There are several benefits to creating your own bento boxes besides the fact that you can make them as healthy as you'd like. You can buy cute bento boxes (ebay has tons of great options for kids and adults alike) and use them again and again and...well you get the idea. The point is, this way you aren't contributing to the landfill problem by using disposable containers. Not only that, but because bento boxes traditionally contain leftovers, you can put good use to the uneaten portions of last night's dinner and avoid the guilty feeling of wasting perfectly good food. Many even come with divided compartments to help determine a good portion size to eliminate the worry of overeating.

Another great benefit of the bento box is how appealing they are to kids. Take this Hello Kitty bento for instance. The design is so darn cute and kid-friendly you'll likely be able to sneak healthy foods like cucumber, white rice, a hard-boiled egg, cherry tomatoes and carrots right past their suspicious little noses.

And the best part is you can customize them to your exact preferences. If you like a little more fiber, use brown rice instead of white. Have a hankering for more fruit? No problem, just substitute some of the carrot with sliced apples!

» KittyHell.com