10 Bento Box Ideas (your picky eaters will actually eat)

As moms, we need all the help we can get with feeding our kids healthy school lunches. Here are some bento box lunches for picky eaters, ones that they’ll actually eat!

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Bento Box Ideas (perfect for school lunches!)

I recently got my son a Yumbox for his new adventure into Kindergarten this year, and I totally needed school lunch ideas so I thought you probably did too! I’m definitely adding these to my “kindergarten lunch box ideas list” (would it be helpful if I published that? Let me know by sending me an email). I hope these bento box ideas inspire you to help your picky eaters enjoy their school lunch!

Turkey and Cheese Mini Croissant Sandwiches With Apple Pumpkin Energy Bites

by Life Made Sweeter

Sandwiches on anything other than bread is always a win! And I love these apple pumpkin energy bites – I’m going to make them this weekend and put them into my school lunch planner for next week.

Chicken Pesto Zucchini Noodles

by Snixy Kitchen

Zoodles are so much fun for kids – especially if they get to help make them into the noodles! My son loves making them with our spiralizer (which I LOVE ~ I’ve used quite a few of them but this one is my favorite).

Crustless Pizza Cups

by Following In My Shoes

We recently had a “I want to try pizza with pepperoni” episode by the 4 year old that kinda stunned me (because no one in my house eats pepperoni on their pizza, ha!). He didn’t like the spicy-ness of it, so the next time I went to the store I picked up salami. He needed a good 4 or 5 “do you want to try this?” before he said yes but then he loved it! So I would get some thin sliced genoa salami and do this, for sure!

Sandwich-Free Lunch Box Ideas

by Baked Bree

My little guy would love all the kindergarten lunch box ideas in this article – he’s not really a traditional sandwich kind of kid! And I love the use of the silicone muffin holders when you want to corral something, whoever came up with that one is just brilliant.

More bento box lunch ideas for school:

Ham and Hummus Flatbread Rollups, Veggie Sticks, Cheese And Trail Mix

by Running To The Kitchen

Do your kids like hummus? Mine doesn’t love it (YET! we keep trying!) but I included this one to remind myself to try it in a different way – on a wrap! I’ve only given it to him to dip veggies in so I’ll definitely try this one.

“Little Italy” Lunch Ideas Pre-K-Friendly

by The Organic Kitchen

I feel like pasta is a really good lunchbox idea for picky eaters, plus I love the idea of sending a cold pasta that’s not loaded with mayo. My son would probably pick out the basil pieces but who knows! I’m all about not assuming, and just giving it to him to see what he does with it. It’s the same reason I give him vegetables over and over, even if he doesn’t eat them the first 273 times. Because one day, he WILL pick it up and eat it. And maybe even like it…ha!

Puzzle Piece Sandwich

by Smashed Peas And Carrots

I love to eat all things made with cookie cutters, so it’s no wonder kids love them! This puzzle piece cookie cutter is especially adorable and a fun way to present “just a sandwich”.

A really fun Bento box lunch ideas for kids:

Spooky Halloween Bento Lunch

by Three Little Ferns

This is just the cutest – my son would love all of this but I’d be afraid he’d just play with the toys and not eat the food, ha! Those picks that the black olives are on though – gotta find them! Update: I haven’t been able to find those exact food picks but I did find these adorable ones that could be used for halloween or any time!

No Cook Taco Salad Bento Box

by Sweet Peas And Saffron

This particular bento box lunch idea is what I gave my kindergartner on the first day of school! We did soft tacos in the Yumbox instead of the crispy tortillas but we’ll try that next time!

Gluten-Free Meatballs

by Following In My Shoes

I literally never thought about giving meatballs for lunch, especially without sauce (or “gravy” in my house!). I’m definitely trying this one, maybe with a little “gravy” as a dipping sauce – just so that my Grandma isn’t rolling over in her grave!