My girls love their “cute lunches” and insist that I make them most every day. It’s a way I can send an I love you message to them at school. While the traditional bento box usually includes rice, meat, fruit and vegetables, my version usually has a sandwich, protein, fruit and vegetables. I do send molded sushi rice on occasion, but sandwiches are just easier. I have found the best selection of bento supplies at Fit, a Japanese dollar store in Bellaire, Texas near Beltway 8. However bento supplies can easily be found in grocery and craft stores if you know what to look for. My girls have learned to save cupcake toppers from birthday parties so I can reuse them in their lunch boxes! Adding a little cuteness to your child’s lunch does not take long and is very appreciated.
by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet
Stackable bento box with elastic band.
We decorated the inside divider of the bento box with cupcake stickers that are the clear vinyl type from Hobby Lobby.
Collection of food picks, small forks, and nori punches are stored in a jewelry organizer.
Here is an example of how to pack a bento box: line bottom with lettuce or spinach leaves, punch face out of nori (seaweed paper used in sushi rolls) and place on boiled egg half, roll slices of meat and thread onto long food pick, tuck in cherry tomatoes and cheddar slices cut into shapes.
In the second half, which is a smaller container, I've placed peanut butter and jelly Ritz cracker sandwiches.
Square sandwich boxes are also great to pack cute lunches. Cut sandwiches into shapes and decorate the top with cheese, cold cuts, dried fruit or veggies. Here I've cut out the bunny's eyes with a straw and attached carrots and veggie bologna with mayo. Peanut butter can also be used as a glue.
Find extra large carrots in Asian grocery stores. Slice without peeling and cut into shapes with small metal cookie cutters. Serve with ranch dip if desired. Here we cut flowers and added celery sticks for stems or grass.
Here is a sampling of sandwich cutters available.
Place warm boiled eggs in these molds and dunk in cold water for 10 minutes. The smaller mold is for quail eggs. Place molded eggs in water with a few drops of food coloring or dye with pickled beet juice. Recipes for quail eggs and pickled beets are on Savoie Secrets.
Keep your eyes open for small containers to divide items in the bento box or to pack them separately. The green bear is great for granola to sprinkle on yogurt cups. The red and yellow containers are perfect for dips. Decorate with vinyl stickers to add some fun.
Molded sushi rice with nori punch faces. I colored the rice pink with pickled beet juice. They look like Pac-Man ghosts to me!
For more lunch ideas click the Lunch Box category on the right side of the screen.
You may also enjoy browsing these recipes: Quail Eggs, Pickled Beets, Halloween Lunches, Jello Shapes, I had a Little Chicken Deviled Eggs, and Miniature Pies.
Savoie Secrets: It's a Family Recipe 