Bento Box Lunches for Kids

My 3.5 yo son started a summer day camp this week.  I have to pack him a lunch each day so a few weeks ago I started researching my options. I knew I wanted stainless steel because it's sturdier, healthier and overall more environmentally friendly than plastic. I found a few different options and finally settled on this one:

It's a LunchBots Trio.  They also have an Uno, Duo and Quad.  Each one has the number of separate compartments reflected in its name. I decided on a Trio for my son. I am so glad I did! We love this little box!

I will admit when I first got it I was a little skeptical because it's so small. I was wondering how all the pictures I'd seen online could be real. Surely this little box couldn't hold all that food. I was soooooo wrong! Here are the first 4 bento box lunches I've ever made for my kid so you can see how much it holds.

Bento #1: garlic & kale rice, chicken with homemade BBQ sauce, tomatoes, roasted sweet potato slices and organic blue corn tortilla chips

Bento #2: sauteed green beans, veggie meatballs (this recipe), sliced almonds, cheese, and tomatoes.

Bento #3: steamed broccoli, tostones {twice fried plantain slices} cooked in duck fat, ketchup, cheese and kiwi

Bento #4: garlic & herb roasted potatoes, bakes whole wheat spaghetti & meatballs, kiwi, banana, tomatoes

I've been posting these pics daily on my Facebook page and have received a great response. I'm glad I can inspire others to cook healthier meals for their kids just by sharing a few pictures.

This is so much fun! I will admit... I look forward to packing his lunch every night. He helps me pack it and gets to choose what he wants in it.  Sometimes they aren't as balanced as I would like but it's all fresh, homemade and organic so I will let him get away with some stuff every once in a while.

I also love the mini cupcake silicone liners to help keep the foods separate. These are the ones I ordered:

Some online resources I really enjoyed while learning about bento lunches are:

http://justbento.com/

http://lunchinabox.net/

http://happylittlebento.blogspot.com/

Do you pack bento style lunches for yourself, kids, or partner?

Click HERE to get your own LunchBots.