I always thought bento boxes were a bit of a luxury item for your child- something that was used in parent and toddler lifestyle images but were not really a practical purchase. Having recently received one, it has proved my preconceptions wrong. Here’s why...
Parenting on Female First
Ease: Instead of messing about filling little plastic tubs to ensure that your little gets enough variety in their diet you can have it all in one place with this piece of kit. With a bento box, it’s sectioned off so you can put all manner of fruits, veggies, sandwiches, juice and bars all in one place. Much easier than sending your child to daycare with a bag full of little boxes that are fiddly and threaten to pop open at any time.
Variety: A bento box has a certain number of sections to fill, so it encourages you to give your child a variety of things for their lunch. There is a standard space for little sandwiches, but the square and rectangular spaces encourage you to hunt through your fridge for things that will fit in those spaces. For instance the little square spaces are ideal for segments of fruit or little yoghurts, while the long rectangular ones are perfect for carrot, cucumber and celery veggie sticks.
Consistency: It’s likely that all the plastic plates you have for your toddler at home are sectioned off too and it’s important to be consistent at meal times. It teaches them to keep each food in it’s designated place, which reduces the mess they make while eating.
Easy clean: Check whether the one you purchase is dishwasher safe (the best two words a mama can read!), then you can empty it after your toddler has finished their lunch and throw it in the dishwasher ready for the next day- it’s that easy.
Space for utensils: All little ones need to learn how to use utensils and the bento box is the perfect solution, as many of them have forks and spoons built into the design. This way your little one will have the option to use their fingers but it encourages them to use cutlery at all meal times too. In which case, pasta salads and rice are a great option to use them with, and easy to make in batches just to spoon into the relevant section.
Interest: Children get bored of things easily, especially the same type of food. A bento box offers you the opportunity to fill it with lots of different colours and shapes to keep your toddler interested and excited about what they put into their bodies, so hopefully they will eat more and not be picky about what there is on offer.
Great for days out: Not only is a bento box ideal for sending with your child to their childminder or nursery, they are perfect for family days out too. You can pack it the night before, throw it in the fridge and it’s good to go in the morning.
Munchkin’s NEW Bento Toddler Lunch Box
Cute as it is practical, brighten up your little ones’ lunchtime with Munchkin’s NEW Bento Toddler Lunch Box (£19.99). Available in vibrant green or yellow, the colourful, leak-proof bento box is perfect for nursery, school or on-the-go weekend lunches.
Creating a balanced, nutritious meal to keep your kids fuelled all day has never been easier. The box is separated into 5 compartments, providing just the right mix of sizes for perfect portions and little hands - fitting lunch, snacks and treats all in one. Picky eaters will delight in the fact that the leak-proof seal keeps food separate, reducing mess and waste. Get ready to ditch disposable bags and save time on lunch prep!
The bento box also comes with its own set of stainless-steel toddler utensils that snap right onto the lid for easy storage – a stylish touch that is guaranteed to make your child the talk of the playground.
Suitable for 18m+ and dishwasher safe.
Munchkin’s new Bento Toddler Lunch Box is now available to shop on Amazon. For more information, visit www.munchkin.com.
Tagged in Toddlers