Bentos 6, 7, and 8 - playing catchup!

Bento 6's snack was a yogurt, animal shaped cheese cutouts, and some mushrooms and cheese came back, because I was informed, "I can't eat the shapes because the animals might be sad."
Ok - so no more animal shaped food!

Bento 7 did NOT include animal shaped items and both the snack and lunch box came back empty :D

Bento 8 went to school today - very similar to the previous day's, except I did a turkey dog, cut fancy, and cooked, then I put the "Pac-Man" shaped slices in a silicon cup surrounded by servings of pickle, cheese, and carrot shreds. I put a couple pieces of pita cut up in there too in case she had the urge to make mini turkey dog sandwiches. Her snack was a cheese stick, cut into cubes, celery slices (she doesnt like the sticks now because they're "Too thready") and a yogurt.
I was also informed that she "needs a fruit snack" so she got one yesterday and today. It's an apple-strawberry organic fruit leather-type thing.

I'm thinking that my bento philosophy has sort of derailed from the true point of bento in a few ways. First of all, I am still using some prepackaged items, which is causing just as much trash as if I had just sent said item to school with her, without the kid-friendly prep work done.
In order to improve this situation, I'm going to try to come up with some more leftover friendly recipes so that I can send her with some different hot lunch options in the coming weeks.

I also had the foresight to make my younger lunch-muncher a mini bento of her own. She was delighted by the turkey and cheese on a pita cut into wedge shaped sandwiches, with a silicon cup of carrot shreds and milk on the side. She tore into it and pretty much cleaned out the little container. I definitely need to do this more! Not only did it take me 30 seconds to get her lunch ready today, but she seemed delighted with the shapes and textures.

Lunch tomorrow for school will most likely be soup and crackers. Not sure how creative I can get with that.

If there are any mom's sending a hot lunch to school bento-style, please share how you are packaging it! I cant figure out what else to get besides the 'hot food thermos' and she doesn't really have an opportunity to heat up her food.