Bento Sleeve With Ice Pack
Laptop Lunch Bento Set 2.0 – Purple Party	Obentec Laptop Lunches Pink & Magenta Colored Bento Lunch Box Set
Obentec Alien Bento System 2.0 Insulated Laptop Lunch Box System	Obentec Laptop Lunches Whimsical Colored Bento Lunch Box Set
Kids Lunchboxes: Kids Lunchboxes with Plastic Food Containers – Deluxe Lunchbox (Orange)	Obentec Flower Fun Bento System 2.0 Insulated Laptop Lunch Box System
Bento Box 2 Deck Red/Black Cherry Blossom	Bento Box 2 Deck Red Floral
Shinzi Katoh Single Deck Bento Box ~ Pretty Alice	Kotobuki 2 Tier Bento Box ~ Happy Panda
Kotobuki 2 Deck Frog Bento Box	Insta-Totes Reusable Rainbow Dot Lunch Tote
Insta-Totes Reusable Friends Go Shopping Lunch Tote	Insta-Totes Reusable All Over Monkey Lunch Tote
Vera Bradley – Let’s Do Lunch (Blue Rhapsody) – Bags and Luggage	Vera Bradley – Let’s Do Lunch (Night & Day) – Bags and Luggage
Vera Bradley – Let’s Do Lunch (Make Me Blush) – Bags and Luggage	Vera Bradley – Let’s Do Lunch (Purple Punch) – Bags and Luggage

Posted on August 8th, 2009 by Char
Filed under: Nutrition, back to school

2 Responses to “Making Kids Lunch Fun with Bento Box Lunches”

hapa bento, on September 6th, 2009 at 5:00 am Said:

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.
Kelly Lester, on June 24th, 2010 at 3:16 pm Said:

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.