Bento Lunch Wednesday - October 3, 2012

It's nice when Hubby and I work on projects together.  It makes the job so much quicker and more enjoyable.  The past week, McDreamy and I shared the task of making the kiddies' lunches.  He made the sandwiches and I packed the sides.  

Today's lunch for Nessa:  roast beef and cheese sandwiches topped with cut-out processed cheese, diced fresh pears, red peppers and some mini chocolate oatmeal cookies.  

I hope she eats her sandwich and cheese.  I know that she will not have any problem with the fruit and cookies!  

For more great bento lunch ideas, check out Bento Lunch. Have a wonderful day!

Enjoy!

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Back to School Bento Lunches

Today is an exciting day!  My 7-year old is starting Grade 2, my almost 5-year old is in Kindergarten and my almost 3-year old will be in half day preschool!   

I have to get back into the routine of making three lunches again!   Our mornings are busy enough trying to get all three out of bed, dressed, fed and out the door.   To save a bit of time (and headache), I make the kiddies' lunches the night before.  When they are all in bed, that's when I have a bit of fun getting their lunches assembled.

Fresh, beautiful and colourful finger foods in little portions separated by square silicone muffin liners really help focus the children during lunch.  They are at the age where they love their fruits, veggies and sandwiches cut in fun and different shapes.  Cookie cutters of different sizes are great.  Nowadays, I use my cookie cutters more for lunches than making cookies! 

My 7-year old son is growing up.  He doesn't want his sandwich to be cut in cutesy shapes.  Easier for me!  I wanted to establish a positive experience with food. In the mornings, I let him take a peek of what he will enjoy for lunch. 

I am lucky that my older children eat sandwiches now.  They are not big sandwich eaters but I keep trying, as they are easy to make.  Like a "Subway Sandwich Artist", it really helps to ask them what they like!  At first they only wanted ham.  Then they were OK if I added a little mayo with their ham.  Now, they like tomato slices (the wet seeds removed) with their ham and mayo!  I am patient.  In the near future, I plan to add some thinly sliced cucumber or lettuce... and then cheese... and maybe bacon?  For us, the trick is introducing one new food slowly.

Mini-fruit skewers on tooth picks are also a huge hit!  Juicy sweet blueberries, diced strawberries and grape halves were used today.  

Veggies: cucumber slices cut out in stars, red pepper stars

Sandwiches:  ham and tomato with mayo.  The sandwiches were cut out with a sandwich cutter, cake decorating sprinkles were used for the faces, and a candy food pick to keep the ham and tomato from falling out!

My son's lunch is ready to go!  A few whole wheat Triscuit crackers and a tube of yogurt for recess break.  For food safety, an ice pack will keep things nice and cool til lunch.

I was able to find some little ice packs from a different container, so I slipped those into a shelf on their sandwich boxes.  

All packed and ready for school! 

My gorgeous little boy is so excited to see his friends today!

The girls are ready for Montessori Kindergarten and Preschool!

For more great bento lunch ideas, check out Bento Lunch. 

Have a wonderful day!

[Sept.7, 2012 Edited to add:]  I'm proud to share the news that my article on Back to School Bento Lunches has been featured on www.SayItCanada.ca!  

Enjoy!

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Bento Lunch Wednesday - June 13, 2012

Yesterday, I made some lovely fresh strawberry scones and the kiddies enjoyed them a lot.  I only managed to save the last 3 scones for lunches today!

Since I had some fresh strawberries, I thought it would be nice to have a "Sweetheart" themed lunch today.  Nessa helped make the heart-shaped marble cheese with a cookie cutter.  I have a feeling that she will want to make her own lunches soon!

Both lunches have:  mini strawberry and grape skewers, fresh strawberry scones, heart-shaped grilled cheese and turkey sandwiches, heart-shaped marble cheddar cheese and turkey roll-ups.  It is a very big lunch for my girls, so we'll see what's left at the end of the day.

On Monday, I made a Muffin Tin Meal for Snack Day at Nessa's preschool.  I made the mini fruit skewers again since the girls enjoyed them so much.   

For more great bento lunch ideas, check out Bento Lunch. Have a wonderful day!

Enjoy!

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Bento Lunch Wednesday - May 30, 2012

Over the weekend, I had a little "date" with my girls.  My son had a birthday party to attend and it was only fair that they get to go to a little party of their own!  I promised that we could go to a cafe for a treat.  On the way to the local coffeeshop, we went to our neighborhood kitchen specialty store to browse around.  It was more of a social occasion to drop by and say "Hi" to the owner.  And the girls got a new star cookie cutter for their sandwiches!  

I think this is one of my cutest meals yet!   My toddler's lunch:  grilled ham and cheese star sandwich, ham roll-ups, organic red corn tortilla chips and mini red & green grape skewers. 

My preschooler has a bigger appetite, so I gave her more "lucky star" grilled ham & cheese sandwiches.

My Grade 1 "big boy" has the same lunch.  He likes his sandwiches cut "normal".  

Lunch was a hit!  Their boxed lunches came back EMPTY and Mommy is HAPPY!

For more great bento lunch ideas, check out Bento Lunch. Have a wonderful day!

Enjoy!

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Bento Lunch Wednesday - May 23, 2012

What a beautiful day in Cariboo Country!  The weather here is very volatile.  One day last week, I was shoveling manure and topsoil in the bright sunshine and the next moment, it was snowing and hailing!  Thank goodness it only lasted a few minutes.  It rained all weekend and now, the sun is emerging to give us that bright and sunny start to the day! 

This is the view of Horse Lake from our deck.  The rainy weather just makes you appreciate the sunny days even more! 

I find that with these sunny days, the children prefer to eat finger foods.  They are more efficient with their fingers, so they can get back to playing FAST!  So I guess, the theme is "finger foods".  I finally figured out that the older children LOVE ham and tomato sandwiches with mayo!  I keep trying different types of sandwiches because they are easy to make. My 2.5 year old is moody with sandwiches.  Lately, she has not been interested.  But she loves plain meat!  But I still offer a sandwich, because I keep trying. 

My toddler's lunch has red grapes, fresh sugar snap peas, ham sausage slices, ham and tomato sandwich and Caesar salad croutons.  I ran out of little crackers, so why not crunchy savory croutons?  

My older children's lunch:  red grapes, sugar snap peas, Caesar croutons and ham & tomato sandwiches. In time, I can add some lettuce or cucumber to their sandwiches.  I normally introduce new food by slowly adding one new thing to their favourite dishes.  

For more great bento lunch ideas, check out Bento Lunch. Have a wonderful day!

Enjoy!

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Bento Lunch Wednesday - May 16, 2012

My girls like to use these cute bunny food picks I got from Daiso (Japanese dollar store) in Richmond, BC last year.  I will have to get some more different bento lunch accessories from that store the next time I am in that area.  

I find that the kids eat better when their food is in different compartments and they like to use little toothpicks or food picks. 

I placed some whole grain wheat thin crackers, some Japanese strawberry filled wafer cookies, last night's baked ham, cucumber sticks, grapes and red peppers.  I think I have most of the food groups covered!

Again, the kids meals are based on whatever I have in the fridge and pantry.  There are wonderful themed bento lunches on Bento Lunch.  For now, I am happy that the kids eat whatever I give them.  When they are older, they can fix their lunches by placing whatever they like in the muffin liners.

  

It's easier to make the kids' lunches together and I'm lucky that they like the same food!  

For more great bento lunch ideas, check out Bento Lunch.

Enjoy!

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Bento Style Lunches

What do I do for the kids' lunches?  Most of the time, it's usually a sandwich, a fruit or veggie and some crackers in an Asian sandwich box.  I didn't know that I arranged my food in a "bento" style, which is a visually appealing meal packed in a box.  I had some square Wilton silicone muffin liners that turned out great for keeping the food separated in the way that my kids like.

I came across BentoLunch.net and was awed by the creativity that these moms have. It's wonderful how they lovingly prepared gorgeous lunches for their little ones.  It's a great site for getting ideas, but I am nowhere close to artistry involved!  I'm just happy that the kids have a somewhat healthy lunch.   

All 3 kids' lunches are assembled in production line!

Spring is finally in the air!  I love using cookie cutters for sandwiches.  Nessa's lunch:  butterfly soy butter and jam sandwiches, baby chick grilled cheese sandwich, last night's steamed baby corn/carrot/sugar pea medley, some apple slices and gold fish crackers. 

Baby's lunch:  Maple leaf soy butter and jam sandwich, butterfly grilled cheese sandwich, steamed veggies, apple slices and goldfish crackers.

My 7-year old's lunch:  grilled cheese sandwich, steamed veggies, apples and goldfish.  He is growing up!  Last year, he told me that he did not want his sandwiches to be cut in shapes.  To make everything fit in his stainless steel Lunchbots container, I trim the crusts. Pretty soon, I will have to get him a bigger container.  For now, he says it's enough food.

  

All packed and ready to go!  

 I found these super cute Hello Kitty lunch boxes at my local grocery chain.  They were only $4.99!  

Enjoy!

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