These Cute Kids Bento Boxes Make Lunches A Breeze

Goodbye stained plastic containers and bags; hello adorable bento boxes. We've got Japan to thank for the invention of these compartmentalized take-out boxes, which date back to the 16th century. They've seen multiple iterations and uses over the past several hundred years, but the design remains largely the same: The segmented containers are meant to hold multiple single servings of food—traditionally rice, veggies, and a protein.

Today, bento boxes are popular for packing lunches, and many brands design the reusable containers especially for kids. You can keep different lunch foods from touching (kid meal prep 101), and they're a win for sustainability, and they'll keep a sandwich from getting crushed at the bottom of their backpack. Plus, you've probably spent hours scrolling on TikTok seeing parents making the most adorable lunches in bento boxes and thought, "I can do that." Here are some of our favorites.