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Bento Without Supplies

01 November 2011


Ever since I started making Bento lunches for my daughter, I have been coveting Bento "supplies".  I bought some silicone baking cups and an "unofficial" Bento box at HomeGoods, but have not bought anything else yet.

Mornings have been crazy and I've been throwing lunches together at the last minute, so I decided to get a jump start on tomorrow, by packing lunch tonight.  After making this decision, I realized that my box was in the dishwasher (which was running.)  I looked around and found these take out containers.  I then decided to challenge myself to make as much "Bento" as I could just without any special supplies.
Box 1: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich (we were out of cashew butter so I had to have my husband make the sandwich.)  I told him to cut it into four long slices- no fancy cut-outs, but still outside of the norm.  I then filled in the empty spaces with nuts and dried fruit.

Box 2: Cucumbers with homemade food picks which I saw on Another Lunch. Of course, I didn't really follow her advice because I didn't feel like pulling out the glue gun so I'm not really sure that my dog and cat stickers will still be "stuck" by the time my daughter eats her lunch.  Hummus (in a medicine cup) and red pepper strips.  Also in this box are apple slices, grapes, and plain Greek yogurt with Smuckers all-fruit stirred in (also in a medicine cup.)  I added a gummy worm across the top as a treat.

Using the Bento to try something new: My daughter has on on again, off again, relationship with red peppers.  I added some to this lunch in the hopes that she would eat them.  The yogurt is also new in a way. My kids love yogurt, but have never eaten any without added sugar- Greek yogurt is high in protein, but also high in price. I got a good deal on plain Greek yogurt (nothing but milk and cultures--- 23 g. protein per serving!!) and was able to sweeten it inexpensively and with only "fruit" sugar. It tastes good to me- we'll see if she notices.

 My finished boxes which I packed in a small soft cooler instead of my daughter's usual lunch box. (Notice my "homemade" pick already coming apart! Oh well, next time, I'll follow the directions...)

3 comments:

  1. I love that you came up with your own supplies. I am slightly addicted to buying muffin tin meal supplies!

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  2. You did very well without real bento gear! That just proves you really don't need the fancy stuff. Then of course the accessories are partly what we bentoists like so much... ;)

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  3. JDaniel4's Mom and Gnoe... I'm sure that it won't take me long to start building up my supplies/ gear... I'm thinking that Bento accessories would make great stocking stuffers!

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