Packed Bento Box Examples

Here are some examples of packed bento boxes. Use them as a starting point to create your own bentos!

spring-sansai-bento-sm.jpg

Here's a very Japanese, vegetable based spring bento from a few weeks ago.

Bright - Light in the Dark Days - Bento #115

This week's featured bento is a colorful Middle-Eastern inspired vegetarian bento from the Netherlands.

bento_77_500.jpg

Bento contents:

Total calories (approx): 490 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 5 to 10 minutes to pack in the morning

Type: Not really Japanese, made from stash and leftovers

bento_75_500.jpg

Bento contents:

  • 3 bento sized mini cabbage rolls, 180 calories
  • Green beans with ginger stir fried in sesame oil, 60 calories
  • Green beans stir fried with ginger and sesame oil, 60 calories
  • Carrot slices cooked with the cabbage rolls, 5 calories
  • 2/3 cup (160ml) rice from frozen stash, 160 calories

Total calories (approx): 405 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 5 to 10 minutes in the morning to defrost and pack up the bento

Type: Japanese, everything made in advance; low-carb adjustable by reducing or replacing rice

bento_74_500.jpg

Bento contents:

  • 1 large slice boiled ham, 100 calories
  • 1 slice proscuitto, 80 calories
  • 1 small piece cheese (gouda), 80 calories
  • 2 small whole grain rolls, 160 calories
  • About 8 grapes, 30 calories
  • 1 Tbs. mustard (in small red container)
  • Mixed salad greens, 10 calories

Total calories (approx): 460 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 5 minutes in the morning

Type: Not Japanese, sandwich, nothing made in advance

bento_73_500.jpg

Bento contents:

(1 cup = 240ml (US measurements))

Time needed: 25-30 minutes the night before; 10-15 minutes in the morning

Type: Not Japanese, alternative grains, gluten-free (note: please make sure the sausage you use is wheat-free if you are gluten intolerent.)

bento_70b_500.jpg

Bento contents:

Total calories (approx): 460 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 5-10 minutes in the morning (from leftovers of dinner the night before: see recipe for timing of kale dish)

bento_69a_500.jpg

Bento contents:

  • 5 small Sweet Potato and Carrot Oyaki filled with ham and cheese, 250 cal
  • Sausage bunnies and cauliflower sheep using 2 cocktail franks, 70 calories
  • 1 Tbs. mayonnaise, 60 cal
  • Blanced broccoli, carrot butterflies and other vegetables, 30 cal

Total calories (approx): 410 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 15 minutes the night before; 20 minutes in the morning

Type: Quick, not-rice-based charaben

bento_68a_500.jpg

Bento contents:

  • 3 Karaage Chicken Lollipops, each about 40g of dark chicken meat, 180 cal
  • 2 onigiri with mixed in furikake, containing about 1 1/2 cups total white rice, 360 cal
  • Boiled asparagus, 10 cal
  • Cherries, 30 cal

Total calories (approx): 580 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 10 minutes the night before; 15 minutes in the morning

Type: Japanese picnic

bento_67a_500.jpg

Bento contents:

Total calories (approx): 550 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 10-15 minutes in the morning

Type: Vegetarian, Japanese with a twist

Pages