Even if we’re working from home, we’re still busy, and breakfast meal prep can help us feel accomplished & start the day off right.

I love a breakfast bento box. It’s great because you can have it all there ready to go on your way out the door. But it’s easy to get stuck on bento box ideas! Sure, you know you want something protein-packed, but which box recipes are actually good for you?

10 Breakfast Meal Prep Bento Boxes

What Is A Bento Box?

A bento box is a Japanese version of a lunch box that contains a single portion of a balanced meal. It’s an all-in-one box that you can take with you to work and have for lunch or breakfast.  

The lunch option usually contains a carb (noodles or rice), a protein source, and vegetables or fresh fruits.

However, as bento boxes became popular all over the world, people started making their own less-traditional versions, as the bento box is the most convenient way to get a delicious and nutritious meal when you’re working and need breakfast or lunch. As I mentioned above, it’s great for bringing with you to work or even for working from home.

They can also work great for meal prep!

General Breakfast Box Meal Prep Tips

Here are some general meal prep tips for breakfast time!

• Are you actually hungry? If you’re not hungry, I would NOT force yourself to eat. Listen to your body’s hunger & fullness cues.
• Assemble the meals as close to when you’re going to eat as possible. This way, your food will stay fresh. So for example, if, in the pictures below, all of the fresh fruit is cut-up, it’s actually best to cut the fresh fruit right before you eat it. I’ve just cut up the fruit ahead of time to make the picture pretty.
• Get some nice containers. These are my faves – but choose ones that you like the look of and help you get excited to meal prep.

If you’re going to meal prep your bento box, cut the fresh fruit right before eating it, and meal prep the rest of the dish.

Diet Adjustments

Follow a certain way of eating? Here are some easy modifications.

• Dairy free? Use or a dairy-free cheese or yogurt – there are so many options in the stores today, which is awesome!
• Don’t have the specific fruit I’ve recommended? Just swap it out for one you have.
• Gluten free? Just use a gluten-free equivalent, like gluten free bagels or bread.

Breakfast Meal Prep Recipes

OK! Here are 10 recipes – let me know which one you like best!

Bagel & PB Box with 1 Tbsp PB

264 Calories

Ingredients:

• 1 bagel, mini, whole wheat

• 1 Tbsp peanut butter

• 1/2 cup strawberries, fresh

• 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh

Directions:

1. No nuts? Use a seed butter

Berries and Quesadillas

407 calories

Ingredients:

• 2 small whole wheat tortillas, 60 calories each

• 2 oz cheese, sliced cheese, full fat/regular

• 1/2 cup raspberries, fresh

• 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh

Directions:

1. Fold cheese into tortillas and microwave

2. If you’d prefer 1 larger, ~120 calorie tortilla, that’s fine! Stick with a whole wheat one

Egg Bites, Berries & Almonds

324 calories

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, large

• 1 cup strawberries, fresh

• 1 Tbsp cheese, Parmesan, grated

• 1/8 cup almonds

• Dash: garlic salt

Directions:

1. This recipe works best if you’re making it for 2-3 days

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

3. Whisk eggs in a bowl, add in cheese, and seasoning

4. Pour evenly in muffin tins

5. Bake for 20 minutes

6. Have strawberries and nuts on the side

Eggs, Orange, and Yogurt Bento Box

456 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 orange, medium

• 1 yogurt, flavored, (<15 gm sugar/serving), 2%, Greek, single-serving container

• 2 eggs, large

• 1/8 cup nuts

Directions:

1. Hard boil eggs

2. Cut orange immediately before eating if possible

3. If making multiple servings, recommend only make for 2-3 days ahead of time to preserve freshness

4. Feel free to swap out these nuts for another nut or seed you prefer. Roasted & salted nuts and seeds are fine

Granola & Fruit Parfait

290 calories

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup strawberries, fresh

• 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh

• 1 yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, single-serving container

• 1/4 cup granola

Directions:

1. Layer or just pile fruit and granola on top & enjoy

2. Switching out the plain for a flavored yogurt is fine, look for one with <15 gm sugar per serving

Mini Waffles, Egg and Nuts

322 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 serving mini waffles

• 1/8 cup nuts

• 1 cup strawberries, fresh

• 1 egg, large

Directions:

1. Hard boil egg

2. Choose pancakes or waffles that you have access to – freezer already-made waffles, mix from a box, or from scratch are all good options. Pre-made from frozen is what’s pictured (from Whole Foods). Regardless, stick to an equivalent calorie amount that’s listed here. Cook waffles.

3. Make only 2-3 days ahead of time to preserve freshness

4. No nuts? Use seeds

PB&J Box

474 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 egg, large

• 1 oz cheese, sliced cheese, full fat/regular

• 2 Tbsp peanut butter

• 1 cup grapes, red

Directions:

1. Hard boil egg

2. Many ladies like dipping the grapes in the PB “PB & J” 🙂

3. No dairy? Have an extra egg

Peach & Yogurt Box with 1/8 Cup Nuts

413 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 peach

• 1/8 cup nuts

• 2 eggs, large

• 1 yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, single-serving container

• Dash: everything bagel seasoning

Directions:

1. Hard boil eggs

2. If you want to use a flavored yogurt, choose one with less than 15 gm sugar – or chop up the peach & add it to the plain yogurt for flavor!

3. Use salt & pepper if you don’t have everything bagel seasoning

4. Recommend only making 2-3 days ahead of time to preserve freshness

1. Hard boil eggs

2. If you want to use a flavored yogurt, choose one with less than 15 gm sugar – or chop up the peach & add it to the plain yogurt for flavor!

3. Use salt & pepper if you don’t have everything bagel seasoning

4. Recommend only making 2-3 days ahead of time to preserve freshness

Yogurt & Nuts with 1 Tbsp PB

379 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 apple, small

• 1 Tbsp peanut butter

• 1/8 cup cashews

• 1 yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, single-serving container

Directions:

1. Slice apple – dip in PB. Add nuts to yogurt.

2. Notes: If you’d prefer to eat more nuts vs. including the nut butter (or vice versa) that’s fine! Add a calorie equivalent amount. Slice apple the day of to preserve freshness If you’d prefer a flavored yogurt, choose one with <15 gm added sugar.

3. No nuts? Use seeds. No dairy? Use a dairy-free yogurt.

Yogurt, Strawberries, & Almonds

442 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberries, fresh

• 1/4 cup almonds

• 1 egg, large

• 1 yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, single-serving container

Directions:

1. Hard boil eggs

2. Cut cheese into cubes if you like!

3. Feel free to swap out these nuts for another nut or seed you prefer. Roasted & salted nuts and seeds are fine

4. Switching out the plain for a flavored yogurt is fine, look for one with <15 gm sugar per serving

Want more? You can use this simple method for building delicious bento box lunches.

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