The Bento Box Solution: A Practical Approach to Lunch Packing

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Updated: August 19, 2020

Originally Published: October 11, 2014

Recently, I encountered a situation I had been anticipating with a mix of dread and resignation. My daughter, Lily, arrived home from school expressing her dissatisfaction with the creativity—or lack thereof—in her packed lunches. My first thought was, “Oh no, has she been browsing Pinterest?” Followed quickly by, “We need to enhance our parental controls to include that site.”

It appears that another mother, undoubtedly a Pinterest enthusiast, has been sending her daughter to school with visually stunning lunches, complete with Disney-themed dishes and whimsically cut vegetables. Lily has noticed this, and it has stirred a wave of discontent within her.

According to her account, she spent lunch watching her classmate, Sophie, savoring an elaborate meal featuring organic “Frozen”-themed pasta, while Lily sat in disappointment with a bag of pretzels and a hefty dose of indifference. Her lament was truly heart-wrenching. As any guilt-ridden parent would, I decided it was time to experiment with this Bento Box trend.

I promised Lily an Olaf-themed lunch, but upon reviewing the ingredients—Japanese Nori noodles, purple seaweed, edible modeling clay—I quickly thought, “Absolutely not!” Packing a lunch should not require scavenging for ingredients from specialty stores. I haven’t had a moment to even take care of personal grooming, let alone embark on a quest for gourmet food options for my five-year-old.

Having committed to the Olaf lunch, I realized I was without a backup plan—at least until I enjoyed a couple of glasses of 2009 Cabernet from Napa Valley. This led to my “Damn you, Sophie’s mom!” response to this elaborate and time-consuming lunch trend:

The “I don’t have time for this. Here’s some lunch money” Bento Box

1. Retrieve lunch money from your purse.
2. Arrange the money and secure it with tape.
3. Use a Sharpie to add a personal touch.

Forget about crafting broccoli trees inscribed with “I love you!” while dealing with stress; that’s just not feasible. Instead, my “I don’t have time for this. Here’s some lunch money” Bento Boxes create a straightforward method for genuine communication with your child:

• Addressing concerns about potty training.
• Offering friendship advice.
• Calling out behaviors.

While this Bento Box approach does require some minimal effort, it’s a far cry from the intense creativity of crafting elaborate lunches. Just imagine your child’s reaction when they discover something like this: “Thanks, mom!”

Even if your child opts not to purchase lunch, I urge you to set aside the melon baller and embrace the simplicity of a square sandwich. You don’t have to strive for the “MOM OF THE YEAR” award; in your child’s eyes, you already hold that title.

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In summary, the Bento Box trend can feel overwhelming, but with a little creativity and humor, you can find a balance that keeps both you and your child satisfied without adding unnecessary stress.