Shiloh

My daughter's class has been reading the book Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, aloud after recess each day.   I often get a short recap of what happened in the lives of Shiloh the beagle, Marty and the mean Judd Travers, as part of her answer to my daily question, "What happened at school today?"

Today, as a special treat, they get to watch the movie based on the book so I made her a fun lunch to go along with the theme.

• One large dog bone sandwich with the letters spelling out "Shiloh".  I made 2 small bones to add more sandwich.
• Red grapes with the puppy cupcake pick
• Broccoli with ranch and a dog bone pick
• Pretzel sticks
• Hershey Kisses

Here are some of the items, or similar items, I used when creating this lunch:

This post contains affiliate links.

Honey Bee

My mom got me a set of Williams Sonoma spring-themed cookie cutter/stamps last year for Christmas.  In the middle of December, I wasn't thinking bug and flower themed lunches so they got pushed to the back of my bento closet.  I recently rediscovered them and I LOVE them.  The detail that I can get with the stamps is amazing.  I honestly don't think they need the food marker detail but my daughter loves helping me by coloring her lunches with the markers.

• 2 bee-shaped sandwiches (stacked), decorated with food safe markers
• Babybel Cheese with "B-E-E" letter picks
• Raspberries in blueberries in a bee-shaped silicone cup
• Build-Your-Own Ants on a Log (i.e. celery sticks, peanut butter and raisins), decorated with a bee and flower pick
• York Peppermint candy

In addition to the product links above, here are some of the other items, or similiar items, I used when creating this lunch:



This post contains affiliate links.

Owls

Today's requested theme by the middle schoolers was "owls".  I'm keeping it simple with this owl sandwich made from a circle cutter.   The part I cut from the top of his head is what I used to make the wings.

• 2 owl-shaped sandwiches, stacked.  Decorated with an eye pick and heart pick.  I used carrots for his feet and beak.
• Green peas
• Blueberries with an owl cupcake ring
• Pretzel sticks
• Babybel cheese
• York peppermint patty

In addition to the product links above, here are some of the items, or similar items, I used when creating this lunch:

This post contains affiliate links.

Panda Mania

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, my oldest daughter started middle school this year.   She was pretty adamant that she didn't want "cute" lunches anymore, which was fine.   Well, last week she came home and said that she was telling her friends about "what I do" with lunches and they were intrigued so she wanted me to make her a cute lunch.  She specifically wanted me to recreate the Koala lunch that I had made for her younger sister a few days earlier.

Apparently her new friends LOVED her lunch and now, not only is she back on board with cute lunches, but her friends are sending in theme requests.  Today's requested theme was "pandas" so here is what I came up with.

• 2 peanut butter and honey Panda sandwiches, created using the Animal Palz cutting system and decorated with food-safe markers
• Cheese stick
• Red grapes with a panda pick
• Broccoli with a panda pick
• Hershey kisses

In addition to the product links above, here are some of the products, or similar products, I used when creating this lunch:



This post contains affiliate links.

1 Lunch, 2 Different Ways

As I've mentioned in previous posts, my oldest is in middle school now and doesn't want "cute" lunches.   No problem!   Here are both my daughters' lunches for today.  As you can see, they are the exact same lunch.  I just added a couple cute touches to make my younger daughter's an owl themed lunch and kept my older daughter's plain.  Everyone is happy!

Both lunches contain:

• PB&J made using the Pampered Chef Cut N Seal
• Cucumbers and cherry tomatoes
• Red grapes
• Pretzel Sticks
• Hershey Kisses
• Lunchbox Love Note

To make the owl sandwich, I decorated the sandwich with more cucumber slices for the wings and eyebrows and carrot for the beak and feet.  I used these eye picks for instant cuteness (that won't melt like sugar eyes sometimes do!)

Here are some of the products, or similar products, I used when creating this lunch:

This post contains affiliate links. 

Cuddle Palz!

Earlier this summer we received the newest product in the CuteZCute product line, the Cuddle Palz, to try. Similar to the other CuteZCute products, the Cuddle Palz is super easy to use and provides instant cuteness to any lunch!  The 2-sided cutter and stamps allow you to make many different combinations.  I have a feeling you will be seeing many Cuddle Palz lunches on our blog!

Koala Lunch:

• Koala PB&J made using the Cuddle Palz cutting system.   He is holding on to a piece of celery.
• Celery with peanut butter
• Grapes with a koala pick
• Pretzel sticks 
• Hershey kisses

Again, my middle schooler doesn't want cute lunches anymore.  So we kept it simple:

• Pizza roll-ups with marinara for dipping
• Peas
• Red grapes
• Oreos

Here are some of the products, or similar products, I used when creating this lunch:

Keeping It Simple

Wow, it's been a long time since my last post!   Life has been SO busy recently!  I'm sure you can relate!!  We've still be packing and keeping it cute, but I haven't been feeling overly original or taking the time to photograph.  Sorry about that!

Today's lunch I kept simply on purpose.  I thought about adding icing eyes, a bow pick, and whiskers, which would have been cute.  But, I really liked the kitty simple too so I went with that.

• A kitty and heart shaped sandwiches (There wasn't space to cut out 2 kitties but I didn't want to waste that much sandwich so I found a smaller cutter to use up the remainder of the sandwich.  We can call it Kitty Love)
• Watermelon kitties with blueberries
• Sugar snap peas and grape tomatoes with ranch
• Chocolate

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What Does the Fox Say?

Have I successfully planted that tune in your head that will stick with you all...day...long?  

I saw these fox cookies on Pinterest yesterday and was inspired to make them into a sandwich.  My girls are nuts about that song and I know they will enjoy opening their lunches to this little guy.

 

• The fox-shaped sandwich is made from a star-shaped cookie cutter.   I made the sandwich out of a wheat bread that has a light color and then cut the top (fur) out of the heel of 100% whole grain wheat bread to show the color contrast.   I cut triangles for the ears and trimmed up around the face to show off his snout.   I finished him off with icing eyes and an M&M for his nose.
• Strawberry slices
• Green peas
• Mini Kit Kat bar

Here are some of the items, or similar items, I used when creating this lunch:

See more fun lunches at

Purrfectly Quick and Easy Lunch

If I want to make a super quick but cute lunch, my "go to" tool almost always ends up being the Cute Z Cute cutter.   In this lunch, I used it to make a kitty.   I used the crust of the bread to cut out the features and give it a little "pop".

 

• Sandwich made with the Cute Z Cute
• Broccoli with ranch and a kitty cupcake pick
• Raspberries
• Pretzel snaps
• Hershey's chocolate Nugget

Here are some of the products, or similar products, that I used when creating this lunch:

 

This post contains affiliate links.

 

Check out other quick lunches at:

Whooo's going to have a great year?....You are!!

My daughter and I are slightly obsessed with owls.  Today's lunch is quite similar to one I have done before (and one that inspired my original), but as I was looking through old pictures, I was inspired again ;-)

 

• 2 owl-shaped sandwiches (stacked), decorated with carrots, food safe markers and provolone cheese.   I used circle shaped cookie cutters to cut out the owls and eyes.
• Cherries (pre-pitted)
• Carrots and cucumber slices with ranch
• Vanilla yogurt with sprinkles

Here are some of the items I used when creating this lunch:

 

 

Whooooo's Excited for Summer?

We are!!!  

This is the last school lunch before summer vacation.  (They have a half day tomorrow but both classes are ordering pizza for lunch. )

Summer...BRING IT ON!!!

• Owl-shaped sandwich wearing a sunglasses cupcake pick.  I used the crust of bread to make the owl's wings.
• Cherries (that I pitted so they didn't have to deal with spitting out the pits at the lunch table) with an beach umbrella cupcake pick
• Carrots and broccoli with ranch and a beach ball cupcake pick
• Chobani tube yogurt*

* We just received a shipment of Chobani tubes to review.  I will be writing up an official review soon but in a nut shell, the girls LOVE them!!!   What a quick, easy and healthy snack or addition to their lunch.  Thank you Chobani!   They have offered to do a giveaway so stay tuned!  You can win your own free yogurt!

Affiliate links contained in this post.

Here are some of the products, or similar products, I used when creating this lunch:

Kid Created Bento - Turtles!

While I was packing the disposable bento for my older daughter's field trip, my younger daughter asked if she could make her own lunch.  As one who never turns down a helpful hand, I happily let her!   Her theme was turtles.

• PB&J turtle-shaped sandwich decorated with food safe markers
• Blackberries with a turtle pick
• Cucumber slices and ranch
• Hershey Kisses

Affiliate links contained in this post.

Here are some of the items she used when creating her lunch:


Check out other kid-created lunches at:

Lady Bug Lunch

When I saw these chocolate covered strawberry ladybugs on Pinterest yesterday, I knew I had to create a lady bug lunch around them.  My girls love chocolate covered strawberries!!

 

• Peanut butter cracker sandwiches with cheddar wings to look like a lady bug.  I used food safe markers to add the face.
• Red grapes with a lady bug pick
• Cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli with ranch
• Chocolate covered strawberry lady bug

Affiliate links are included in this post.

 

In addition to the product links above, here are some of the other items I used when creating this lunch:

Evinrude!

I can't see a dragonfly without thinking of the adorable dragonfly named Evinrude in Disney's The Rescuers.

 

• 3 mini dragonfly-shaped sandwiches, decorated with food safe markers
• Green grapes with a dragon fly cupcake pick
• Carrots with ranch
• Hershey's minature candy bar

In addition to the product link above, here are some of the other items I used when creating this lunch:

 

Puppy Love

One of my daughter's friends suggested she bring a puppy themed lunch.  I'm always looking for ideas and inspiration, so I was happy to oblige.

• 2 puppy-shaped sandwiches, decorated with the crust of bread (ears) and food safe markers
• Broccoli with  dog bones picks  (Local friends, I bought these at Smidge and Pinch in Powell) and ranch
• Strawberries and red grapes with puppy picks
• Hershey's minature candy bar

In addition to the product links above, here are some of the other items I used when creating this lunch:

Before and After

So, which came first, the chicken or the egg?

In the case of this lunch, the chicken came first.   I think I was originally inspired by Family Fun to turn a hard boiled egg into a chick.  But, I can't find the link online.  If anyone happens to have it, let me know and I'll update this post.

• 2 sandwiches (stacked) decorated with cheddar, provolone and food safe markers
• Hard boiled egg, decorated with carrots and food safe marker
• Carrots with ranch
• Red and green grapes and a chick cupcake ring
• Hershey's Miniature candy bar

It was my daughter's idea to add the egg shell (which I sanitized) and the cracks on the cheese egg.  I love when their creativity surpasses mine!

Here are some of the items I used when creating this lunch:

Cat and Mouse

My oldest daughter specifically requested a kitty themed lunch for today.  She even suggested that I use the Cute Z Cute.   I saw this mouse hard boiled egg on Pinterest and have been excited to make it.  I thought, what goes better with a kitty lunch than a mouse?!

 

 

• Kitty sandwich made with the Cute Z Cute and bow
• Hard boiled egg mouse decorated with carrots, spaghetti noodles and icing eyes
• Carrots with ranch
• Red grapes and kitty picks
• Hershey's miniture candy bar
   
In addition to the product links I've included above, here are some of the items I used in this lunch:
 

Don't Be Crabby!

We had some mini croissants in the house this week.  I remembered seeing this adorable lunch and thought I'd make my own version of the little crustacean.

• Turkey and Cheddar with honey mustard on a mini croissant.  I used sugar snap peas for his legs, cheddar for his claws and mouth and icing eyes.
• Red grapes with a crab cupcake pick
• Cucumber slices
 
Here are some of the products I used when creating this lunch:
 

Love Bug

This lady bug lunch was one of the first bento lunches I came across when I discovered the wonderful world of bento.   It inspired me when creating today's Love Bug lunch.

 

• Love Bug sandwich made using the Pampered Chef sandwich cutter and decorated with cheddar cheese and icing eyes
• Peas
• Red grapes
• Brownie bite

Here are some of the products, or similar products,  I used when creating this lunch: 

 

The letter picks can be purchased at BentoUSA by clicking the ad on the right side of my blog.

CuteZCute to the Rescue!

I'm still getting back into the swing of things after the long holiday break.   So, today I was excited to make a cute and very EASY lunch with my trusty CuteZCute and a few presents I got for Christmas.

The CuteZCute was just named one of the 10 best selling kitchen tools and gadget sets on Amazon.com.   I'm not surprised.  It's super easy to use, very varietal and adorable!

- Sandwich made with the CuteZCute cutter and decorated with strawberry fruit leather.  Due to the size of this bread, I couldn't get 2 full cuts with the CuteZCute so I used a smaller bear cutter to make 2 tiny sandwiches, to avoid waste
- Raspberries in a bear cup with panda picks
- Peas
- Ferrero Rocher chocolate

In addition to the links above, here are some of the items I used to create this lunch: