Lego For Lunch Bento

So I was lying on the couch - err.... doing something productive..... when I just had this compulsion to make the 6 year old a Lego lunch for tomorrow. Wasn't sure exactly how I was going to do it but it's usually easier to do girly lunches so when I have a good one for my boy, I'm all over it!

I knew for sure though, that it would involve this tool. I got this on a whim and man, I use it all. the.time! It cuts 2 sizes of little circles and an oval and white long thing pokes out what you've cut. I use it for eyes, the oval I use for mouths (cut one then cut another inside to make a smile)... it's very handy! You can get it at All Things For Sale for 4.99 - if you click the button on the left and order anything, I get a 5% credit voucher to use - just sayin' :)



Anyway, I got a little punch happy with it but knew it would be awesome for Legos!

For the sandwiches, I punched out circles out of the top piece of bread then little round tubes out of the cheese and stuck them in the holes.

Strawberries have fruit leather circles, as does the cereal bar. I cut up a Babybel cheese to look like a minifig and added eyes and a mouth with fruit leather - (remember the oval cutter above, that's how I made the mouth) I printed off some minifig pics to stick in there as well - you can see them better in the 2nd picture.



Pics are taken on our Lego table which I highly, highly recommend getting if you have kids that enjoy Lego.

Now if you think I was doing that again for the 3 year old, oh no - one time only deal! She got a flower theme (I know, it's like my old standby) with flower sandwiches with fruit leather detail. There are some carrot flowers, another mini sandwich in veggie booty and rice cake pieces and flower strawberries with flower picks.


In case I've never mentioned it, they get other things as well for snacks. They usually get their box plus yogurt for lunch. I don't take picture of the snacks because it's kind of boring. Usually a baked item (homemade muffins, granola bars or whatever), more fruit and something like sugar free applesauce.

Animals... Perhaps?

Catching up on last weeks lunches as today was a holiday and they had, surprise, surprise PB&J. I'll admit, every Sat/Sun for lunch, they eat PB&J. The 6 year old because his school is nut free so it's fun for him. And the 3 year old, because she believes peanut butter should be its own food group and served at every meal. I think she needs a peanut butter support group.

Anyway, you might have noticed the title of this blog post and the Perhaps? it because I'm not totally sure that this is an animal I made, ha! I told the 3 year old she had a kitty in her lunch and while she enjoyed it, she came home and told me she was pretty sure it wasn't a kitty. Whatever happened to getting credit for trying?!

I rolled up deli meat to make the "kitty" - s/he has goldfish crackers for ears, cucumber eyes, red pepper mouth and a piece of cracker for the tail. The bow is a pick. Then veggie booty, a variety of crackers and melon with animal picks.

The 6 year old who doesn't eat meat but does eat dairy got:

Crackers with animals cut out of cheese - I wrap these up these stacks before packing it all up so that the cheese doesn't dry out. Then a cup of sugar free applesauce, a few fishy crackers and a cereal bar. Finally melon with a strawberry and grape flower. He normally doesn't comment much on his lunches but apparently he thought the flower was "super cool".


The other day, I ran into Safeway to get something and saw this whole wheat pasta in the shape of bugs. Knew my kids would dig it so I grabbed it and made pasta salad for the 3 year old as that's her other obsession. The 6 year old had a sort of mac and cheese, bug style. They both eat *every bite* - AND *the 6 year old did not complain*. Holy crap, someone call Guiness, we have a new record. Plus, they thought it was hilarious to tell everyone their mom gave them bugs for dinner.

The 3 year old took leftovers for the next 2 days:

Beautiful Butterfly Bento

So the 3 year old and I were shopping at Safeway the other day - something I rarely do as I leave that up to my husband and the kids on Sunday mornings! So going to the grocery store is kind of fun for me - I always get sucked into new and fun items. (Yes, this is probably why I am not allowed to participate on Sundays - ha!)

Anyway, she spotted this butterfly sandwich cutter by Evriholder and of course we had to get it. We always seem to luck out for cute cutters at Safeway - and frankly, for $2.99, I couldn't resist!

It's unique in the fact that it cuts it into two pieces down the middle, unlike the other ones we've had.

Tried it out last night so here is her butterfly bento from today. Normally I make the sandwich then cut it all but this time I cut both pieces of bread separately so I could do the holes for the jam to show through in the top piece. The middle thingy of the butterfly (whatever the technical term is for that) is a long strip of red pepper. She enjoyed it but she did say at first she thought it was licorice. Sorry, sister!

In the left corner is half a Kashi cereal bar. It had a line up the middle so I cut a fruit leather flower and let the line be the stem. Stuck a pick in to hold it.

Then, cantaloupe flowers and a little square of mini rice cakes, all packed in the larger rectangle Lock N Lock box.

Pasta Salad and Winner

Just realized I didn't draw for the winner of my favorite food picks. Congrats to Jen G! (Email me your mailing address to kimineurope @ hotmail.com and I'll fire them out to you!)

So here is your challenge for next week. Pack your child a bento - any form, any fashion, doesn't have to be fancy. Then send me a picture (see email address above) so I can post it! I'll give you all next week to whip something up and then the following week I will post any pictures. I'd love for this blog to be a communal sharing of lunch ideas. Feel free to send any recipes, lunch ideas or anything else!

OK, on to a lunch.

This was the 3 year olds lunch yesterday. She LOVES pasta salad. LOVES. As in does a happy dance when she sees it (she takes after her mother, we like a good happy dance). We had it for dinner so she got the leftovers. I used up several different pastas as each bag just had a bit left. And before you think I'm fancy, I use the Clubhouse mix which is awesome. You mix oil, vinegar and the seasoning packet and toss with pasta and veggies. So good. Hers is how she prefers it, with cucumbers and yellow peppers.
Some long skinny carrot strips under the bowl. Honeydue melon with animal picks and a cereal bar cut into flowers - the heart pick is stabbed through a dried cranberry. Easy and quick.