We have packed a bento box almost every school day for years. The compartments are the whole trick: a few small sections mean a lunch looks full without being a project, and nothing touches anything it should not touch.
Every lunch below fits a standard bento-style box — ours is a stainless steel one with compartments, and a Bentgo Kids or Bentgo Fresh works the same way. None of it needs food dye or an hour of your morning. Some are five minutes. Some are leftovers in a better outfit.
What goes in each compartment
- The big section: the main thing. Quesadillas, tots, pasta, a sandwich cut into a shape if the week calls for it.
- Two small sections: one fruit, one crunchy. This is where dye-free matters most, so we stick to fruit, pretzels, popcorn or cheese.
- The last small section: the treat. One square of chocolate, two cookies, a few yogurt-covered raisins.
The lunches
Back to School Lunchbox
the first-week box, before the novelty wears off
Spinach Whole Wheat Quesadillas
hidden spinach, no complaints
Cheddar Broccoli Quinoa Tots
make a tray, freeze the rest
Soup & Salad For Lunch
how to pack soup so it is still hot at noon
Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Bowl
the one my picky eater actually finishes
Garden Quinoa Salad
for the kid who likes everything separate
Ladybugs on a Leaf
two minutes, zero baking
Ice Cream Cone Lunchbox
a birthday-week box
Dinosaur Themed Lunch
for the dinosaur phase
Spooky Halloween Lunch
mummy sandwiches and ghost bananas
Halloween Lunchbox Ideas
more spooky boxes, all dye-free
Valentine’s Day Lunchbox
hearts without the pink dye
Grilled Cheese Hamantaschen
a Purim lunch the class asks about
Want the whole lineup in your inbox?
Join my email list and I will send you two free eCookbooks, plus new lunches and treats as I publish them.