Scrolling through Pinterest for healthy lunch ideas, you’ve probably come across a pin or two about the latest healthy craze – Bento Boxes.

But what exactly is a bento box lunch? Bento refers to a single-portion packed meal that is full of well-balanced, nutritional food. This Japanese style packed lunch is split into different sized compartments to keep your food from mixing and make meal prep convenient. Here are some tips for making meal prep with bento boxes easier:

Invest in some reusable containers with different sized compartments.

Having different compartments will keep your food from mixing together, but it will also allow you to pay attention to portion control as you’re planning out lunches. By purchasing leak free tupperware, you’ll avoid the headache of having to clean up any messes left behind in the fridge.

Fill your bento box with foods from all the food groups to keep your lunch well balanced.

Include fresh produce, proteins and sides, like brown rice or quinoa. If you’re looking to swap out your carbs for some healthier alternatives, try couscous, sweet potato noodles, or even cauliflower rice.

Add color to your bento box by including fresh fruits and fresh cut veggies.

This will keep your lunch healthy while keeping you full well after lunchtime. If you’re planning to slice fruit for the next day but don’t want it to be brown by lunchtime, prep your fruit with NatureSeal.

Make the most out of your grocery trips by using leftovers from the night before.

The best thing about bento box lunches is you can make it whatever you want! If you have leftover turkey burgers, mash it up with some sweet potatoes. Leftover lasagna? Substitute your usual snack of crackers and cheese for some fresh strawberries. The possibilities really are endless.

Keep it simple.

Bento Boxes aren’t meant to cause you a lot of stress. They’re meant to help take the frustration out of meal prep by giving you a good visual representation of how much food you’ll need to survive that 3 o’clock hunger. Add what you love to each container section, and don’t be afraid to have fun with it!

Spring Strawberry Bento Lunch Boxes by Sweet Peas and Saffron

Cooked Quinoa + Roasted Veggies + Chicken Breast by Bless This Mess Please 

No Cook Taco Salad Bento Box by Sweet Peas and Saffron

Tag us in your bento box creations using #NatureSeal on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter! To help inhibit browning of your fresh-cut produce, including apples, pears, carrots, celery, and peaches, use NatureSeal – available on Amazon.