Bento Box Lunch Ideas: 20 Recipe Round-Up

What is a Bento Box?

A Bento Box is a meal packed neatly into a lunch box, typically separated by various containers and dividers. They've been a regular part of Japanese culture for a long while, but they only became popular in the Western world a few years ago.

If I had to guess, I'd say they resonate so much with people because they're cute, convenient, and offer a lot more variety than a sandwich. In one lunch box, you can get small portions of a bunch of different foods!

Also, Bento Boxes allow for a lot of creativity, as many people enjoy organizing and packing their lunches in an aesthetically pleasing way.

My Bento Box Journey and Tips

I lived in Japan for a year and I packed Bentos for myself and Zac for the entire time. Then, I brought my bento box back to the states and packed it for work and school for myself every day for the next 3 years! I've come up with a lot of ideas about what works and what doesn't. So, since I keep talking about how they're puzzles (add whatever fits!), I thought I would show you exactly what I mean and provide ideas for how to make your own!

Obviously, what you can put in your bento box depends on what kind of lunch box & bag combo you've got. I have a bag that keeps my lunch sitting upright, so things never spill, which is why I can pack salsa and such. Zac's bag goes vertically into his backpack, so he can't have liquids.

We just use regular containers with various silicon muffin liners. We have three flat "Bentos" and about 20 silicon muffin cups. We also have a sliding divider which you'll see in some pictures.

Simple! Hopefully, this will help you get ideas for planning your & your kids' lunches. Any additional ideas in the comments are welcomed!

Soba & Sesame Green Beans

Soba, Miso Meatballs, Sesame-Steamed Green Beans, and half an orange. (Oranges are a traditional dessert in Japan.)

Hummus & Dippers

Red bell pepper slices, snap or snow peas, carrot slices, almond-crusted chicken nuggets, homemade hummus, and pizza dough slices.

Stuffed Tomatoes & Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Cucumber-feta-basil-balsamic stuffed tomatoes, almond-crusted chicken nuggets, carrot slices, roasted sweet potatoes, grapes.

Chicken Avocado Lettuce Wraps

Shredded chicken & mashed avocado in lettuce cups, whole wheat banana bread, peanut butter-banana oat cookies, and pineapple.

Salmon-Avocado Onigiri Rolls

Salmon onigiri rolls, prosciutto-wrapped spinach frittata, watermelon & pineapple kebabs, peanut butter banana oat cookies.

Canned Salmon and Avocado

Canned salmon mixed with mashed avocado, a hardboiled egg sliced in half with mustard and bacon, banana bread, kiwi, carrot & apple slices.

Tuna Cakes with Broccoli and a Sandwich

Spicy Tuna Cakes with sesame steamed broccoli, carrot-banana muffin, apple slices, and a banana "sandwich" with peanut butter in the middle.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Coconut Bites

Sesame steamed broccoli with spicy tuna cakes, grapes, carrot-banana muffin, peanut butter-chocolate-coconut bite, and carrot slices.

Cheddar Quesadillas

Cheddar Quesadillas made with Whole Wheat Tortillas (try this recipe or Roti), Best Refried Beans, salsa, carrots, trail mix, and dark chocolate.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato

Whole wheat pasta with Sun-Dried-Tomato-Feta-Yogurt Dip, mixed with zucchini and shredded chicken (or rice cooker version). Yellow bell pepper & cucumber slices, peanut butter-chocolate-coconut bite.

Paleo Egg Muffin

Paleo Egg Muffin with Chicken & Avocado on Homemade Whole Wheat Bread, carrot slices, and peanut butter-chocolate-coconut bite. 

Salmon Avocado Rolls

Salmon Avocado Rolls, red bell pepper slices, carrot slices, Paleo Egg Muffin, Carrot-Banana Muffin.

Whole Wheat Banana Muffin

Whole Wheat Banana Muffin with Sesame Steamed Green Beans, Chicken-Avocado Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, apple slices, peanut butter-banana "sandwich."

Black Bean and Guacamole-Salsa Wraps

Black bean & guacamole-salsa lettuce wraps, carrot-banana bread, cherry tomatoes, blueberries, and a hard-boiled egg.

Salad with Shredded Chicken

Salad with shredded chicken, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and mixed greens; carrot-banana muffin with cream cheese frosting, grapes, peanut butter-chocolate-coconut bite.

Whole Wheat Mini Pizza

Whole Wheat Mini Pizza, homemade hummus, peanuts, carrot slices, and a dark chocolate Kit Kat.

Cabbage & Cherry Tomato Salad

Cabbage & cherry tomato salad, carrot slices, apple slices, hard-boiled eggs, and dark chocolate brownies. (Using prune paste in place of the sugar.)

Whole Wheat Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Whole Wheat Blueberry Yogurt Muffins, cherry tomatoes, Sesame Steamed Green Beans, salmon onigiri rolls.

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate, apple slices, roasted sweet potatoes, sesame steamed broccoli, banana bread, carrot slices.