Day 7- Scrapbook Lunch/ Spaghettios

I used to scrap book. Frequently, at least until I got pregnant with our second, and started working 50-70 hours a week. This is how I do it now. And this is how I use all that scrap book paper (for picture backgrounds). Peanut helps me with her "lunch ideas" and we now mix Kindy homework requirements (like writing her name) with lunches. Actually she does most of the work after I get the sharp knife work and stove work over with. This lunch was made with whole wheat spaghettios (easy but make me still feel like I am giving her a healthy lunch option) which we put in her "Toy Story" lunch thermos with a letter Z cheese topping shaped with a cookie cutter ( She has to search for and find the shapes and letters we use for every lunch out of a huge basket). Sides were baby carrots shaped as a Z, black olives (an old standby in our house (purchased at Costco and kept in Tupperware ongoing) and apples with craisins and cinnamon. I have found two ways to keep the apples (avacados, pears etc.) from browning (1) soak quickly in salt water mix; 2) soak in lemonade Crystal Lite). Use which ever one makes you feel better about the endeavor!:) Since Peanut like apples "soooo much", I continued the theme for snack.

Day 6- Butterfly Bento

This one was fun and super quick to make. I made a sandwich with smoked turkey and avocado (Two favorites of Peanut) and then used a cookie cutter to make a bunch of flowers out of Farmer's Market Honeydew, plums and cucumbers (have to have a ll the food groups in there!). I made the body out of string cheese from which I cut slices for "decoration". I use dill seeds for eyes (The Bento Blogs say to use black seasame seeds) but I haven't yet found those at the store.

Day 5- Crab and Avocado

'Peanut' is a huge fan of crab meat. We used fake crab for this bento and threw the crab in the freezer for about 30 minutes before school to make sure it stayed really cold. The letters were cut out with cookie cutters from swiss and American cheeze slices. Also included Farmer's Market Melon and avocado (with lemon juice to keep it fresh). Whole wheat pretzel sticks and raisins for "snack" (have to pack 'snack and lunch daily'). The box is 3 part Lock and Lock.

Day 4- PC Elephant sandwich with sides!

This is an "elephant sandwich". Made with this super cool cutter that I have had for awhile (PC-nut free) with cream chz and grandma made strawberry jam). It looks funky, because apparently, stuffing and cutting sandwiches takes skills that I do not yet have (slow learner)! Served with manderin oranges (in their own juice) and cherry tomatoes, and you look like a productive "citizen". ;) Squeezy applesauce for snack is from "Costco." Bean ate this lunch in its entirety... Then she told me that she actually "hated the white stuff" (the cream cheese??) ....Kids!!!!

Day 3- Froggie Lunch

This is the first lunch that I actually photgraphed. From what Bean tells me , this one stopped the clock! When she got home that evening the only things actualy eaten were the cheese stars (on the rice), one bite of the rice, and one nibble of the "Babybel," and of course, the chocolate cookies! She tells me that she doesn't have "enough" time at lunch to show "everyone and eat!" I got the idea for the "cucumber skin" frog from someone online whom I will credit as soon as I can figure out via google whom! I made the rice in our rice cooker (love this gadget above all others-cheap and easy). Served with carrots and ranch in a container I found online in an actual "bento box" store! I actually spent about $25 in total to get started in all of this, to include cookie cutters, nori and silicone and paper "cupcake containers.

Day 2- Not very creative yet- Yogurt and blueberries

For lunch day 2 I used a 3 piece/ "lock and lock" bento which incidentally and because of this, also became my "go-to" for "tupperware" (super cool, and links may be provided!). I put Yo-Kids organic yogurt in the first compartment, fresh blueberries (in season) in the second, and whole grain granola in the third. Wholesome and healthy and enough to fill any 5 yr old stomach!

Unfortunately, I think I may have completely unintentionally, violated a peanut free rule...Which includes all nut products...ZMomma feels terrible for this!!!

Day 1- Packed Lunch Example

Maybe because I have been a corporate drone for so long, it honestly did not occur t0 me to actually take pictures of our lunches until my corporate vp said, "do you have pictures? That lunch sounds fabulous?"

On day 1 of kindy; we packed "sushi rolls" made of whole wheat bread (squished with rolling pin by my "super helper") with ranch dressing, "turkey/ham", thinly sliced cucumbers and plain old velveeta with I can't remember what other sides. "Bean" (as I call her), is starting to read, s0 I initially labeled her lunch vs snacks with dry erase markers until she got the hang of the routine!