Hellobee

People often assume that they need a lot of specialized equipment to start making bento boxes for their children. While there are many fun tools available, a few basic supplies are all that are really needed.  Young eaters are still growing accustomed to new foods and the mechanics of eating a meal, so using just a few tools helps keep things simple and lets the food itself be the star of the lunch box.

I have a big collection of bento tools, but the truth is that I find myself reaching for the same four items to make lunches most days of the week: a box, a knife, silicone baking cups and cookie cutters.

A Bento Box

Boxes that are designed specifically for packing bento meals are available in countless combinations of sizes, colors and materials. While it’s convenient to use containers that are specifically made to hold bento lunches, it’s not really necessary. For a toddler, a food storage container that’s about 4 x 6 inches and 1 1/2 inches deep will hold approximately the right amount of food. If you would like to purchase a box specifically made for bento, some online sources with reasonably priced options include Amazon and All Things for Sale. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Blue Bird two-tier bento box
• Two Tier Frog Bento Box
• Pink Strawberry bento box
• Lunchbots Stainless Steel snack box

A Knife

A basic kitchen knife can be used to cut food items into endless interesting shapes. Dice cheese, cut sandwiches into small squares or triangles and cut fruits and vegetables into thin slices or matchsticks.

Silicone Baking Cups

I use silicone cupcake cups in nearly every lunch I pack for my boys. They’re an excellent guide for dishing  food out into toddler-sized portions, and they add a nice splash of color to the lunch box. Use them to separate wet foods from crunchy ones, or contain small items like peas or blueberries. An additional bonus to using the reusable silicone cups is that are reusable and can be used for years. Purchase round, square, or heart-shaped cups from Amazon.

Cookie Cutters

Small or medium sized cookie cutters are a dual purpose item. Use them to cut food into bite-sized pieces or portions that are easy for little hands to hold while adding a little fun and whimsy to a bento box. Most well-stocked kitchens already have a few suitable cookie cutters in a drawer or cupboard, but if you’d like to invest in a few sets specifically for using in bento boxes, here are some recommendations:

• Mini Noah’s ark cutters
• Star cookie cutters
• Circle Cookie cutter set
• Romance-themed mini cutters

Bringing it all Together

Here’s an example of a lunch for an older toddler made with just these four tools. I used a simple blue stacking bento box and cut the dumplings in half with a knife to form them into half-moon shapes. I cut some flatbread into small star shapes, then I corralled the cut tomatoes into a silicone baking cup. This kept them from rolling all over the bento box and also kept their juice from leaking onto the bread and making it soggy. Finally, I filled the last remaining space in the box with some clementine wedges.