Making Lunch Fun, One Box at a Time

ben·tol·o·gy (ben t äləjē) Noun : The study of making nutritious and fun lunches for my daughters.

I get a lot of inspiration from other blogs. So, in hopes someone might get some inspiration from me, I've decided to post some pictures here.

This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.Proverbs 3:7-9

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

4 Little Acorns

A quick and easy bento lunch to kick off the autumn season!

  • 4 acorn-shaped sandwiches.  I used the heel of the bread to cut out the darker tops.
  • Red grapes with a squirrel ring
  • Cheddar acorns
  • Broccoli, with an acorn pick, and ranch
  • Dove chocolate (which is hidden behind the acorn pick)

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Johnny Appleseed Day

September 26th is Johnny Appleseed Day...you know I can't let a theme go by without a special lunch!

  • Apple-shaped sandwich with a decorated tortilla on top
  • Carrots with an apple pick and ranch
  • Apple slices
  • Babybel "apple"
  • Hershey's Kiss
Check out the following links for more apple themed lunches made by some of my bento buddies!
Bent on Better Lunches
Zoe's Lunchbox
Becoming a Bentoaholic
Biting the Hand that Feeds You
A Boy and His Lunch

Flowers

  • 3 stacked mini sandwiches (stacked)
  • Red grapes with a flower pick
  • Spinach and cherry tomato salad with Italian dressing
  • Babybel with a tulip cut-out
  • York Peppermint

Monday, September 24, 2012

Go Pack Go!

My youngest is a big Green Bay fan.   In honor of them playing as part of Monday night football tonight, I made her a Green Bay Packers themed lunch :)

  •  2 football-shaped sandwiches with provolone decorations and a Green Bay pick
  • Raspberries with a football pick (I just bought these picks at Target)
  • Carrots with ranch
  • Cheddar football
  • Hershey Kisses
And here is a picture of my little fan and her lunch

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Reach for the Stars!

  • 3 star-shaped sandwiches with a "Reach for the Stars" pick
  • Raspberries in star-shaped silicone cups (from World Market)
  • Sugar snap peas with ranch
  • Babybel with a star cut-out
  • STARburst for dessert

Arrrr, It's "Talk Like a Pirate Day", Matey!!

And we have a lunch and a fun blog hop to celebrate!


  • 2 circle-shaped sandwiches (stacked), decorated with a pirate face using cheddar cheese, bread crust and cucumber peel
  • Cucumber slices with ranch
  • Blackberries with a pirate ring
  • Pirate Booty (that's really what the white cheddar puffs are called!)
  • Ferrero Rocher as a bit of golden treasure for dessert!
On a side note, did you know that if you go to participating Krispy Kreme doughnut shops today and talk like a pirate you will receive a free Original Glazed doughnut. Dress like a pirate and receive a free dozen of Original Glazed Doughnuts!


Monday, September 10, 2012

Aloha!

Guess my mind was day dreaming of my favorite place on earth when I came up with this Hawaiian themed bento!

  • Salami and herb cream cheese on a whole wheat bagel with a palm tree pick
  • Golden and red raspberries with a flip-flop pick
  • Fun in the Sun babybel cheese
  • Green peas
  • Mini candy bar

Elegant Impressions

It's fun to see my lunches in print!  Check on the online version of Elegant Impressions magazine!  Thank you for including me :)

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Angry Birds Bento

Completely inspired by this lunch at Obento Momma, tomorrow's lunch is Angry Birds themed.

  • Open faced salami and herb cream cheese sandwich on a whole wheat bagel (there is a second salami and cream cheese half under the bird that she can put together and eat as a sandwich).  The bird is decorated with provolone cheese, carrot, food safe marker and blueberry peel.  The blueberry peel was a first!  I would have normally used cucumber peel but we're out of cucumbers!
  • Sugar snap peas with ranch
  • Cheddar Angry Bird, decorated with provolone cheese, carrot and fruit leather
  • Remainder of the fruit leather
  • Mini candy bar

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Mooing Munchies

  • 2 heart-shaped sandwiches (stacked) with the top sandwich decorated as a cow using crusts of bread, provolone cheese and food safe markers
  • Carrots with ranch
  • Cow jumping over a cheddar moon
  • Red grapes
  • Mini candy bar

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Owl Bento - it's a hoot!

I LOVE owls and so does my youngest daughter.  In fact, that's what she wants to be this year for Halloween.  When I saw this lunch over at Meet the Dubiens I knew I had to re-create.  Avery is going to LOVE it! 

  • 2 circle shaped sandwiches (stacked).   The top one is decorated as an owl using cheddar (wings) and provolone (eyes) cheese, food safe marker (pupils), and carrot (beak and feet)
  • Raspberries
  • Broccoli with ranch
  • Cheddar owls
  • Mini candy bar
Thanks Jill for your inspiration!

Believe

  • Sandwich cut with the Pampered Chef sandwich cutter with a "Believe" pick
  • Cheddar stars
  • Cucumber and tomato slices
  • Champagne grapes (we saw these at the store and the girls thought they were adorable!)
  • Mini candy bar

One Lovely Blog & Very Inspiring Blogger Award

I would like to start by thanking Bobbi at Bobbi's Bentos for nominating my blog for the One Lovely Blog & Very Inspiring Blogger award!  Pretty fun!!



When a blog wins this award they must spread the love by:
Thanking and linking back to the person who nominated them, telling seven things about themselves, and nominating 15 other bloggers by commenting on their blogs to let them know.

Well let's see...seven things about me.

1.  I work part time as an IT audit manager and am a full time mom to my 2 daughters.

2. I LOVE traveling and am usually in the process of planning our next vacation (sometimes before we can home from the last!)
3.  My girls are fantastic eaters and I make sure they have a fruit and veggie in pretty much ever meal but am secretly a terrible eater myself.

4.   I've never had a McDonald's hamburger, of any kind.

5.  I'm training for a 5K but haven't found the love for running that everyone talks about.
6.  We have 3 pets - 1 puppy and 2 kitties. 

7.  I secretly want to be "Belle" at Walt Disney World.

There are so many amazing blogs out there but here are 15 of my favorites!
Bent on Better Lunches
Another Lunch
What's for Lunch at Our House
Wendolonia
Daily Bloom
Happy Little Bento
Family Fresh Meals
Bentobloggy
Bento School Lunches
Our Lunch Bags
Creative Food
Sonoma Bento
Bentoriffic
Keeley Mcguire's Blog
Meet the Dubiens

Your blogs have been an inspiration to me. I admire all of you and I am excited to spread the love!  Here's an award button if you choose to display it: