28 days of bento lunch ideas for kids — The Organized Mom Life

Here’s what 28 days of packing bento lunch ideas for kids looks like:

I took pictures for 28 days of actual lunches that I packed for my daughters, in 1st and 3rd grade, and now I’m posting the results!

(And if you came here looking for my free printable lunch box menu, packed with tons of great lunch box ideas, you can find that r ight here!)

Note: As an Amazon 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 how I pack my kids’ bento boxes for school each day:

I always pack from the same basic categories. (Even though I don’t always include every single category on every day.)

They are:

A 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.

Scroll down to see 28 pictures I took of actual lunches that I packed in my kids’ bento boxes.

Scroll down even farther for my lunch packing menu (a cheat sheet full of ideas to pack for lunches) and to see all of my favorite lunch packing supplies.

Bento lunch ideas for kids: 28 examples

Day one: Soft pretzel bites

Soft pretzel bites (I found these in the freezer section. You can also get the cheese-stuffed ones.)
Mustard
Salami
Baby carrots and cherry tomatoes
Mango

Day 2: Muffin

A raspberry muffin
Crackers
Cheese
Chex mix
Strawberries
Chocolate chips

Day 3: Deli wraps

Deli wraps
Cucumbers
Veggies straws
Mango
Hershey Kiss

To make these deli wraps, I use my kids’ favorite lunch meat- salami, pepperoni, turkey, ham, etc. along with a slice of cheese, and lettuce or spinach. You can also include mayo or flavored cream cheese- like garden veggie. It’ll help the wrap stick together!

Day 4: Pizza lunchables

Naan bread dippers (for making homemade pizza lunchables)
Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Mango
Baby carrots and cherry tomatoes

Day 5: Chips and dip

Tortilla chips
Bean dip
Caprese salad
Strawberries
Mini cookies

I make this bean dip by mixing refried beans with taco seasoning. Then I layer on whatever taco toppings my kids like: sour cream, guac, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, etc. (Different ones of my kids have different preferences.)

The caprese salad is cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. You can also add balsamic vinegar if your kids like the taste.

Day 6: Cheese and crackers

Cheese stick
Crackers
Salami
Goldfish crackers
Golden kiwi
Yogurt covered raisins
Caprese salad

Day 7: Pizza roll-ups

Pizza roll-ups
Caprese salad
Popcorners
Strawberries
MMs

To make these pizza roll-ups, I spread pizza sauce and cheese on refrigerated pizza dough. Then, instead of baking it flat into a pizza, I just rolled it up and sliced it before I baked it.

Day 8: Overnight oats

Overnight oats with blueberries
Baby carrots and cucumbers
Chex mix
Mini golden Oreos
Crackers and salami

I make the overnight oats the day before right in the lunchbox tray. The recipe I use includes oatmeal, milk, greek yogurt, and honey. Then I add the blueberries on top the next morning and finish packing the rest of the lunch.

Day 9: Rice bowl

Rice bowl (see below)
Monster cookie
Strawberry and blueberries
Tortilla chips
Salsa

To make the rice bowls, I make chicken and rice ahead of time. (Or you can use rotisserie chicken if you want.)

I cook the chicken in a crock put with a packet of taco seasoning and a little bit of water until it is tender enough to shred. Then I stick it in the fridge and we eat it all week.

To make the “rice bowl” I just spoon in some rice and chicken, and add whatever toppings the kids prefer: black beans, corn, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.

Day 10: Quesadillas

Quesadillas
Salsa (you could also include sour cream if your kids like it)
Caprese salad
Cherries
MMs

To make the quesadillas, I put cheese and a little bit of taco seasoning between two tortillas and heat them up on the stove.

Depending on what my kids like, I will also add in things like black beans, corn, sweet potatoes, or the same chicken that I use to make rice bowls (see day 9.)

Day 11: Chicken wraps

Chicken wraps
Chex mix
Golden kiwi
Snack peppers
Yogurt covered raisins

You can use the chicken from day 9, or a rotisserie chicken, to make wraps as well. I add in shredded lettuce or spinach and cheese.

Day 12: Pizza lunchables

Naan bread dippers
Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Blueberries and strawberries
Mini rice cakes

Here’s where we started repeating ourselves a little bit. If you find a lunch that your kids love, feel free to put it on repeat in your rotation!

You can find big containers of these naan dippers at Walmart or Sam’s Club. I keep them in the freezer, and pull out just a few at a time when I want to make this lunch. The rest stay good in the freezer for weeks.

Day 13: Chips and dip

Tortilla chips
Bean dip
Peaches
Chocolate chips
Jello

I made this jello directly in my kids’ lunchboxes the night before, and allowed it to harden in the fridge overnight. My kids thought it was so fun!

Day 14: Mini sandwich bites

Sandwich bites (bologna, ham, cheese, lettuce)
Granola bar
Pretzel sticks
Cherry tomatoes
Golden kiwi
MMs

Sometimes just changing the shape can make an old meal more exciting. Instead of making a whole sandwich, I cut this sandwich into 4 mini sandwiches, and it was like I made a whole new meal.

Day 15: Sandwich on a roll

Sandwich
Oyster crackers
Baby carrots, broccoli, snack pepper
Ranch dip
Fruit salad: Strawberries, kiwi, peaches

Day 16: Deli roll-ups

Deli roll-ups (Ham, cheese, spinach)
Babybel cheese
Chex mix
Peaches
Caprese salad
Gummy ice cream cones

Day 17: Chicken nuggets

Chicken nuggets
Ketchup
Strawberries and blueberries
Chips
Baked oatmeal
Hershey kiss

I don’t attempt to keep these chicken nuggets warm. I cook them and then allow them to cool completely before adding them to the lunchbox.

I always get questions about it, but my kids don’t mind eating cold chicken.

(I eat cold chicken too, when it’s in a salad, so I guess it’s not that weird.)

Day 18: Salad and croissant

Salad with rotisserie chicken
Croissant
Strawberries
Doritos

Day 19: Rice bowl

Rice bowl
Pretzels
Baby carrots
Apple slices
Nutella

I always get questions about whether the apples turn brown. My kids say they don’t. I do nothing to keep them fresh, other than try to turn them mostly skin-side-up. I also think they’re not exposed to that much air since they’re taking up most of the space in an airtight compartment.

Day 20: Pizza lunchables

Naan bread dippers
Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Cheese-its
Baby carrots and cherry tomatoes

Day 21: Chicken wraps

Chicken wraps
Mango
Baby carrots and cherry tomatoes
Hummus
Dirt pudding

Day 22: Deli roll-ups

Deli roll-ups
Doritos
Strawberries and blueberries
Cherry tomatoes and cucumbers

For lunch on this day, I made the deli roll-ups with shredded cheese, lettuce, and salami or chicken.

Day 23: Chips and dip

Tortilla chips
Bean dip
MMs
Veggie straws
Strawberries

Day 24: Hawaiian roll sandwich

Hawaiian roll sandwich (PB&J, but you could do any kind of sandwich)
Cheese curls
Baby carrots and cherry tomatoes
Mango
MMs
Sun chip mix

Day 25: Rice bowl

Rice bowl
Tortilla chips
Salsa
Cantaloup
Chocolate

Day 26: Pizza lunchables

Naan bread dippers
Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Baby carrots and cherry tomatoes
Strawberries and grapes

Day 27: Soft pretzel

Soft pretzel (these were leftover from lunch at Sam’s Club the day before)
Regular pretzels- haha!
Baby carrots
Sliced apple
Nutella

Day 28: Cheesy rollups

Cheesy rollups
Salsa
Veggie straws
Strawberries
Reeses Pieces

I make the cheesy rollups just like I make quesadillas, but I roll up the tortillas before cooking them over the stove. Just a different shape to make the food a little more exciting!

My favorite lunch packing supplies

Here are a few of my favorite lunch packing products and supplies:

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.

Preview	Product	Price
	Bentgo Kids Bento-Style 5-Compartment…	$27.99	Buy on Amazon
	Bentgo Kids Bento-Style 5-Compartment…	$25.99	Buy on Amazon

The Bentgo Kids are recommended for kids age 3-7. After that age, we switch our kids to either the Bentgo Fresh or the Bentgo Modern, which can both hold larger portion sizes.

Preview	Product	Price
	Bentgo Fresh (Blue/Green 2 PACK) – New &…	$27.87	Buy on Amazon
	Bentgo Modern – Leak-Resistant Bento…	$34.99	Buy on Amazon

Insulated lunch bags

We got these Bentology lunchboxes, and they fit the Bentgos perfectly (even the larger sized ones). 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…		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…	$7.07	Buy on Amazon
Recreo Sandwich Cutter Bento Box…		Buy on Amazon