Healthy Bento Box School Lunch Packing Ideas

Packing a Healthy Bento Box School Lunch

Healthy Bento Box School Lunch Packing Ideas
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We’re only a few weeks into the new school and year I’m already tired of packing the same old things for my daughter’s lunch every day. She’d buy lunch from her school’s cafeteria every day if I let her, but for now we save that as a special treat because, despite their efforts to offer fruits and veggies with every meal, the food is not very healthy at all.

I’ve been wracking my brain, trying to think of alternative lunch ideas that are fun and a bit different but still healthy. I’d been hearing (and seeing–Hello, Pinterest!) quite a bit about Bento Box lunches. I was curious and set out to do some research.

First of all, what is a Bento box? The term bento comes from the Japanese word “obento” and it refers to a packed meal that’s healthy, balanced and visually appealing.

Sounds perfect for school aged kids right? (And moms and dads, too!)

What should you put in a bento box? First, focus on a whole foods. Don’t worry about the usual sandwich-and-snack combo we’re all so used to. Instead, mix it up with a variety of smaller items your kids love. Then make sure there is a good balance of protein and carbs in there to keep your little ones full. And that’s it!

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(photo source)

Bento boxes are super popular right now and some moms even get very creative with the visual aspect of their boxes. You certainly don’t have to do that, though. If you follow our two “rules” above and aim to include a variety of different colored foods, your child’s Bento Box lunch will be just as pretty!

Still need some inspiration? Here are some ideas to get you started!

Proteins

Cheese, nuts, trail mix, avocado, organic lunch meat roll ups, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, hummus, nut or seed butters

Whole Grains

Whole grain crackers, whole grain pretzels, popcorn, granola, whole wheat muffins or quick breads, whole wheat mini bagel, whole grain pita or pita chips.

Fruits and Veggies

Aside from just packing your child’s favorite fruits and veggies and whatever is in season, think of things that go with whatever else you’ve packed. Carrots dipped in hummus, apple slices or celery sticks to dip in nut butters, or berries to put on top of yogurt.

Other easy ideas include applesauce, yogurt covered raisins, dried or dehydrated fruits, and organic squeeze pouches.

Healthy Bento Box School Lunch Packing Ideas
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Bento Boxes are truly a great way to shake it up when it comes to packing lunch for your kids.

You can include healthy foods to make mom happy without sacrificing yummy foods your kids love and will actually be happy to eat!

Scratch Mommy prefers organic where possible and avoiding plastic. However there are TONS of options out there to fit any budget or any point in your #LifeFromScratch journey! Here are some quick ideas for supplies:

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