5 bento-box lunch ideas

I’ve recently joined the ranks of lunch-making angels, um, I mean parents, as my daughter started S.K. Now fellow angels, how do I get her to eat the lunches I’m packing? The bento box!

This nifty mix of pint-sized edibles is like a mini buffet of goodness. And my daughter loves them. Here are five bento box combinations I've created (I’m keeping an Instagram diary of my efforts).

I bake a big batch of mini quiche on Sundays, freeze them and pull them out as I need them. In this bento box, I also added a few tortilla chips, strawberries, blueberries and a medley of cut up veggies (notice my daughter likes her cucumber peeled).

Get the recipe here: Mini Quiches

This fancy tuna sandwich (or a “Rollie” as my daughter calls them) can be packed with lots of veggies as well as the lean protein found in tuna. On the side, I've mixed up the fruits a bit by adding grapes instead of strawberries.

Get the recipe here: Fancy Tuna Sandwich

Don’t forget the snack! These whole-grain blueberry muffins are so quick to make and freeze very well. Here, I mixed them with the quiches and lots of fruits and vegetables.

Get the recipe here: Wholegrain Blueberry Muffins

Dinner becomes lunch with this bento concoction. Veggie chili makes a cozy, warm lunch on a chilly fall day. The portobello mushrooms in it make it extra satisfying. I added some pita for dipping, too.

Get the recipe here: Veggie Chili

Lunch doesn’t have to mean a sandwich! A wedge of mushroom frittata (another leftover) is an easy, satisfying alternative. Mixed with some yogurt and some fruit and vegetables, and you've got a great bento-to-go.

Get the recipe here: Bacon and Mushroom Frittata

7 back-to-school lunch ideas> These lunch ideas will keep your kids smiling.