Preschool Bento Box Lunch Ideas 

Inside: Starting preschool this year and no idea what to pack for lunch? These easy preschool Bento box lunch ideas will be your new go-to ideas all school year long! 

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Is packing lunch for kids a full-time job? 

Because sometimes it kinda feels like one 😀

That being said, one thing about me is that I love to take a daily task and streamline it. 

Rather than feeling all over the place with packing lunches this school year, it makes sense to have a system in place for something that’s on your daily to-do list. 

Home Management Systems are something I am really passionate about!

It’s the difference between feeling like you have no idea what you’re doing or feeling confident in how to operate your home (yes, even down to packing lunches!).

Also, in case we haven’t “met” on IG, I’m Marla and I’m a stay at home mom to 3 girls! If you’re feeling overwhelmed as a SAHM, you’ll want to check out my Ultimate Stay at Home Mom Course. See what a few students had to say below! 

Enroll in a free preview of the course, here!

If you want to get more organized (to simplify the task of packing lunches), it’s helpful to establish an organizational system in your kitchen.

For example:

• Keeping all lunch-packing supplies stored in a cabinet or drawer
• Emptying and washing Bento boxes after school
• Packing lunch at night so the morning isn’t as rushed
• Rotating lunch ideas

What to Pack in a Kids Bento Box?

I always joke that each blog post has a “million dollar question” and I think undoubtedly, for this topic, this is it 🙂

Without oversimplifying it, pack food that your child likes and that you know they’ll eat. 

All kids go through phases of eating non-stop or eating barely anything.

Some days their Bento Box will come home completely empty and some days it’ll come back with a piece of cheese that looks like it’s been moved and a half-eaten cracker and everything else untouched. 

That being said, here’s my basic formula for what to pack inside a kids Bento box:

• Fruit and/or Veggie
• Snack (something crunchy)
• Dip 
• Main component
• Treat

What to pack for kids who don’t like sandwiches?

One thing about my kids is that they don’t like sandwiches. 

Add on to that, this last year we made the choice to go (mostly) gluten-free to see if it would help one of my daughter’s severe eczema (I shared more about this on my IG).

We really couldn’t find any gluten-free breads she liked and since none of my kids ever really liked sandwiches it made that part of packing lunches pretty easy!

However, if your child likes PB&J, I’d say there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel.

If they’re not bored of sandwiches, it’s fine.

What I’m really trying to say is: if it’s not broke, don’t fix it 🙂

It’s easy to fall into this trap of feeling like we need 180 days of school lunches – no repeats, but that’s a surefire way to feel burnt out on packing lunches!

Kids like what they like, it’s okay to stick to it for a task that needs to be done daily.

If this is something you really struggle with – in my Lunchbox Guide you’ll learn how to create a system for packing lunches that makes sense for your family.

Inside the ebook you’ll get my go-to printables and helpful step-by-step guidance so you’ll feel confident heading into this back-to-school season! 

Preschool Bento Box Lunch Ideas 

Here are some of my go-to ideas for packed lunches. These ideas are great for preschool through elementary school. You may need to modify the way food is cut for younger toddlers, and if your toddler is extremely picky, it may be helpful to send in a “snacky” lunch (more on that below).

Mini Bagel & Cream Cheese | Bentgo Kids

on the side: Annie’s fruit snacks, Simple Mills graham crackers, strawberries & blueberries, pretzels & hummus

Hummus & Pita | Yumbox Original

on the side: pita, hummus, string cheese, watermelon, cucumbers, Annie’s cheddar bunnies

Chicken Salad & Crackers | Easy Lunches 4 Compartment

on the side: Trade Joe’s “Oreos” & freeze-dried strawberries

Bean & Cheese Quesadilla | OmieGo Bento Box

on the side: MadeGood granola bites (their soft cookies are also great for toddlers), cucumbers & bell peppers

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bites | InnoBaby Flex-n-Lock Lunch Box

on the side: cheese stick, Trader Joe’s cheddar rockets, mini pretzels, Made good cookies, strawberries & blueberries

Cheese Quesadilla | Bentgo Kids

on the side: Amara smoothie melts, blueberries, Quinn pretzels & hummus + Sunnie jam dipper (great if you need a separate snack for snack time)

Turkey & Cheese Pinwheels | OmieGo Bento Box

on the side: watermelon, pretzels, cheddar bunnies & crinkle cut cucumbers

Snacky Lunch | Yumbox Snack Box

what’s inside: pretzel chips & everything bagel hummus, Harvest snap pea puffs, freeze-dried strawberries & Annie’s fruit snacks (can also add a cheese stick & smoothie pouch to round it out)

Favorite Bento Boxes (toddlers through big kids)

You’ll find links to all of the Bento boxes and snack boxes here in my Amazon Storefront. 

I’ve also linked all of my lunch-packing supplies such as insulated lunch bags, ice packs, reusable water bottles – all of my tried-and-tested faves. 

What to Read Next:

• Healthy Lunchbox Ideas for Picky Kindergarteners
• Absolute Favorite Bento Boxes from Amazon
• 1 Year Old Lunchbox Ideas (Daycare, Preschool or Home)
• How to Pack a Snack & Lunch for Kindergarten
• Ultimate Store-bought Preschool Snack List 

Follow Marla on Instagram for more practical solutions for everyday #momlife