If you haven’t hopped on the school lunch bento box bandwagon yet, think about it.  Making a fun and colorful bento box is quick, easy, healthy and delicious!

The best thing about bento boxes is that you can mix and match different foods.  Here are some ideas for each compartment:

Veggie Compartment:

• Baby carrots
• Small celery sticks
• Cherry tomatoes (cut in quarters for small children)
• Sugar snap peas
• Cucumber sticks
• Red bell peppers
• Olives (cut in quarters for small children)
• Avocado cubes

Fruit Compartment:

• Berries
• Grapes (cut in quarters for small children)
• Watermelon
• Apple slices
• Pineapple chunks

Entrees:

• Turkey and Cheese Roll Ups – If you want to add a tortilla into the mix, you can create little pinwheels
• Sliced Waffle Strips with Maple Yogurt Dip- mix a bit of maple syrup into plain yogurt for a protein packed waffle dip
• Pitas and Hummus
• Cubed Cheese and Whole Grain crackers
• Caprese skewers (or leave the skewer out for small children)- alternate cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil on a skewer. You can drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the top or leave it out.
• Peanut butter and banana roll ups- a classic combo wrapped up in a whole grain tortilla and sliced
• Slices of cauliflower pizza- Make your own crust or purchase a store bought one from your local grocer
• Pasta- A simple pasta salad, pasta with pesto, pasta with marinara, options are endless!

Additional Compartment Ideas:

• Trail mix
• Pretzels
• Popcorn
• Hardboiled eggs