BentoMania has hit our household. As if we needed another disorder. Actually this one is fun! What is Bento? It's a Japanese lunchbox that Japanese mothers have turned into an art form (mine have yet to resemble art). It's "hipness" is beginning to catch on outside of Japan. For those of us with children on special diets, with food allergies or picky eating (my child has all three), Bento boxes can be a great way to make lunchtime fun. It's also a great way to send your child off with a healthy lunch. My child is in preschool through the regular school system, so he eats breakfast and lunch in a cafeteria full of kids. Like many parents, I worry about him feeling left out. Since he's been bringing his food in Bento boxes, many of the children are interested in his food. He seems to like the attention and his teacher reports he eats better.
The actual bento box itself does not need to be anything fancy. It's the accessories that make it so fun: Cutters to make food into fun shapes. Little bowls and cups to separate foods. Small, colorful "Mayo" cups with lids for condiments, syrups and dips. Dividers with cartoon characters. Charming picks to make fruit, veggie, cheese or meat kabobs. Egg molds to mold peeled hardboiled eggs into hearts, bunnies and cars. Rice molds (Rice is not SCD legal). Bread Molds, and the list goes on. Bento's aren't just for children. They also make nice boxes and accessories for adults. We can have fun too, right?
There are books and blogs full of fun ideas. I have listed some articles, places to shop and blogs. The blogs are my favorite. They are full of ideas, but they also show the most important ingredient you can put into your child's lunch: LOVE.
Bento Articles:
Bento Boxes Win Lunch Fans by the New York Times
An Online Bento Evolution by Adventures in Bento Making
Bento-style boxes are just right for kids' lunchesby The Dallas News
The Bento Box Boom by Gourmet Magazine
Bento Boxes and Supplies (Many Bento Blogs Also Have Amazon Stores)
Bento Crazy
From Japan with Love
Sugar Charms
My Sweet Muffin
A Few Bento Blogs & Sites:
Another Lunch
Maisie Eats Bento
What's for Lunch at Our House
Cooking for Monkeys
Happy Little Bento
Eating in a Box
The GFCF Bento
Right now John only does half day preschool but in the fall he'll be doing full day -- lunch and bentos included! Definitely bookmarking this post :)
ReplyDeleteBento lunches are so cute! Here's another site you might also enjoy:
ReplyDeletehttp://justbento.com/
Thanks so much for adding my link to your post! My daughter was still 4 & just getting ready to start kindergarten in the Dallas News article. She'll be 8 in the fall and starting 3rd grade!
ReplyDeleteCheck back in another week or two, I've got two giveaways coming up (a great book and a bento kit), just wanting them in my hands first before I start them. :o)
Wow, too cute! Who wouldn't love a lunch presented like that? I'm a lover of little bites myself, so a Bento would even work well for me. ;-)
ReplyDeleteShirley