19 Healthy Bento Box Ideas for Kids
School lunches can start to feel repetitive pretty quickly. Even when kids have a few favorite foods, there are only so many times you can pack the same sandwich before they’re ready for something different.
That’s one reason we like bento boxes. The separate compartments make it easy to use leftovers, add a few fresh foods, and include familiar favorites without having to plan a completely new lunch every day.
Bento lunches also give kids more choice. They can start with what looks good, try different combinations, and eat at their own pace.
These healthy bento box ideas for kids are meant to keep things simple, using foods your child enjoys and ingredients you may already have at home.
Why Bento Boxes Make School Lunch Easier
One of the nice things about a bento box is that lunch doesn’t have to center around one main food. Leftover chicken, a few vegetables, fruit, crackers, cheese, or a favorite dip can all go into the same lunch without much extra planning.
The smaller compartments also make it easy to adjust portions and use what you already have in the fridge. You can pack a little more of the foods your child usually eats and add something new alongside them without having to rethink the whole lunch. If your child is hesitant about unfamiliar foods, taste training can be a low-pressure way to help them become more comfortable trying something new.
Healthy Bento Box Ideas for Kids
Kids have different lunch preferences. Some stick with familiar foods, some like to dip and graze, and others get tired of sandwiches quickly. There are plenty of ways to keep a bento lunch interesting.
These ideas include make-ahead muffins, wraps, leftovers, lunches with plenty of protein, and simple lunches you can put together with foods you already have. Use them as a starting point and adjust each box based on your child’s appetite and preferences.
Deconstructed Waldorf Salad
A classic Waldorf salad works surprisingly well in a lunchbox when everything is kept separate. Chicken, apples, grapes, celery, and walnuts give kids a mix of sweet, crunchy, and savory bites, with ranch on the side for dipping. It takes just a few minutes to pack, and keeping everything separate also lets kids decide which ingredients they want to combine.
Ingredients:
- Cubed rotisserie chicken
- Cubed apple slices
- Sliced grapes
- Sliced celery
- Toasted walnuts
- Ranch or another favorite dressing
Breakfast for Lunch Bento
Breakfast for lunch can be a fun switch from the usual sandwich, especially for picky eaters who already have a few favorite breakfast foods. Waffle sticks, sausage, strawberries, and sweet potato fries are easy to eat cold, with a little maple syrup on the side for dipping.
Ingredients:
- Cooked breakfast sausages
- Protein waffles
- Roasted sweet potato fries
- Strawberries
- Pure maple syrup
Pizza Einkorn Muffins
Pizza muffins are an easy switch when your child is getting tired of sandwiches. These savory muffins are made with einkorn flour, mozzarella, Italian sausage, bell pepper, and classic pizza seasonings. Add marinara on the side for dipping, or make a batch ahead and keep some in the fridge or freezer for another school day.
Ingredients:
- All-purpose einkorn flour
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Unsalted butter
- Honey
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Mild Italian sausage
- Diced bell pepper
- Dried oregano
- Garlic powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Marinara or pizza sauce for dipping
- Sliced cucumbers or carrots for the lunchbox
Mediterranean Bento Box
If your child likes dipping and grazing, a Mediterranean-style lunchbox gives them plenty of small bites to choose from. Start with falafel and hummus, then add peppers, carrots, and cucumbers for dipping. Add figs, apricots, feta, or whatever similar foods your family already has.
Ingredients:
- Falafel
- Hummus
- Baby bell peppers
- Rainbow carrots
- Sliced cucumbers
- Fresh figs
- Dried apricots
- Feta cheese
- Pine nuts, optional
Baked Asian Chicken Rice Balls with Cheddar
These baked chicken rice balls combine chicken, rice, vegetables, and cheddar in an easy handheld lunch. Zucchini and carrots are mixed right into the rice, so you don’t need to pack as many separate sides.
Ingredients:
- Cooked short- or medium-grain rice
- Ground chicken
- Finely chopped zucchini
- Finely chopped carrots
- Cheddar
- Minced garlic
- Toasted sesame oil
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Crushed seaweed or furikake, optional
- Cucumber slices and carrot sticks for the lunchbox
Vegetable Muffins
Vegetable muffins work well for kids who prefer their veggies mixed into something familiar. These include broccoli, carrots, and red bell pepper along with cheddar, eggs, Greek yogurt, and whole wheat flour. Make a batch ahead and freeze the extras for busy school mornings.
Ingredients:
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Red bell pepper
- Eggs
- Plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- Milk
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- White whole wheat flour
- Olive oil
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Shredded chicken for the lunchbox
- Watermelon or another fresh fruit
DIY Chicken Nachos Lunch
The most popular of our 21 healthy school lunch ideas, nachos are easy to turn into a bento lunch when all the toppings stay separate. Pack the chicken, vegetables, cheese, and tortilla chips in separate compartments so the chips stay crisp until lunchtime. Kids can build their own nachos as they eat.
Ingredients:
- Grilled or pulled chicken
- Tortilla chips
- Shredded lettuce
- Grape tomatoes
- Red pepper
- Mexican cheese
Veggie Rice with Fruit, Berries, and GF Dessert
Leftover rice can easily become lunch the next day with a few vegetables mixed in. Broccoli and shaved carrots work well here with a Thai-style sauce, while apples and blackberries can fill the fruit compartments.
Ingredients:
- Rice
- Broccoli
- Shaved carrots
- Thai-style sauce
- Apple
- Blackberries
- Healthy protein or snack bar
Monster Appetite Wrap
Romaine leaves make an easy wrapper when you want something different from bread or tortillas. Fill them with grilled chicken, tomatoes, and cheese, then add quinoa chips, curly sweet potatoes, and roasted chickpeas in the other compartments. Kombucha jello with pomegranate seeds and an acai oatmeal fruit squeeze can add something sweet to the lunch.
Ingredients:
- Romaine lettuce leaves
- Grilled chicken
- Tomatoes
- Cheese
- Quinoa chips
- Curly sweet potatoes
- Roasted chickpeas
- Kombucha jello
- Pomegranate seeds
- Acai Oatmeal Fruit Squeeze
Healthy Rainbow Bento Lunch
Use leftover grilled chicken as the protein, then fill the remaining compartments with spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and grapes. Add pistachios or a seed-based snack if you need another small item, depending on your school’s nut policy.
Ingredients:
- Greek yogurt
- Granola
- Celery sticks
- Almond butter or another nut-free alternative
- Raisins
- Baked kale chips
- Mixed berries
- Mint dark chocolate square
Healthy Pinwheels
Turkey wraps are a simple lunchbox pick when sandwiches start to feel repetitive. Turkey, lettuce, and cheese are rolled up and sliced into small pieces, then packed with carrots, cucumbers, pineapple, and blackberries.
Ingredients:
- Tortilla or wrap
- Sliced turkey
- Lettuce
- Cheese
- Carrots
- Cucumber slices
- Pineapple chunks
- Blackberries
Sausage Rolls
Sausage rolls fit neatly into a lunchbox and are just as good cold as they are warm. These are filled with ground chicken, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and spinach, then wrapped in puff pastry and baked until golden. Add ketchup or another favorite dip on the side, and freeze a few before baking so you have an easy option ready for another school day.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Puff pastry
- Onion
- Garlic
- Zucchini
- Carrot
- Button mushrooms
- Baby spinach or kale
- Tomato paste
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Eggs
- Dried sage
- Dried thyme
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Sesame seeds, optional
- Paprika, optional
- Ketchup or another dip
Frikadellen
Frikadellen are a cross between a meatball and a burger, which makes them easy to pack and eat at school. These German meat patties are made with ground beef and pork, onion, parsley, mustard, and a softened bread roll that keeps the center tender. Serve them cold with cucumber salad, sliced radishes, rye bread, and mustard.
Ingredients:
- Ground beef
- Ground pork
- White bread roll or bun
- Onion
- Fresh parsley
- Egg
- German or Dijon mustard
- Ground paprika
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Cucumber salad
- Sliced radishes
- Rye bread
- Mustard for serving
Hard-Boiled Egg Bento Lunch
Hard-boiled eggs are easy to prep ahead and hold up well in a school lunch. This box pairs them with plain yogurt sweetened with honey, cinnamon apples, strawberries, and a flourless banana muffin. Prep the eggs the night before, and this one takes only a few minutes to pack in the morning.
Ingredients:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Plain yogurt
- Honey
- Apples
- Cinnamon
- Strawberries
- Flourless almond banana muffin
Hummus and Turkey Pita Sandwich
A pita pocket makes the usual turkey sandwich feel a little different without adding extra work. Hummus, sliced turkey, and cucumber are tucked inside, with clementine pieces, carrot sticks, and crunchy crackers packed alongside.
Ingredients:
- Pita bread
- Turkey
- Hummus
- Cucumber slices
- Cheese, optional
- Clementine slices
- Carrot sticks
- Cauliflower crackers
Meatballs and Dipping Sauce
Last night’s meatballs can easily become the next day’s lunch. Pack them with a small container of spaghetti sauce for dipping, then add grapes, cucumber slices, carrot sticks, crackers, and cheese cubes. Little food picks can make the meatballs easier for kids to grab without making a mess.
Ingredients:
- Oven-baked meatballs
- Spaghetti sauce
- Grapes
- Cucumber slices
- Carrot sticks
- Crackers
- Cheese cubes
Taquitos
Leftover taquitos make an easy lunch kids can pick up and dip. Pack them with sour cream, cantaloupe, a small salad, and a little salsa. A couple of nut-free energy bites add something extra, and an ice pack will help keep everything cool until lunchtime.
Ingredients:
- Ground beef taquitos
- Sour cream
- Cantaloupe
- Mini salad
- Salsa
- Nut-free energy bites
Deconstructed Chicken Tacos
Chicken tacos are easy to pack when all the parts stay separate. Leftover grilled chicken, baby tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and cheese give kids plenty to mix and match, with a creamy taco sauce on the side for dipping. Add guacamole or gluten-free tortilla chips when you want to make the lunch a little more filling.
Ingredients:
- Leftover grilled chicken
- Baby tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce or spinach
- Shredded cheese
- Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Taco seasoning
- Guacamole, optional
- Gluten-free tortilla chips, optional
Apple and Yogurt Protein Box
Apple slices and a creamy yogurt dip make a simple lunch kids can snack on at their own pace. The dip is made with Greek yogurt and honey, with peanut butter added when nuts are allowed at school. Add trail mix in a separate compartment, or use a seed-based mix if your child’s school is nut-free.
Ingredients:
- Apple slices
- Trail mix
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Honey
- Peanut butter, optional
The best bento box lunches include a mix of foods your child enjoys and enough variety to keep lunch interesting. Use these ideas as inspiration and don’t be afraid to let leftovers do some of the work.
And if your kids love this mix-and-match way of eating, try one of our easy school-night charcuterie boards for dinner.