The 7 Most Delicious Bento Box Recipes for Beginners

Masthead Image
breakfast bento box
Author Name: Lucas Cook
Date: Tuesday January 14, 2025

Body + Mind is reader-supported. We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through some of the links on our site. 

Have you ever seen a picture of food online and thought about how you’d love to recreate it? Bento box recipes look appetizing and complex due to their vibrant components. However, beginners should never shy away from the challenge. You could also create a magnificent packed lunch with a little practice around the kitchen.

What Is a Bento Box?

A bento box is a tray of food with a little bit of everything inside. The single-serving meal traditionally includes rice or noodles accompanied by fish or eggs and other ingredients, assembled and ready to be eaten. More modern variations of this packed lunch have entered the spotlight so expect anything from sandwiches to pasta and more.

There are different types of bento boxes, often reserved for the more experienced chefs. For example, the “Kyaraben” style mimics characters from anime and cartoons, while “Oekakiben” creates pictures of landscapes and monuments. As a beginner, you can focus more on filling up the tray and making it delicious first.

A traditional bento box is a compact and segmented container. Reusable ones are made of wood, metal, and plastic. Tiered lunch boxes also work like magic for multiple sections. You can also use a glass storage container to hold all the components together. 

tonkatsu bento box recipe

Best Beginner Bento Box Recipes

To make bento boxes more beginner-friendly, incorporate mains and sides that you’re already familiar with making. Here are a few recipes to try out for your tray. 

1. Breakfast Bento Box

Start your breakfast bento box with a cup of cooked rice. You can mix it with veggies and scrambled eggs for extra protein. Place the rice in one section of your tray and add protein. Bacon works just as fine, but marinated chicken can add more flavor.

In another, lay down a bed of peas and place sliced hard-boiled eggs and tomatoes on top. You can also pick out other sides, like a salad, to balance out the rest of the meal.

2. Tonkatsu Bento Box

For a more traditional bento box, consider making Japanese pork cutlets. Get boneless pork chops and coat them in flour. Dip them in egg and add panko bread crumbs for a crispy and crunch crust when frying. You can create the sauce with soy sauce, ketchup and a few spices.

Place cooked rice in one section again and add a little sesame seed on top. You can add extra sides like scrambled eggs or salad to complement the meat.

3. Stir Fried Tofu Bento Box

The first component of the stir-fried tofu bento box is sesame soba. You can cook the soba noodles in salted water for about four minutes or until softened. Drain and rinse with cold water before adding sesame seeds and oil, along with a little white pepper.

Coat your tofu cubes with flour and garlic powder. Season with black pepper before sauteeing it in a pan until golden brown. After that, warm your veggies, such as broccoli and carrots, and assemble them in the tray.

4. Keto Surprise Bento Box

Consider making zucchini noodles for your bento box. You can run the veggie through a spiralizer to create those beautiful strands. For one section, mix it up with pesto sauce and a few cherry tomatoes.

In another segment, you can add a few pieces of marinated chicken breasts. Add a cup of nuts and make room for a small cup of fruity yogurt.

5. Healthy Carbonara Bento Box

Carbonara is always a great recipe for beginners. Cook the pasta until al dente and saute bacon. For the base, you can whisk eggs, parmesan cheese, and pepper together. Add all the components to the skillet before transferring a serving into the bento box. 

As for the sides, you can add a few more extra strips of bacon. Shiitake mushrooms and a salad would also be lovely additions to balance the creaminess of the main dish.

6. Sandwich Bento Box

If you’re using a bigger container, consider making ham and cheese sandwiches. You can sprinkle a little Parmesan outside the bread for a crispier and more flavorful crust. Grill until your gruyere, mozzarella or other chosen cheese is fully melted.

Fruits and nuts are great additions for variation. To use up your loaf of bread, you can also make mini peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Use a cookie cutter to create fun shapes.

7. Pinwheel Bento Box

Spread cheese on a tortilla and top it off with spinach and smoked salmon before rolling it up. You can get around seven pinwheels per tortilla, depending on the size. Just remember to slice it evenly and add it to your bento box, stacking one on the other. 

For another section, combine watermelon, cucumber, and feta to create a dynamic salad. On the sides, add a few of your favorite nuts and chocolates.

cooking with the family

Other Tips for a Great Bento Box Experience

Focus on the journey, not the destination. Here are a few extra tips on how to make the bento box-making experience more creative and engaging:

  • Have a list of food: A bento box is relatively customizable, as you can just swap out certain ingredients for others. Write down your favorite grains, proteins, veggies, starches and fruits. You can play a mix-and-match game while meal planning.
  • Use food dividers: A traditional bento box will have built-in segments. Use food dividers on a regular container to just make it yourself. Silicone cups or metal liners can improve the overall presentation.
  • Take advantage of colors: Bento boxes are appealing because of their colors. Make sure you’re using local and fresh ingredients that pop out from the container. If you have a neutral-colored main, add reds and greens through fruits and vegetables.
  • Add a small sweet treat: Savory meals are mouthwatering, but it’s nice to have dessert to cleanse the palette. Make space for a small sweet, like a wrapped candy or homemade truffle.
  • Learn to experiment: Once you get the hang of bento boxes, consider experimenting. You can create little eyes and mouths from seaweed to create faces. You can cut the apples into bunnies or the sausages into an octopus.
  • Share to show you care: A bento box is a single-serving meal. However, you will likely have many ingredients for multiple containers. Give one to someone you love and have a meal together.

Prep Your Food

Bento box recipes are enjoyable, making breakfast, lunch, and dinner much more fun. You can try new things and pick up a new technique or two. Whether you create these every day or save them for special occasions, they’ll look amazing.

Previous Article9 Tips for Managing Anxiety and Acheiving Better Mental Health Next ArticleLymphatic Drainage Massage and Why It May Benefit You
Subscribe CTA Image

Subscribers get even more tailored tips & deets delivered directly to their inboxes!