Bento

Bento? How do you even pronounce that? Hell I don’t know but the idea is not only creative but amazing if you have picky little eaters like myself.

Bento is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento holds rice, fish or meat, with pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container.

I was doing my usual “easy cheap dinner” search for my Sunday grocery shopping trip and came across this “Bento lunch ideas for kids”, with an American adaptation of the idea. It’s adorable some of the things these parents do. Some of which seem very time consuming nonetheless. And of course I like to think my ideas make EVERYONE’S life a little easier…I try anyway!

So I grabbed a few items I saw that I knew my kids would eat: mini marshmallows, cheese cubes, cheese crackers & bread for PBJ’s that I can cut into fun shapes like stars or pumpkins (tis the season)! I kept seeing gals using those silicon cupcake holders and placing them in rubber made containers…also a cute idea but I liked the cupcake tin idea better! These babies cost $1.97 each (@ Walmart). I “personalized” them with some puff paint and I am going to try the Bento lunch tomorrow. I think I’ll do some turkey hot dogs, ketchup, cubed cheese, mini marshmallows, a fruit & cheese crackers (6 cups to fill)! It seems like a lot but giving them options I think will help get them to EAT. Think about how small of portions the cupcake tins hold too…if that helps!

I’m all for a new way to get my kids to eat & I think this will be a hit!