Bento Box Lunch Ideas

While it may still take the same amount of time altogether, most of us might have an hour on the weekend versus ten to twelve minutes every week day morning. There always seems to be too much to do before getting out the door, and having a homemade lunch pre-made and ready to go is just so nice. Here are some of my favorites that are not only easy to put together, but they store well in the fridge.

• Fruit and cheese plate: The best part about this one is that every week can be different! Maybe one week you choose bleu cheese, fresh sliced pears, and a crusty baguette. And the next week, you can combine sharp white cheddar, crisp green apples, and whole wheat crackers.
• Burrito bowl: Being able to make my own burrito bowls keeps down the fast food, and healthier since I control all ingredients. I like to combine brown rice, diced rotisserie chicken, shredded cheese, guacamole, and broccoli slaw for crunch. Make sure to put the cold items into cupcake liners so that you can remove them from the container before heating up the rice and chicken.
• Deconstructed sandwich: Sandwiches can get soggy, especially if you make them too far in advance. However, you can still prep everything on Sunday, just leave it all separated until you are ready to eat it. I find that sandwich thins or pita pockets hold up well. You can go ahead and add your meat and cheese, just keep the lettuce and condiments separate until lunchtime.

One of the most important things for making this whole process come together is the right containers. I love my iKitchenPlus Bento Food Container Set with 3 Compartments; I don’t know if I could pull it off without them!