Bento boxes are gaining steam as a perfectly portioned, creative, fun way to pack and serve lunch—and they’re not just for kids. The box hails from Japan and first hit the scene in the . Cuteness is the name of the game in the current wave of bento lunch making: is often shaped into animals, flowers, or cartoon characters, though the adorable feast sometimes take longer to prepare than to scarf down. Here we’ve rounded up 25 bento ideas (sans cartoon faces) for kid-friendly, that could also work at the office. 1. Grilled Chicken and Barley Salad This bento demonstrates the benefit of cooking a giant batch of a grain and repurposing it for lunches and dinners throughout the week. Barley, the tasty grain in this bento, has tons of fiber (almost a quarter of the daily recommended value in one cup of the pearled stuff). 2. Naked Black Bean Burgers Ditch the bun in favor of this healthy burger in a box with all the fixings. These mini black bean patties are swirled with one of our favorite condiments—Sriracha hot sauce.

Serve 'em up on top of a pile of lettuce, avocado, peppers, cukes, and an individual gluten-free brownie on the side for dessert. 3. Pinto Bean Wrap Whole-wheat tortillas make for a perfect bento stuffer. jiro dreams of sushi trailer songThis one is jam-packed with pinto beans, brown rice, and quinoa for a fiber-filled, budget-friendly meal.sushi to go aarhus 4. Stir-Fry Tofu in Sweet Asian Saucesushi take out downtown ottawa Turn tofu into a tasty treat with soy sauce, fresh ginger, and garlic. sushi garden menu pueblo coAdd a side of a heart-healthy grain to make lunch on-the-go a cinch.sushi no suki 2

5. Sweet Potato Burger Bento Sweet potatoes are loaded with fiber and vitamins A and C, which makes us love this burger even more. Throw in some extra veggies and leave off the brown sugar and honey sauce to make it even healthier!where to buy live eels for bait 6. Portobello Pizza Bentotakeout sushi etobicoke This gluten-free alternative pays homage to pizza, but with a healthier, low-carb twist (plus, there’s no reheating required!). Pack a side of veggies and fruit for a colorful, portable lunch. Taste the rainbow with this artistic arrangement of tomatoes, carrots, grilled corn, and peas. This snack bento layers the vegetables and grain into colorful rows. We’re also a big fan of the side of Goldfish. 8. Mushrooms, Barley, and Brie This bento is jazzed up with sautéed mushrooms, pine nuts, and dried cranberries.

Served on the side is a creamy cannellini bean spread with bell pepper slices for dipping, as well as a few slices of Brie. 9. Thai Salmon Skewers With Coconut Rice Bento This Thai-inspired bento has all our favorite flavors. Marinate the salmon for one hour before you grill and add some tropical fruit for an extra tasty lunch. 10. Caprese Pasta Salad With Grilled Chicken This hearty bento features grilled chicken as the protein of choice. Feel free to leave it out for a vegetarian option that's just as flavorful. 11. Black Bean and Quinoa Burger Bento This healthy burger is suitable for lunch any day of the week. The main ingredients in the mini patties: black beans and quinoa. Throw in some fruit and salsa, and you've got yourself a delicious, Mexican-inspired meal. 12. Baked Tofu and Potato Salad Skewers are a great bento accessory. They make eating easier while also keeping the tofu contained to one section of the box (which doesn't have a partition).

The potato salad is incredibly simple with just four ingredients: potatoes, pepper, pickles, and chipotle mayo. For a healthier potato salad, we like subbing plain Greek yogurt in for the mayo. 13. Bruschetta Lentil Bento Box This bento rounds up some classic Italian flavors for a delicious lunch. Bruschetta lentil salad with a side of caprese skewers—yum! 14. Salmon and Marinated Shrimp Salad For a full on omega-3 fix, this bento is ideal. Marinate cooked shrimp overnight in an onion, garlic, oregano, and olive oil mixture. Toss smoked salmon on top in the morning, and the meal’s done! A bed of salad greens adds a little color and good-for-you stuff, including vitamins A, C, K, and folate. 15. Black Bean Pasta Salad Bento This pasta salad isn’t all noodle: It gets a healthy makeover with the addition of black beans. It’s also a perfect driver for vegetables with tomatoes and a side of cucumbers and peppers. 16. Salad Bar Bento Instead of showing up to work with a haphazard mess of salad slop (even if it looked appetizing in the morning), sectioning off each veggie, grain, and green prevents salads from going soggy.

Fill each compartment with seeds, nuts, cooked grains, and sliced and diced veggies, and combine in any way you like when lunchtime hits. Sushi doesn’t have to be all seaweed and raw fish. These dainty (and super mature) finger sandwiches make tuna salad classy. To get the sushi effect, flatten two slices of bread, fill with canned tuna fish and julienned carrots and cucumbers, roll, then slice into individual bites. 18. Pita Sandwich Bento This pita pocket filled with tuna and lettuce takes all of 10 minutes to whip up. Add a side salad and voila! 19. Sprouted Grain Sandwich Bento This vegetarian sandwich packs cheese, lettuce, sprouts, light mayo, and honey mustard between two slices of sprouted grain bread. 20. Peanut Butter and Banana Roll-Ups This fruit-focused bento includes bananas, blueberries, grapes, kiwi, and carrots for good measure. Representing one of the most delicious combinations ever, tiny whole-wheat wraps are stuffed with banana and peanut butter.

Sorry, Elvis, no bacon here. 21. Ham and Swiss Bento This meal is as easy as piling ham, cheese, and lettuce into a small roll and filling the remaining space in the box with yogurt and fruit. You may want to spice up the sandwich with any extra fillings you have on hand for extra nutrients. 22. Homemade Taco Cups Much like the salad bar bento, the taco cup bento is a fun make-your-own lunch idea (plus it keeps crispy taco shells from getting soggy). Stuff each container with standard taco fixins—shredded lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, guac, and anything else you fancy. Use multigrain scoop-style tortilla chips as shells or make your own version by cutting out rounds of a whole-wheat tortilla and baking them in a mini muffin tin. 23. Hard-Boiled Egg and Cold Cuts Bento Hard-boiled eggs and cold cuts are the stars of this protein-packed lunch kit. Add a selection of your favorite fruits and veggies, and you have yourself a wholesome meal. 24. Ants on a Log