If you’re looking for easy, creative, and healthy school lunch ideas, try these super-simple 5-ingredient bento box lunches for kids—one for each day of the week.
This post was sponsored by Libby’s. The opinions and text are my own.
5-Ingredient Bento Box Lunches for a Week
Confession: by the third week of school I’m often back to packing the same simple sandwich over and over. My Pinterest-perfect lunch ambitions rarely survive a busy week. Real life calls for uncomplicated, reliable lunches that kids will eat—and that parents can assemble quickly.
That’s why I love 5-ingredient bento boxes. They’re fast to put together, use familiar foods, and can still be balanced and visually appealing. One easy shortcut is Libby’s® Vegetable Cups. These single-serve cups require no prep, provide a full serving of vegetables, and come in microwave-safe containers so you can serve them warm or cold. Flavors include cut green beans, diced carrots, sweet peas, whole kernel sweet corn, and peas & carrots—simple options that make packing varied lunches painless.
Libby’s Vegetable Cups are convenient for hectic weeknights too—heat them up for a speedy side dish or toss them cold into a salad. They make it easy to add vegetables to meals without extra chopping or cooking.
Below are five simple bento box ideas—each uses just five ingredients and includes an easy way to add vegetables with Libby’s Vegetable Cups.
5-Ingredient Bento Box Lunches for Kids for a Week with Libby’s® Vegetable Cups
Monday
This one’s great to prep on Sunday night. I sometimes add a sprinkle of fresh parsley or a few blueberries for color.
Ingredients
- Cooked spaghetti
- Italian dressing
- Meatballs
- Libby’s® Cut Green Beans Cup
- Mandarin orange slices
Tuesday
Make a colorful fruit salad and pair it with protein and a crunchy bite for a balanced lunch.
Ingredients
- Fruit salad (strawberries, blueberries, grapes, with a squeeze of lemon)
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Libby’s® Diced Carrot Cup
- Roasted almonds
- Pita crackers
Wednesday
These ham, cheese, and apple wraps are a kid favorite. Swap proteins or cheeses to suit your child’s tastes.
Ingredients
- Ham, cheese, and apple wraps
- Libby’s® Whole Kernel Corn Cup
- Pretzels
- Grapes
Thursday
A simple Italian-inspired lunch on a stick. I use pretzel sticks as skewers to avoid sharp wooden picks at school.
Ingredients
- Italian kabobs (salami, mozzarella cube, baby spinach, cherry tomato on a pretzel stick)
- Libby’s® Cut Green Beans Cup
- Blueberries
- Extra pretzel sticks
Friday
Friday calls for something easy and fun. These bagel sandwiches can be customized to each child’s preference—savory or sweet.
Ingredients
- Bagel sandwich (examples: meat, cheese & mayo; or cream cheese, cucumber & tomato; or cream cheese & strawberries)
- Libby’s® Sweet Peas Cup
- Strawberries
- Veggie chips or veggie straws
These five lunches are quick to assemble, kid-friendly, and flexible—swap ingredients to match tastes and dietary needs. Small shortcuts like single-serve vegetable cups make it realistic to offer a little variety each day without spending extra time in the kitchen.
Do you have favorite easy bento lunches? Share your ideas and simple combinations to keep weekday packing manageable and healthy.
This post was sponsored by Libby’s. The opinions and text are my own.
