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Why the Bento Box Is Great for Packing Lunch + 13 Bento Box Lunch Ideas
Jul 14, 2021
Bento boxes have become quite trendy everywhere. With their cute, little compartments that keep different foods separated, they allow you to pack a complete meal, including a dessert, in one place. You can see them in offices, schools, and picnics. People are in love with them, and they have every reason to be.
Here’s everything you need to know about the bento-style lunch box including a few great bento box lunch ideas.
Why Is the Bento Box Popular?
This multi-compartment lunch box allows you to pack healthy meals with nutritional value. You can pack meat or fish, rice or potatoes, vegetable salad, and a snack in different compartments of the bento box without touching each other. Not only does it’s healthy, but it’s also aesthetically pleasing.
The small compartments mean smaller portion sizes which is great if you need help with weight loss or counting calories. In a way, they offer built-in portion control which prevents you from packing too much food that you won’t be able to resist. There are even bento boxes that can be sealed tightly if you want to pack liquids such as stews, soups, sauces, or salad dressings.
Another great reason for their global popularity is the ability to pack foods with different flavors and textures without touching each other. This means you can enjoy a wholesome meal, including a dessert, at work or school without carrying several lunch boxes.
What Are the Benefits of Bento Boxes?
Here are some of the best benefits of using bentos and what makes them perfect for people on the go:
No need to use plastic wrappers or foil – closing your bento seals each compartment, so there’s no need of wrapping each food item separately. This can help you save time while reducing the amount of plastic wrap or foil ending up in the landfill.
Keeps food fresh – by not allowing the different food items to touch each other, they will stay fresh for hours. When it’s time to eat, just open your bento and enjoy your fresh food.
Helps picky eaters to eat healthy – you can pack different, vibrant foods for your picky eater in separate compartments. When they open the box and see the beautiful array of colorful food, they won’t be able to resist it. This will surely encourage them to eat more vegetables, fruits, cheeses, fish, or meat for their school lunch.
Helps with portion control – the compartments allow you to limit the amount of each food packed in your bento box. This is really helpful if you’re counting calories or if you just want to stick to a balanced diet.
It’s stylish – bento boxes come in a variety of colors, designs, and shapes, so there’s an option for everyone. This is a much more stylish way of carrying your meal on the go than the old, boring backpacks or brown paper bags.
It’s easy to clean – you can hand wash your bento box or use a dishwasher.
It’s economical – using a bento box instead of eating at restaurants every day will save you money.
Tips and Tricks When Using a Bento Box
Now that you know the reasons for their popularity and their benefits, here are a few tips and tricks that will help you use them:
Separate the wet food from the dry, as well as the warm food from the cold.
When packing, while waiting for the main dish to cool, fill up the other compartments with fresh ingredients. This will speed up the packing process.
Shape rice balls like cartoon characters or animals, or make octopus sausages and pack them in your kid’s bento box for school lunch. This will encourage every picky eater to try what’s inside their box.
For food safety, it’s best to let hot food cool before packing.
Save any leftovers to add to your bento box the next day.
13 Tasty and Healthy Bento Box Lunch Ideas
Here are 13 delicious and healthy bento lunch box ideas that will make your mouth water:
Hard-boiled eggs, tuna, edamame, and grapes.
Pita, hummus, Greek salad, and fruit of your choice.
Garlic-ginger chicken with soy sauce, roasted broccoli, and nuts.
Chicken breasts, cauliflower rice tabbouleh, olives, hummus, and tzatziki.
Zucchini noodles, turkey meatballs, and any fruit.
Chicken kebabs, rice, and broccoli pesto.
Creamy pasta, broccoli, and raisins.
Sandwich with tuna and avocado, and melon salad.
Roasted chicken, beans, bell pepper slices, and nuts.
Chicken wraps, spinach, peanut sauce, bell pepper slices, and apple slices.
Honey lemon chicken, rice, and broccoli.
Minced meat, roasted potatoes, and scrambled eggs.
Honey sesame chicken, broccoli, kale, and quinoa.
Conclusion
Bento boxes are extremely popular, and they have every reason to be. Use them to pack some of these tasty and healthy bento box lunch ideas and your meal on the go is ready.
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Milena Popova
Milena is an ESL teacher with over 7 years of experience in writing articles on her favorite topics - food and health. In her free time, she loves trying out new recipes, reading, listening to music, and walking in nature.
