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Easy Rainbow Veggie Bento Box: Best Healthy Lunch Idea

rainbow veggie bento box - featured image
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A quick and colorful bento box packed with fresh vegetables, protein, and dip, perfect for busy school mornings or a healthy lunch that kids and adults will love.

Ingredients

  • Red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • Orange carrot, cut into sticks or coin shapes
  • Yellow bell pepper, sliced into rings or strips
  • English cucumber, cut into half-moons or sticks
  • Snap peas or snow peas, whole
  • Purple cabbage, thinly shredded
  • Grape tomatoes, whole or halved
  • Hard-boiled eggs, halved (or grilled chicken, cubed; or edamame, shelled; or cheddar cheese cubes)
  • Hummus (or Greek yogurt ranch dip, or guacamole)
  • Whole-grain crackers or pita chips
  • Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries)
  • Dried fruit like apricots or mango strips (optional)
  • Small square of dark chocolate (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash all vegetables thoroughly under cold water and pat dry. Slice red and yellow bell peppers into thin strips (about ¼-inch wide). Cut cucumber into half-moons. Peel carrots and cut into sticks about the size of your pinky finger. Shred purple cabbage finely.
  2. If using hard-boiled eggs, place eggs in a small pot, cover with cold water by an inch, bring to a boil, cover, and turn off heat. Let sit for 10 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel and halve lengthwise.
  3. Place dip (about ¼ cup hummus) in a small silicone cup in one compartment of the bento box. Arrange rainbow veggies by color in remaining compartments: red bell pepper, orange carrots, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, snap peas, purple cabbage. Add protein (egg halves, chicken, or cheese) in a separate compartment. Add crackers or pita chips next to dip.
  4. Fill the smallest compartment with fresh berries or dried fruit. Tuck a small dark chocolate square under a berry if desired.
  5. Close lid tightly and refrigerate if packing the night before. For school, include an ice pack. If packing ahead, keep dip separate and add in the morning to prevent sogginess.

Notes

Keep vegetables dry to prevent sogginess. Cut into bite-sized pieces for kids. Use the ‘dip hook’ to encourage eating. Batch prep veggies on Sunday for the week. Don’t overpack the box. For nut-free, use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter dip.

Nutrition

Keywords: bento box, rainbow veggies, healthy lunch, kid-friendly, easy lunch, vegetarian, gluten-free option

Find it online: https://cooksyla.com/easy-rainbow-veggie-bento-box-best-healthy-lunch-idea/