Bento!

Thanks to Deneigh, I may have a new obsession. Bento! Check out this lady's blog.

http://www.anotherlunch.com/

I'm hooked. Her boxes are so cute! Someday mine will look like that. But for now, here is what I have. : ) Five hours, five stores, and $30 later, I have this measly collection.....

(Ignore the sideways pictures. I hate blogger.)

The boxes are the Sassy On the Go Feeding Set from Babies R Us. They are the perfect size for my tiny, picky eaters. I love the little compartments that you can take out, and that they each have their own lid. Sophie loves the little spoon that attaches to the lid. And the best part? Only $6 each! And dishwasher safe.

I found these tiny alphabet cutters at Spoons 'n Spice.

Also in the first picture are some little picks I found at Zurchers, some skewers (drink stirrers, also Zurchers, although I realize now they won't fit into these particular boxes. I'll save them for when they graduate to a bigger bento.) A sandwich decruster/sealer I found at Harmons (great for Jack who hates messy fingers, and me who hates crust, hehe), and some fruit leather (also Harmons) for the alphabet cutters. The fifth store (and first one we went to) was Target, but they didn't have anything. I also searched everywhere for silicone baking cups, but only found heart shaped one's at Harmons. I might try Hobby Lobby today. I also really really REALLY want to get all the cute little picks she has! I'll have to start looking online. : )

Anyway, here was my first attempt at making a bento box! Nothing fancy, but still fun. Also, terrible lighting, camera phone, and boring background. hehe
Pb&j sealed sandwich with fruit leather "HI", Nilla Wafers, strawberries, baby carrots, and some grape picks.

Sophie LOVES strawberries! Jack, not so much. Jack LOVES carrots, Sophie chewed one up then spit out the mush. So they traded.


The boxes were the first thing we bought yesterday, and they carried them around the entire rest of the shopping trip, and were so anxious (impatient) to eat from them. So they had a bento dinner. Then last night I decided to make them a bento breakfast. So I put some cereal in the bigger insert and half a Nutri-Grain bar in a little one and snapped the lids on to keep them fresh. I put applesauce in the other little one, snapped on the lid and put it in the fridge. This morning I just pulled out the applesauce and poured milk on the cereal, and voila! They were so excited that they got to have their boxes for breakfast! Jack polished off every bite, and Sophie is still working on hers. She slept in late. : )

I LOVE BENTO! I can't wait to get some really fun stuff and make some really cute and creative one's! Now if only my kids weren't so darn picky......... Jack's too smart to be fooled into eating something just because it looks fun, and Sophie is just stubborn. She didn't touch her sandwich yesterday. I ended up eating it and giving her a piece of plain bread.

Scott will also be getting some bento lunches, as soon as I can get a nice big box (I'm thinking the Planet Box would be good for him, nice and manly) and an insulated lunch bag. Although he says a bento isn't a bento without rice. Next step, learn to make rice balls. Both kids LOVE rice!

"Hewuh Kikee!!!"

Note: This will not be an everyday thing. But think how fun it will be for holidays, outings to the zoo, parks, etc! =D And next year when Jack's in 1st grade, it will be a great way to send lunch, without all the wrappers and plastic bags to mess with.