What is bento?
Bento is really just a name for a food container or box that includes dividers to separate individual food elements. They originated in Japan as a way to carry and serve foods such as meat, rice and vegetables.
Bento Benefits
There are so many reasons to love a bento style snack or lunch box;
- They encourage you to offer a variety of nutritious ready to eat snacks to your kids – its great to separate these into areas eg. dried fruits and nuts, fruits or vegetables, proteins and grains.
- You can save money by buying products in bulk – no need for pre-packed snacks. For more info on saving see our savings comparison chart.
- They’re easier for kids to manage than having multiple containers.
- They’re easy to clean - all our bentos are dishwasher safe.
- They’re waste free! You’ll not only save time, money and get your kids to eat a variety of non packaged wholesome foods, but you’re saving the environment by reducing waste.
Be brave with bento
Using bento allows you to have a little fun with the kids’ lunch. You can include your standard fare but pop in something different each day to see if the kids like it – they might surprise you! Some fun suggestions include: vegetables such as snow peas, cherry tomatoes or cooked corn on the cob, an array of dried fruits including cranberries, banana chips or raisins, fruits such as blueberries, kiwi fruit or mandarin pieces, their favourite cereal or popcorn, cubes of cheese, a boiled egg the possibilities are endless! If you’re organized you could include a pre-made salad, a chunk of zucchini slice or delicious home made museli bar or muffin. Check out our real food recipes for more ideas.
Our range
Time for a shameless plug. We’ve sourced a range of ‘bento’ style boxes made from non-toxic food grade stainless steel or silicone. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes so you can grab the perfect bento box to suit your needs.