Packing lunches is never easy for busy moms-even when you start with one of our favorite bento boxes. These fun and functional lunchboxes are Japanese in origin, but American moms have fallen in love with their convenient compartments and perfect palette for all sorts of lunchtime cuteness. For moms stuck in a never-ending cycle of turkey and PB&J, however, deciding what to stuff in all those little squares can be quite the challenge.
We've gathered a list of 8 of our favorite bento lunches from around the web that will eliminate the guesswork in creating healthy, waste-free lunches that kids will actually look forward to eating. An added bonus? They're (almost) too adorable to eat.
Spice Up Your Life With a Taste of Japan
Chicken Teriyaki Bento
Perfect for the little chicks in your life, this box is filled with tasty chicken teriyaki, rice and a scrambled egg "chick"!
Glazed veggie meatballs, Japanese pickles and rice with scallions and peas are the perfect components in this satisfying lunch. The carrot flowers and sweet potato bunny pump up the veggie content (yay, fiber!), while also making this box cute and delicious.
Turn your bento box into an artist's palette with this variety of colorful and healthy foods that remind us of a sparkling rainbow. The combination of fruit, veggies and roast chicken in a lettuce wrap is simply stunning!
This ocean-inspired bento box is sure to make a splash at lunchtime. Don't worry-there's not actually any seafood in this box, so it's perfect for picky eaters.
Aspiring architects will love this Lego-inspired lunch. PB&J, cheddar cheese and watermelon bricks are super simple to make with a dab of cream cheese "glue"-and they're even easier to eat!
For less-than-crafty parents intimidate by more complicated bento lunches, this technique makes it easy to whip up next-level sammies for your kids. Top your child's ham and cheese (or tuna, or Sunbutter...) with one of these cookie-cutter animal shapes, and she'll be the envy of the cafeteria!
No bento lunch roundup would be complete without this darling Japanese cat! Form rice into a Hello Kitty ball and add chicken, steamed broccoli, purple potato flowers and fresh fruit, and you have a deliciously authentic meal for your little one.
