Bento box ideas for kids: 6 school lunch ideas

Every morning I pack a lunch for my 2nd grader and Kindergartener.

And I’ve found that using bento boxes can make the process a little bit easier and more fun.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Note: As an Amazon and Bentgo Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Packing using bento boxes

Here’s the basic system that I follow each day when I’m packing up the kids’ bento boxes. (Although I don’t always include every single category.) We use the Bentgo Kids lunch boxes (which we love!) and each one has 5 compartments.

Main course: I try to include something with protein, dairy, carbohydrates, or all 3.
Fruit: Usually something chopped up, and then I give the rest to the kids for breakfast.
Veggie: Usually raw veggies or some kind of salad
Snack: Crackers, pretzels, granola bar, crunchy mixes, etc.
Treat/dip: In the little section in the middle of the box I either put some kind of dipping sauce, or a little treat like chocolate chips.

That’s it! Scroll down for some examples of bento box ideas for kids, and go down even farther to see my favorite lunch packing products. 😉

Bento box ideas for kids: 6 examples

Lunch 1: Spinach turkey roll-ups

Main course: Spinach turkey roll-ups

To make these, I spread a little bit of garden-veggie cream cheese on a tortilla, then added spinach, turkey (or ham) and cheese. Then I just roll up the tortilla and cut it into pieces.

I also added a Babybel cheese.

Fruit: Nectarines

Veggie: Caprese salad

Mix halved cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Snack: Munchies snack mix

Treat/dip: Gummy ice cream cones

We found these cute little treats at a candy store at the beach.

Lunch 2: Deli sandwich

Main course: A sandwich

They key to keeping sandwiches interesting for my kids is to choose a variety of types of bread/rolls. Today I used half of a sandwich roll, and added chipped ham, cheese, and spinach for a little crunch.

Sometimes I’ll substitute the roll for different kinds of bread, wraps, croissants, dinner or Hawaiian rolls, etc.

Fruit: A fruit salad

I mixed up chopped strawberries, nectarines, and golden kiwi.

Veggie: A mixture of raw veggies

Baby carrots, raw broccoli, and a snack pepper

Snack: Oyster crackers

Treat/dip: Ranch salad dressing to dip the veggies in

Lunch 3: Quesadillas

Main course: Cheese quesadillas

To make these, lay out a tortilla and spread a very thin layer of sour cream on in. Then fill it with shredded cheese (I like cheddar and Monterey Jack) and add a little sprinkle of taco seasoning.

Then top with a second tortilla, and fry on both sides in a hot pan with a little oil.

I let them cool completely and cut them up before adding them to the Bentgo, and add a side of salsa for dipping.

Fruit: Cherries

Veggie: Caprese salad

(See lunch #1 for a description of how I make this. It is one of my girls’ favorites!)

Treat/dip: MMs

Lunch 4: Mini sandwiches

Main course: Mini sandwiches

This is just a little twist on the regular sandwich I showed above. My kids think it’s more fun to eat four little sandwiches than one big one.

I often do this with peanut butter and jelly, but today I used ham, cheese, bologna, and lettuce.

Then I added a granola bar.

Fruit: Golden kiwi

Veggie: Cherry tomatoes

Snack: Pretzel sticks

Treat/dip: peanut MMs

Lunch 5: Chips and bean dip

Main course: Chips and bean dip

I filled the large compartment of the Bentgo with tortilla chips, and then assembled a 5-layer dip in a different compartment:

The layers:

Refried beans mixed with taco seasoning.
Sour cream
Lettuce
Cherry tomatoes
Shredded cheddar cheese

I also added a cheese stick.

Fruit: Peaches

Snack: Jello

My kids thought this was so fun. I actually made the jello the night before, and poured it right into this compartment to gel overnight.

Treat/dip: Chocolate chips

Lunch 6: Chicken wraps

Main course: Chicken wraps

I make batches of chicken in the slow cooker ahead of time: Just cook 2 chicken breasts and a packet of taco seasoning all day. Then shred it and pop it in the freezer to use in wraps or with rice in burrito bowls.

For today, I also added rice, lettuce, tomato, and cheese to these wraps.

Fruit: Golden kiwi

Veggie: Snack peppers

Snack: Chex mix

I actually made my own chex mix this time, and it turned out so yummy! This is the recipe I used to make the sauce, and then I added my own assortment of crunchies. 😉

Treat/dip: Yogurt covered raisins

My favorite lunch packing tools

Here are a few of my favorite lunch packing products:

Bento boxes

We love the Bentgo Kids lunch boxes. They have not leaked at all for us, and I pack dips and sauces all the time.

However, I have heard from some people that they might leak if you try to pack a really watery fruit, like watermelon or applesauce. In that case, I would add a piece of Saran Wrap on top of that particular compartment.

The Bentgo Kids are recommended for kids age 3-7. After that, I would consider switching them to the Bentgo Fresh or the Bentgo Modern, which can both hold larger portion sizes.

Preview	Product	Price
	Bentgo Fresh – New & Improved…	$34.99	Buy on Amazon
	Bentgo Modern – Leak-Resistant Bento…	$37.99	Buy on Amazon

Insulated lunch bags

We got these Bentology lunchboxes, and they fit the Bentgos perfectly. There’s a tiny bit of extra space to add an ice pack and some silverware.

Preview	Product	Price
	Bentology Lunch Box for Girls – Kids…		Buy on Amazon

Ice packs

Along with the insulated bags, these have kept the kids’ lunches nice and cold until lunchtime.

Preview	Product	Price
	Cool Coolers by Fit & Fresh 4 Pack XL…	$11.99	Buy on Amazon

Water bottles

We have these water bottles for the kids. They’re not totally indestructible, but they hold up for at least a year or two of daily use, and are inexpensive. They’ve been a good option for us.

Preview	Product	Price
	EYQ 32 oz Water Bottle with Times…	$11.99	Buy on Amazon

Other fun stuff

Here are a few other things we have that are not necessary, but have made lunch packing (and eating!) a little more fun for us:

Product	Price
156PCS Animal Food Picks for Kids Bento…	$5.98	Buy on Amazon
Tribe Glare Decruster Sandwich mold…		Buy on Amazon
Wilton 710-7236 Mini Candy Eyeballs, 24…	$5.69	Buy on Amazon
Recreo Sandwich Cutter Bento Box…		Buy on Amazon

Lunch box menu

Be sure to check out this post about how I use a lunch box menu to make this job so much easier!

That’s it! Let me know any other favorite ideas in the comments.

Thanks for reading, and happy lunch packing!

-Laura

Pin Bento Box Ideas for Kids:

How to organize your usernames and passwords (free editable excel/sheets template)

A step-by-step guide on how to organize your usernames and passwords:

This post includes tips to keep your information secure, and a free editable, digital template (Google sheets or excel) to help you organize all your logins and accounts by category.

Continue Reading How to organize your usernames and passwords (free editable excel/sheets template)

Kristin Duncan says

August 24, 2023 at 7:31 pm

What are you using to keep lunches warm? Like if you do pizza slices or something do you just serve them cold?

- admin says
  
  August 25, 2023 at 1:02 pm
  
  Yes, I always do cold lunches. It’s just easier for us, and my kids don’t mind eating cold pizza. 🙂 (Neither do I!)

Bento box ideas for kids: 6 school lunch ideas

Packing using bento boxes