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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes

    50+ Ideas for Healthy Bento Lunches

    Published: Sep 8, 2015 · by Nicole · Updated: Sep 13, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Bento Lunches
    Bento Lunches
    Bento Lunches
    Bento Lunches

    Are you still carrying around soggy PB&J sandwiches in brown paper bags for lunch? Stop! Bento lunches are everywhere lately for a reason—well, multiple reasons:

    1) Bentos are reusable! No throwing away paper bags, plastic baggies, and food packaging everyday.

    2) Bento boxes are leftover-friendly. Last night's dinner can be easily packed into a bento box for today's lunch!

    3) Bentos are a fun way to create a nutrionally-balanced meal.

    These healthy bento lunch ideas work for both kids and adults—they're made with whole food ingredients and they can be portioned to fit perfectly in most bento boxes!

    Healthy Bento Lunches

    These healthy bento lunch ideas work for both kids and adults—they're made with whole food ingredients and they can be portioned to fit perfectly in most bento boxes!

    Portable Proteins

    Quinoa Sushi Rolls with Miso-Sesame Dipping Sauce

    Quinoa is on a roll! These irresistible—and easy!—sushi rolls are made with hearty seasoned quinoa instead of rice, then packed with fresh veggies and served with an addicting dipping sauce. Prep a bunch of these Quinoa Shushi Rolls with Miso-Sesame Dipping Sauce to eat throughout the week.

    Spicy Black Bean Meatballs

    These Spicy Black Bean Meatballs are perfect served with a little salsa, but they also make great wraps, sliders, and subs!

    Slow-Roasted Tomato and Basil Hummus Wraps

    These tasty, colorful Slow-Roasted Tomato and Basil Hummus Wraps are made with spinach and carrots. As a bonus, you can make the hummus up to 2 days in advance.

    Baked Italian Herb Tofu 

    This easy Baked Italian Herb Tofu is perfect for adding to salads, pasta, and sandwiches!

    Mango Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

    Crumbled tempeh, crunchy cashews, and sweet champagne mangoes make a perfect filling for these easy vegetarian lettuce wraps. And best of all, these Mango Tempeh Lettuce Wraps come together in just 20 minutes!

    Sweet Potato and Millet Falafel

    Serve this Sweet Potato and Millet Falafel with pitas or flatbread, hummus, tzatziki, and veggies. We've made these falafels deep-fried, pan-fried, and baked—and they're delicious any way you make them!

    Photo Credit: peasandcrayons.com

    Healthy Hummus Stuffed Peppers

    Quick, easy, and totally tasty, these Healthy Hummus Stuffed Peppers are sure to be a hit at your next party! These sweet mini peppers make a perfect bite-sized snack.

    Spinach Artichoke Mini Quiches

    Using wonton wrappers instead of pie crusts makes these Spinach Artichoke Mini Quiches a cinch to prepare!

    Photo Credit: joanne-eatswellwithothers.com

    Spicy Chard Mac ‘n’ Cheese Bites

    These two-bite Spicy Chard Mac 'n' Cheese Bites are the perfect party appetizer or comfort-filled side dish! Made with Cooper Deli Cheese, the bites are full of gooey flavor.

    Tempeh Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce 

    Cubes of tempeh are soaked in a ginger-lemongrass marinade and skewered with red bell peppers in this flavor-packed vegetarian satay. Just make sure that the skewers you use for this Tempeh Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce will fit in your lunchbox!

    Fruit Snacks

    Mango Fruit Leather 

    I'll show you step-by-step how to make Mango Fruit Leather without a dehydrator. All you need for this recipe is 2 mangoes—nothing else!

    Photo Credit: www.tastingpage.com

    Baked Apple Chips with Cashew Cinnamon Dip

    Dive into fall with these healthy Baked Apple Chips with Cashew Cinnamon Dip. They're paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free—and your kids will love them!

    Photo Credit: www.forkandbeans.com

    Silly Apple Bites

    They’re silly, they’re easy to make, and best of all, they’re allergen-free! No nuts, no gluten, no soy…nada—these Silly Apple Bites are just green apples, sunflower butter, sunflower seeds, a strawberry tongue, and a batch of homemade googly eyes.

    Chai-Spiced Instant Pot Pear Applesauce

    Here we have pear-sauce flavored with chai spices and slow-cooked in a crockpot! Pack this Chai-Spiced Instant Pot Pear Applesauce in a thermos to keep it warm, or just serve it cold.

    Sneaky Green Apple Fruit Leather

    This tasty, sugar-free Sneaky Green Apple Fruit Leather is hiding a secret—it's made with spinach!

    Photo Credit: twohealthykitchens.com

    No-Bake Fruit “Pizzas”

    These No-Bake Fruit "Pizzas" are so fun and perfect for quick meals or snacks! If your kids love Lunchables but you’d like something a little healthier, then this super-flexible snack is for you! Fast, easy, and so yummy, these "pizzas" make a perfect bento box lunch!

    Vegan Pomegranate Orange Jello Shots

    Jello fruit slice shots are awesome, but they're not vegetarian. These Vegan Pomegranate Orange Jello Shots use agar agar and fruit juice instead of Jello, so they're veggie-friendly and adult lunchbox ready—don't slip these into your kids' bento boxes!

    Soft and Chewy Spiced Apple Rings

    These Soft and Chewy Spiced Apple Rings are made without any added sugar!

    Photo Credit: theorganicdietitian.com

    DIY Coconut Yogurt

    It's so easy to make your own DIY Coconut Yogurt at home with only two ingredients! Eat it plain or add some mix ins to spice it up.

    Dips, Salsas, and Hummus

    Cucumber Mango Salsa

    This sweet, refreshing salsa is made with mangoes and cucumber. If you can find champagne mangoes, use those—they are absolutely delicious in this Cucumber Mango Salsa!

    Better-Than-Trader-Joe's Edamame Hummus

    This Edamame Hummus is made with lemon juice and fresh herbs. It's even better than the kind Trader Joe's makes!

    Photo Credit: www.vegkitchen.com

    Edamame Guacamole

    If you’d like some protein with your guacamole and chips, blend the prime ingredient—avocado—with edamame (fresh green soybeans) to make some refreshing Edamame Guacamole.

    Vegan French Onion Dip

    In this Vegan French Onion Dip, savory caramelized onions are blended with creamy raw cashews and silken tofu.

    Roasted Garlic Kale Hummus 

    Kale, kale, everywhere! This hearty Roasted Garlic Kale Hummus boasts a vitamin boost from the popular superfood, plus an extra punch of flavor thanks to roasted garlic goodness.

    Photo Credit: www.mariaushakova.com

    Strawberry Salsa with Fresh Herbs

    This Strawberry Salsa with Fresh Herbs tastes awesome with fish or chicken and you can also serve it as a salad on a weeknight or as a salsa at the weekend BBQ party!

    Thai Coconut Curry Hummus 

    This Thai Coconut Curry Hummus is a creamy homemade hummus bursting with sweet and spicy Thai flavors.

    Salads

    Chickpea Salad with Cucumber & Lemony Tahini Dressing

    Cucumbers, chickpeas, and fresh mint leaves tossed with a lemony tahini dressing combine to make this refreshing Chickpea Salad with Cucumber & Lemony Tahini Dressing. Serve it in your lunch with some pita chips or on its own.

    Farro Caprese Salad with Mozzarella 

    This summery Farro Caprese Salad with Mozzarella is perfect for work lunches and picnics.

    Freekeh, Zucchini, and Pistachio Salad

    This Freekeh, Zucchini, and Pistachio Salad is simple to make and absolutely tasty.

    Fiery Fruit & Quinoa Salad from Salad Samurai

    This sweet-and-spicy Fiery Fruit & Quinoa Salad is from Terry Hope Romero's Salad Samurai and will be a flavorful addition to your bento box!

    Vegan Herbed French Lentil Salad

    This Vegan Herbed French Lentil Salad is perfect for summertime picnics or potlucks.

    Mango Black Bean Salad 

    This easy Mango Black Bean Salad is great as a side dish or light lunch.

    Photo Credit: www.deliciouseveryday.com

    Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

    This Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad is a healthy protein-packed twist on the original. It's bursting with Greek flavor from kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs—and you won't believe how quick and easy it is to make!

    Mediterranean Kidney Bean Salad

    This Mediterranean Kidney Bean Salad is tasty and refreshing with a bright, lemony dressing.

    Lunchbox-Friendly Mexican Cauliflower Rice Salad

    This Lunchbox-Friendly Mexican Cauliflower Rice Salad is an easy and healthy Tex-Mex inspired lunchbox favorite. This one's especially perfect to prep on Sunday for no-fuss lunches during the week.

    Vegan "Tuna" Salad

    You won't believe how much this Vegan "Tuna" Salad tastes like the real thing! Serve it as a spread for vegetables or make your own meatless tuna salad sandwiches.

    Chips & Crackers

    Curried Baked Carrot Chips

    These spicy, crispy Curried Baked Carrot Chips make for a healthy single-serving snack. If you double the recipe, use two baking sheets and alternate them in the oven halfway through baking time. This recipe is adapted from Chow's Carrot Chips.

    Baked Root Vegetable Chips with Buttermilk-Parsley Dipping Sauce

    These Baked Root Vegetable Chips with Buttermilk-Parsley Dipping Sauce are super simple to make and perfect for throwing in your lunchbox!

    Photo Credit: www.connoisseurusveg.com

    Garlic and Tahini Kale Chips

    Fresh kale is coated in a savory dressing and oven baked to create these healthy and seriously addicting Garlic and Tahini Kale Chips.

    Garlic Rosemary Baked Sweet Potato Chips

    These crispy Garlic Rosemary Baked Sweet Potato Chips can be baked on a weekend and eaten all week long!

    Jalapeño Cheddar Crackers

    These crispy, Jalapeño Cheddar Crackers are a definite crowd-pleaser—and they're so easy to make!

    Photo Credit: www.juliesjazz.com

    Baked Eggplant Chips

    Not really a fan of spongy, slimy texture of cooked eggplant? Slice your eggplant thin and bake it until crisp to make these irrisitible Baked Eggplant Chips!

    Zucchini Chips

    Zucchini Chips are the perfect solution for an overabundance of summer squash, whether you've grown them yourself or just went a little overboard at the market. They're super easy to make and throw into your lunch!

    Photo Credit: cleaneatingveggiegirl.com

    Roasted Radish Chips

    These Roasted Radish Chips are vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and a simple and easy way to prepare and enjoy fresh radishes!

    Photo Credit: www.eatthriveglow.com

    Baked Beet Green Chips

    These Baked Beet Creen Chips are light, but pack a mean crunch. You can throw these chips in your bento box or serve them at a party for an eye-popping, unique appetizer!

    Healthy Sweets

    Vegan Aussie Bites

    These convenient, tasty little Vegan Aussi Bites are like a cross between a granola bar and a muffin. Best of all, they take only about 10 minutes to assemble!

    Photo Credit: cupcakesandkalechips.com

    Carrot Cake and Zucchini Bread Sandwich Sushi

    These adorable little Carrot Cake and Zucchini Bread Sandwich Sushi are definitely acceptable to eat with your hands! They're a super fun little meal for the kiddos. Plus there are a million ways to make them!

    No-Bake Molasses Bites 

    These No-Bake Molasses Bites are a great snack that packs a large amount of magnesium into a small package!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites

    These Vegan Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites are made with pumpkin, almond butter, oats, pepitas, and raisins.

    Vegan Apple Cider Donuts

    These chai-spiced Vegan Apple Cider Donuts are loaded with Fall flavors from cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves. Pair them up with a cup of coffee for a totally indulgent treat!

    Mexican Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

    In this recipe for Mexican Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding, I also added cinnamon and cayenne—because why not? It works really well in this pudding! This is a perfect treat to add to your bento or lunchbox!

    Photo Credit: www.kitchentreaty.com

    Fudgy Black Bean Brownie Bites

    Rich, decadent, chocolatey... these almost truffle-like Fudgy Black Bean Brownie Bites have a secret ingredient your kids will never guess.

    Orange Cardamom Chocolate Mousse 

    Cardamom is the perfect compliment to the classic combination of chocolate and orange. This Orange Cardamom Chocolate Mousse is so rich and decadent, no one will suspect that it's dairy-free!

    Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Granola

    Hearty, chocolatey, and addicting, this decadent Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Granola mixes tart and sweet strawberries with classic granola ingredients. A dark chocolate drizzle sends it over the top!

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    Recipe Round-Ups lunch

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Meg @ Beard and Bonnet says

      September 08, 2015 at 3:19 pm

      I am constantly looking for lunchbox inspiration for my kids! The 4 year old is easy, but the 13 year old can be hard. There are so many great recipes here for her, thanks for rounding them all up. Pinned!

      Reply
    2. Leanne says

      September 08, 2015 at 3:43 pm

      there are some great ideas here, cant wait to get packing my own bento lunches for work! x

      Reply
    3. Heidi @ Food Doodles says

      September 09, 2015 at 3:12 pm

      Love this Kiersten! Always looking for some fresh ideas for my kids 🙂

      Reply
    4. Jenn @ Peas and Crayons says

      September 10, 2015 at 10:03 pm

      You had me at sweet potato falafel! SO making those! Thanks for all the delish ideas and the feature! <3

      Reply

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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