Lunch doesn’t end when the school year does. For many of us, even when the school year is over we are still packing lunch for summer camps, daycare, and work. To kick off the summer break, I want to introduce my recent favorite lunch box and a menu my children enjoyed throughout this past school year.
If you are new to bento making, I highly recommend you to read this post and watch this video to get a quick tutorial on how to make bento. I offer some useful tricks and tips on how to pack bento. You can make great looking bento using the previous night’s leftovers; you just need to follow some basic and simple steps.
How to Pack Bento Boxes
So what do you put in the lunch box?
The number one food my children enjoyed having in their lunch box this past school year was Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs (豆腐ハンバーグ). Remember the fluffy meatballs with tofu as a secret ingredient? Yeah, that one.
You can pack anything you like of course. Just remember the 3 rules of thumb for bento packing. Divide the meal proportionally, keep in mind the colors, and pack tightly!
Carbohydrate:
- Steamed rice (leftover – defrosted)
Protein:
- Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs (leftover – heated)
- Ham flower (made in the morning)
- Boiled egg (made previous night)
Veggies:
- Crab Salad (leftover)
- Steamed broccoli (parboiled previous night)
- Cherry tomatoes (washed in the morning)
Fruits:
- Mandarin orange (peeled in the morning)
- Strawberries (washed in the morning)
See? Simply keep your focus on colors and good proportion and the result will be super yummy. When kids are at camp or daycare during the day, they want lunches that look appetizing and nutritious which will fuel them for their activity-filled day.
If you are new to packing lunches and interested in making bento-style lunch, check out How To Make Bento.
Sign up for the free Just One Cookbook newsletter delivered to your inbox! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates.
Chicken Meatball Bento
Ingredients
- cooked Japanese short-grain rice (see how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe)
- teriyaki chicken meatballs (leftovers; make extra teriyaki chicken meatballs for dinner the night before)
- flower-shaped ham (see how to make a ham flower)
- Japanese kani salad (leftovers; prep my crab salad ahead of time)
- soft or hard-boiled egg (make a hard-boiled egg or hanjuku tamago the night before)
- broccoli (steamed or parboiled the previous night)
- cherry tomatoes
- strawberries
- mandarin orange
Instructions
- Pack cooked Japanese short-grain rice in half of the bento box and let it cool.
- Reheat the teriyaki chicken meatballs in a frying pan until heated through. Transfer them to a small plate and let them cool.
- Meanwhile, make a ham flower and set aside.
- When the rice and meatballs are cool, pack the rest of the ingredients into the bento box: Japanese kani salad, flower-shaped ham, soft or hard-boiled egg, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, and mandarin orange.
- Cool down completely before closing the bento box.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @justonecookbook on Instagram so we can see your delicious creation!