How to Make a Handy Bento Box for Kids

Introduction

In this article, we’re looking at an alternative lunch box option for kids – the bento box! The bento lunchbox is a handy tool for packing the perfect school lunch, and we’ll help you understand why. After that, we’ll show you how you can make your very own bento! It’s easy and only requires a few supplies. Let’s get started!

What is a Bento Box?

First thing’s first, if you aren’t quite familiar with a bento lunchbox, allow us to explain. The bento box is a food container of Japanese origin. Essentially, it is a container for storing foods, that has built-in dividers to separate different parts of the meal.

A bento box contains different compartments for food, which makes it easy to separate the food, and ensures that the taste and texture doesn’t “spill” into other parts of the dish. This is great for a picky eater, and a child’s lunch can be split between lunch food and snack food, and any sauces or condiments like nut butter.

Bento boxes tend to vary based on the size, number of compartments, and size of each compartment. There are many options depending on what you tend to pack for lunch.

Next up, let’s check out the main benefits of a bento box.

Why Make Your Own?

In deciding to make your own bento lunch box, you might first be wondering whether you even need a bento box in the first place? Simply put, they aren’t for everyone, and you might prefer packing school lunches in a traditional lunchbox or lunch bag.

That being said, we think they are worth your consideration. So, before you dismiss them entirely, check out some of the top benefits of a DIY bento lunch box:

Environment

Firstly, a DIY bento box is an environmentally friendly option. These boxes are reusable, and will last you for many lunches to come! You can stop packing lunch in disposable packages, and stop worrying about harming the environment. A homemade bento box is a solution that lasts!

Additionally, because there are built in storage containers, you won’t have to rely on plastic wrap or Ziploc bags to keep everything separate. Simply place it in the container, and it’s good to go for your child’s lunch!

Portion Control

One of the main reasons that so many people turn to bento boxes is for portion control. Bento boxes have built-in dividers to keep your food separate, but these dividers also make it quite easy to pack appropriate portions. Measuring out portions can be a real pain, especially for a growing kid, so why not make it easy? A bento box allows you to take the guesswork out of packing, and settle on consistent sizes each day.

Keeps Food Separate

Another major benefit of bento boxes are that they keep all your food separate. This is particularly useful to keep the taste and texture of food from mixing with each other. You wouldn’t want your sandwich mixing with your salad dressing! A bento box makes it easy to keep food separate, and you don’t have to stress about putting everything into its own bag, or wrapping it all up in plastic wrap. 

Inspires Creativity

Because a bento box contains so many different containers, it will also inspire you to make creative lunches. You will be inspired to fill each container each day, and this will result in varied lunches that your kids will love. You can rotate through different mains, sides, and dips! There are so many fun ideas with a bento box and the desire to keep it stocked with fun lunches will always keep you on your toes!

Fun Project to Do with Kids

Finally, a DIY bento box is a fun project that you can do with your kids. Spending time with your kids is great, and spending productive time with them is even better. It’s fun and easy, and anyone can make their own! Next up, we’ll show you how to make a bento box with supplies that are super easy to get!

How-To Make Your Own Bento Box

In this section, we’re running you through an easy DIY bento box tutorial. We know you don’t have a lot of time on your hands, so we’re keeping this one simple. Follow these easy steps and you can make your own box in under an hour!

Step 1: Box

First up, you need the box! For a DIY bento box, any lunch container will do the trick. You can use a traditional lunch box, or even just a good-sized Tupperware container. As long as the box is rectangular and solid, it should do the job just fine.

The size of the box is really the key factor here. You want a box that will be big enough for a main course, and a couple sides. Consider how big of a lunch your child tends to eat, and use that as your guide.

There are a lot of things you can use as a bento box. First, you can invest in a real bento box.

Pyrex containers are also a great choice. They’re made of glass so you can wash them and reuse them again and again.

There’s also a good chance you already have something that can serve as a bento box in your kitchen. Large, flat Ziplock containers work great.

Step 2: Plan the Box

As we’ve talked about in this article, bento boxes come in many different designs. Before you make your own, you need to decide how many compartments you actually will need. Typically, a bento box has 2 big containers for carbs and protein, and 2 smaller containers for sides (such as fruit and veggies).

Step 3: Dividers or Cups

There are two great ways to divide your bento box. The first is silicone cups. These are fully reusable, and you can insert as many as you want to pack the perfect lunch. You can even buy them in different shapes and sizes.

The second option is to buy some plastic dividers. These dividers are removable, and you can place them however you want depending on the size of your portions. Some even will use real lettuce as dividers!

Step 4: Make Lunch!

It’s just that easy! All you need is a box and some dividers and you are ready to go! The most important part is planning healthy, tasty school lunches for your child. A bento box is only there to make it easy to pack, store, and divide. So now that you have your very own bento box, you are free to let your creativity run wild!