A new year, A new State, and still going 'bento'

Hi y'all!

Well, we've moved south of the mason/dixon line now, and E-boo is in second grade now. Since we were in a whirlwind last year, we didn't start off with the bento idea, and by the time I unpacked all my gear, E-boo decided she really did like school lunch.

My wallet felt the punch from that decision all year. The problem is that the school lunch doesn't appeal to her, so she chooses 'extras' like cheese sticks, yogurt and other good foods to add to her tray. They add up big time.

This year I've renewed my committment to serving her a healthy, filling and fun lunch, and compromised by letting her have Fridays as her choice for a home lunch or pizza at school. We made it through the first 8 days just fine and I'm eager to get into the full swing of making these great, fun, colorful lunches for her and little K-bug to enjoy.

My other inspiration is that K-bug will be going off to preschool (they call it K-4 here) in just another week or so, and I will be sending lunch for her on her late stay days (Tues/Wed/Thurs) so I might as well get used to making things up in quantity!

Guess I'm going to have to start using other containers for my home made icecream!

Last day of school before vacation!

So I decided to keep about the same contents, but a different
arrangement.
Today's fare includes grapes, broccoli, mini cucumbers, turkey bologna
and cheese pinwheels, and goldfish, grapes and juice for the snack.

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Bento On!

Although I've been really bad about posting (In spite of the ease of moblogging) I have continued to make bento-style lunches for E every day. She's really been enjoying picking out her own lunch components.

I've been finding fun new things at Trader Joe's too - last week was mini pitas. She's loving having these tiny sandwiches in her lunchbox, and I feel good knowing they are healthier than plain old white bread.

A couple of recent bentos:


This one contained what we've nicknamed "the lunch monster" which was really rolls of turkey and ham and cheese with baby carrots in the middle and a celery mouth. It was accompanied by more baby carrots, mini celery sticks, rice cracker mix (thank you again Trader Joe's!) and red seedless grapes. For snack she had fish crackers and cheese along with a juice box and had milk in the Rubbermaid milk box.

This one was literally thrown together last minute from whatever I could scrounge up in the fridge - leftover ham strips, cheddar cheese, a handful of salad mix and some baby carrots. She said she used the dip in the middle for all of them and it all came home empty.

This one was something E specifically requested (it was an exact duplicate of another day that week). Turkey and cheese rollups, baby carrots, grapes and colorful goldfish. She just adores these lunches! I'm still hoping to find a way to make her a hot lunch, because I could do SO much more - but for now (almost 3 months!) this works wonderfully for her and me!

I hope to get back on the bandwagon with the updates - we've had alot of repeats so I didn't think they were all picture-worthy.

Wednesday's Bento

Ham and cheese rolls, broccoli tops, ranch dip and the ever popular
cucumber. I'm taking K to the gym this morning and she has a yogurt
and apple bento for a morning snack.