by Laura Motta

California mom Deborah Hamilton is a lunch-packing maven. Her specialty is the bento box: a single-portion lunch that’s packed into a small, divided container. While this Japanese concept might seem tricky to execute at home, Deborah shares the easy tips and tricks she's learned making bento lunches for her young son on her blog, Lunch in a Box. These economical meals are a snap; you can assemble them using nothing but leftovers, but you'll present them in a way that will keep kids interested. Here are just a few of the basics to help you create your own kid-friendly bento lunches in a way that’s totally simple and affordable.

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