7 Lunch Box Ideas for Adults

7 no cook lunch box recipes that you can prep in under 30 minutes! These adult lunch box ideas are perfect for meal prep.

There is this notion that meal prep has to involve cooking...that is not necessarily true. I mention in my How To Meal Prep post that one way to meal prep is simply to portion out your ingredients, and that's just what these meal prep lunch box recipes entail today!

Not only do these bento box recipes require little to no cooking, but they are assembled in under 30 minutes...some in only 15. That is perfect for days when we'd rather be having fun out and about than stuck in the kitchen.

This post covers a LOT! Click on any of the links below to go directly to that section

• Recipe Video
• 7 Bento Box Ideas
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Find my favorite 3 compartment meal prep containers and other equipment in my shop!

Tips for keeping your ingredients as fresh as possible:

• You may wish to do a vinegar wash to extend the life of your berries; dry fruit as much as possible before portioning out
• Keep leafy greens away from wet fruit or vegetables
• Keep chips, crackers or breads separate from vegetables
• Keep condiments in containers and add dressings right before serving

Watch: Bento Box Lunch Ideas

Are you a visual learner? Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped these bento box ideas! Find more of my videos on my YouTube channel.

7 Bento Box Ideas

1. Greek Pita Bento Box

With Greek salad, deli chicken, pita bread and tzatziki, this box lunch recipe is healthy, super simple to prep, and packed with delicious Greek flavor!

get the printable Greek Pita Bento Box Recipe here

2. English Muffin Breakfast Box

While technically this is a 'breakfast box', this recipe makes for a delicious lunch as well! Fresh berries and cottage cheese are served on an English Muffin and drizzled with honey.

get the printable English muffin bento box recipe here!

3. Tuna Protein Box

Like the popular Starbucks protein box, this tuna protein box is packed with protein, thanks to tuna, a hardboiled egg (the only thing you'll have to 'cook' in all of these recipes) and cheese. Swap the grapes and blueberries for strawberries or more veggies and you can make this a low carb/keto box lunch!

find the printable tuna protein box recipe here!

4. Chickpea Salad Lunch Box

This chickpea salad lunch box is a delicious, protein-packed vegan box lunch (if you use vegenaise). Served with mini naan bread, veggies, and grapes.

get the full Chickpea Salad Lunch Box recipe here!

5. Spring Strawberry Bento Box

I like to think of these spring strawberry bento lunch boxes as fancy crackers and cheese. With candied pecans, goat cheese, strawberries, arugula and balsamic reduction, all served on top of a flatbread cracker.

get the full Spring Strawberry Bento Lunch Boxes recipe here!

6. Taco Salad Bento Lunch Boxes

Tons of fresh veggies in this one: crunchy romaine (which keeps surprisingly well in meal prep recipes!), black beans, corn, and a quick pico de gallo. Tortilla chips, shredded cheese and creamy avocado dressing round out this recipe.

get the full taco salad bento lunch boxes recipe here!

7. Vegan Bento Lunch Box Recipe

With hummus-stuffed mini peppers, fresh berries, trail mix and black bean tortilla chips, this vegan bento box definitely keeps lunch interesting!

get the full vegan bento lunch box recipe here!

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Bento Box Ideas for Adults

5 from 6 votes

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 0 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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7 no cook lunch box recipes that you can prep in under 30 minutes! These adult lunch box ideas are perfect for meal prep.

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Ingredients

Greek Pita Bento Box

• ▢ 12 slices deli chicken
• ▢ 1 cup tzatziki
• ▢ 12 mini pitas or 1 full sized cut into wedges
• ▢ GREEK SALAD
• ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• ▢ 2 cups cucumber diced seeds scooped out
• ▢ ½ bell pepper chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup red onion diced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons feta cheese crumbled
• ▢ olives to taste

English Muffin Bento Box

• ▢ 4 english muffins
• ▢ 2 cups cottage cheese
• ▢ 2 cups fresh berries washed & dried see *
• ▢ 4 tablespoons honey

Tuna Protein Box

• ▢ 4 whole eggs
• ▢ 4 carrots peeled & chopped
• ▢ 2-3 ribs celery chopped
• ▢ 1 cup grapes
• ▢ 1 cup blueberries
• ▢ 8 oz cheese cubed
• ▢ TUNA SALAD
• ▢ 5 oz can of tuna drained
• ▢ 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ▢ 2 tablespoons celery finely chopped
• ▢ salt & pepper to taste

Chickpea Salad Lunch Box

• ▢ 2 cups grapes
• ▢ 4 carrots
• ▢ 4 celery sticks
• ▢ 4 flatbreads naan, crackers or rice cakes all work
• ▢ CHICKPEA SALAD
• ▢ 19 oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
• ▢ ¼ cup mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried dill
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 2 ribs celery finely chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup red onion finely chopped

Spring Strawberry Bento Box

• ▢ 3 cups strawberries sliced
• ▢ 4 cups arugula
• ▢ 4 tablespoons balsamic reduction
• ▢ 4 tablespoons goat cheese or cream cheese
• ▢ 12 flatbread crackers broken in half
• ▢ MAPLE CINNAMON PECANS
• ▢ ¾ cup pecans
• ▢ 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Taco Salad Lunch Box

• ▢ 1 cup black beans
• ▢ 1 cup corn kernels
• ▢ 3 cups romaine lettuce washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• ▢ ½ cup shredded cheese
• ▢ ½ cup dressing of choice cilantro lime dressing highly recommended, see notes!
• ▢ tortilla chips
• ▢ PICO DE GALLO
• ▢ 4 roma tomatoes chopped
• ▢ 1 jalapeno pepper seeds removed and finely chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons red onion finely chopped
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lime juice

Vegan Bento Lunch Box

• ▢ 12 mini bell peppers cut in half seeds scooped out
• ▢ ½ cup hummus
• ▢ ½ pint blackberries washed and air dried see *
• ▢ 2 cups strawberries washed and air dried see *
• ▢ 2 cups black bean tortilla chips
• ▢ TRAIL MIX
• ▢ ¼ cup almonds
• ▢ ¼ cup vegan chocolate chunks
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• ▢ 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

Instructions 

Greek Pita Lunch Box

• Stir together all greek salad ingredients. Divide between four bento lunch boxes.
• Divide all remaining ingredients between bento lunch boxes.

English Muffin Bento Box

• Assemble ingredients in 3-compartment storage containers (I recommend these ones)
• Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• To serve, top the english muffin with cottage cheese and berries. Drizzle with honey.

Tuna Protein Box

• Cook and cool hard boiled eggs (I used my Instant Pot). You can leave them with the shells on or peel them after they've cooled completely.
• Stir together tuna salad ingredients and divide between containers.
• Divide all other ingredients between containers.
• Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Enjoy cold.

Chickpea Salad Lunch Box

• In a medium bowl, mash the chickpeas with a spatula or potato masher.
• Stir in the mayonnaise/vegan mayonnaise, dill, salt, pepper, celery and red onion until completely combined.
• Divide between 4 bento-style lunch containers.
• Divide up the grapes, vegetables, and flatbread between the containers.

Spring Strawberry Bento Box

• Arrange strawberries, arugula and flatbread crackers in compartments in your lunch containers. Use small condiment containers for the goat cheese and balsamic reduction.
• For maple cinnamon pecans: toast pecans in a frying pan for 5-7 minutes, until lightly toasted. Add the cinnamon and toss; then add the maple syrup and stir everything up to coat. Allow to cool before adding to the lunch boxes.
• Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Taco Salad Lunch Box

• Divide ingredients into four storage containers. Use a condiment container to keep dressing separate until just prior to serving.
• Stir together the pico de gallo ingredients and add to the containers (make sure the pico is not touching the romaine).
• Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You may wish to bring an extra bowl to serve the salad in.

Vegan Bento Lunch Box

• Stuff the mini bell peppers with hummus.
• Mix together the trail mix.
• Divide all ingredients between four 3-compartment storage containers.
• Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Tips:

Nutritional information is for the cottage cheese breakfast box; for nutritional information for other all bento boxes, refer to the individual post.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1breakfast box, Calories: 332kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 648mg, Potassium: 311mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 301IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 138mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Annie Holmes

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: Meal Prep

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Annie

Hi, I'm Annie. With a Bachelor of Science degree, a minor in nutrition and nearly 20 year of both classical training, and self-taught experience, I've spent my career proving that home cooking can be practical, delicious and inspiring. What started in 2013 as one food blog has grown into a full-time business. Today, my husband Clayton and I run five food websites that connect with millions of home cooks every month.

When I'm not in the kitchen or behind the camera, I'm using fueling my love of travel, or chasing down new ideas that keep food fun and fresh.