In the kitchen with Henny: Back to school: Bento & beyond

That’s why I love the idea of bento boxes. Bento lunches, inspired by Japanese tradition, are simply meals packed into compartments, or in this case it’s just me trying to sound a bit trendier than saying plain old lunch boxes.

But the truth is, bento boxes really do give more structure to building balanced meals for school. A little protein, a little carb, some fruit, some vegetables, and maybe a small treat. Suddenly, lunch looks fun and inviting, and kids actually want to eat it.

In our house, my daughter has taken this concept to heart. At the beginning of every week, she sits down with my husband to plan out her morning snacks and lunches. She makes sure that every day has a protein, a veggie or fruit, a carb, and a healthy snack.

She also loves getting creative with her lunch box by cutting cucumbers and apples into an “apeeling” design, arranging everything in neat little sections so nothing gets soggy. Her classmates are always impressed by how organized and aesthetically pleasing her bento boxes look and, more importantly, how tasty they are.

The beauty of bento is that it’s simple. You don’t need special equipment; a divided container or even a few silicone muffin liners in a box will do. Keep it colorful, keep portions bite-sized, and mix it up so kids don’t get bored. Think of it as a DIY “lunch builder”: protein + carb + fruit + veggie + fun.

Here are two muffin recipes that are kid-friendly, plus two quick dinners for those busy back-to-school evenings when you need to get food on the table with minimal fuss. I don’t usually put dairy and meat recipes in the same article, but since everyone’s schedules and needs are different, I thought a little variety might help. One easy dairy dinner, one easy meat dinner – whatever works best for your family on any given night.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl, mash the bananas and mix with the oil, sugar, applesauce, and eggs until well combined. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing gently until just incorporated. Fold in the blueberries. Divide the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before packing into lunch boxes, or freeze for later use.

Over time, I lightened up the recipe by cutting down the sugar and oil and adding some all-natural applesauce to make them healthier. Now they’ve become a back-to-school staple in our house.

I make a big batch, wrap each muffin individually in sandwich bags, and then store them all in a large zip-top bag in the freezer. They’re easy to grab in the morning, and I know they’ll be defrosted and ready to eat by lunchtime. (You can also take them out the night before and keep them in the fridge.)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a muffin tin with size 4 liners (or size 2 liners for mini muffins). In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. Add the grated carrots along with the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and stir until well combined. Fill each liner three-quarters full and bake for 20 minutes for regular muffins or 15 minutes for mini muffins, until lightly golden.

Sometimes the best back-to-school dinners are the ones that feel cozy and familiar, and baked ziti is exactly that. It’s the kind of dish that makes everyone at the table happy, and the leftovers are just as good the next day. The best part is that it can be prepped ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake, which makes it perfect for busy evenings.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain well. Mix the pasta with the marinara sauce, ricotta or cottage cheese, and half of the shredded mozzarella. Transfer the mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. For a back-to-school shortcut, prepare the recipe in a greased muffin tin instead of a baking dish. Fill each cup with the pasta mixture, sprinkle with extra cheese, and bake for 12-15 minutes. The result is mini ziti cups that bake faster, freeze well, and fit perfectly into a lunch box.

This recipe is inspired by my dear friend Shula, whose daughter and my daughter have been besties since in utero (and no, I can’t believe they’re now 11 years old – ahhh!). Shula knows my daughter’s love for chicken, so whenever the girls have sleepovers at her house, she usually makes lemon chicken. It’s quick, easy, and everyone is happy. After one of those sleepovers, my daughter came home raving about “the amazing lemon chicken Auntie Shula made.” So, of course, I called to thank her and immediately asked for the recipe. She laughed and said, “It’s nothing to make; I’m happy to do it.”

That’s the kind of friend Shula is, and that’s exactly the kind of recipe this is: simple, cozy, and always a winner.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Rub the chicken drumsticks with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and two tablespoons of lemon juice. Arrange them on a sheet pan with lemon slices scattered around. Roast for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked through. Just before serving, squeeze the remaining lemon juice over the chicken for a bright, fresh finish.

Back-to-school tip: Drumsticks pack beautifully in lunch boxes the next day with a little dipping sauce.

That’s why planning meals and school lunches is so important: When we’re organized and prepared, it helps us stay calm and gives us the time and energy to focus on what really matters: family, growth, and the year to come.

As we step into this season, I want to wish all the kids a fresh, smooth start to the new school year, and to all of us a month filled with renewed hope, more loving-kindness, forgiveness, and blessings for miracles of peace. 