Kid’s Gear – Bento Box Lunches: Holy Grail or Overhyped?

The 411 on Kid’s Bento Box Lunches

If you are like many parents, you have probably sent one too many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to school. I can certainly attest to having gotten stuck in a rut of making the same two or three choices day after day, week after week. Rather than a “typical” sack lunch- sandwich, fruit, etc, I decided to take a look at other options, such as Bento boxes. Bento boxes are basically a container with sections so you can separate the foods. Bento boxes look so good in all of the food blog and advertisements we see. There are perfectly portioned fruits and vegetables, beautifully cubed meats and cheeses, and just a touch of something sweet. They also tout the lack of waste and the money you will save in the long run by not buying plastic sandwich bags, paper bags and other containers. However, is it really worth all the hype?

One bonus is that you can organize all of the foods by type. You can separate the protein, whole-grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy. If your child is one who doesn’t like food to be combined, this is a perfect little gadget for you. Everything stays in its own neat section of the tray.

They are easy to pack the night before, which is right up my alley because I am not a morning person. Therefore, you can get everything done and packed and put it into the refrigerator. There will be no soggy sandwiches the next day.

Another beauty of Bento boxes is that there are hundreds of different ideas online. Simply type in Bento box and you will be inundated with lots of new ideas for ways to please your little ones and even yourself! They are aesthetically pleasing as well- it’s much more fun to eat food that looks good.

One downfall to the Bento box is that if your child does not close it properly, it makes a big mess. If the lid is not on tightly and pops off, all of the items can leak out or fall out into your child’s backpack. However, you can put the Bento box into a lunchbox or a Ziploc bag so that if it does leak it’s not as big of a deal.

Additionally, you have to be prepared with things to put into the container sections, so if you don’t have much time for lunch prep, this might be a bit of a challenge. The foods need to be chopped into relatively bite-sized pieces to fit into each particular section of the box. However, some Bento boxes can fit a half or whole sandwich. That way, you are still not using throw-away plastic bags and the prep time is decreased a bit.

If you like the idea of a Bento box for your kids, consider one for yourself, too. Having your food portioned, ready to eat and looking appetizing will prevent you from running for fast food when you peer into your brown paper lunch bag and see that your sandwich has been smashed under your apple. They come in various sizes and materials, so if this container is something you are interested in, there will be no lack of choices.
 
 
Meet The Bella Behind the Blog: Kristen Farley is a mother of three and a domestic goddess. She is a former teacher who enjoys spending lots of time with her kids, healthy eating, volunteering at school, and mommy blogging for the masses.

Be on the lookout for more of Kristen’s expert advice and brilliant tips!