Happy Fall

• 4 mini leaf-shaped sandwiches, made with cookie stamps
• Carrots with ranch
• Raspberry and blueberries with autumn themed cupcakes picks in a pumpkin cup
• Babybel cheese with a leaf cut-out
• Hershey kisses

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

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Simple Sandwich Roll-Ups

• PB&J Roll-ups
• Carrots and a cumcumber slice with ranch
• Red grapes with flower picks
• Babybel cheese
• York Peppermint candy

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

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.

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.

Cuddle Palz Sammie

Loving our new Cuddle Palz cutting system!   This lunch took less than 10 minutes to make....maybe closer to 5 minutes. It was FAST!

• PB&J made to look like a bear using the Cuddle Palz cutter and food safe markers
• Carrots with ranch
• Red grapes
• Hershey kisses

My middle schooler wanted pizza pinwheels again -- easy peasy!

• Pizza Pinwheels with marinara for dipping
• Carrots with ranch
• Red grapes
• Kit Kat candy bar

Here are some of the items, or similar items, that I used when creating these lunches:

This post contains affiliate links.

Bunny Hop

• 2 bunny-shaped sandwiches (stacked), decorated with an icing eye, a snowflake sprinkle for the tail, and egg sprinkles for the nose and ear.  
• Carrots and ranch, decorated with a bunny cupcake ring
• Strawberries with a "Happy Easter" cupcake pick
• Russell Stover candy

See below for some of the products, or similar products, I used when creating this lunch.

This post contains affiliate links.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail!

With St. Patrick's Day behind us, it's time to move on to Easter!   I love making Spring/Easter bentos!   This bunny bento couldn't have been easier!

• 2 bunny-shaped sandwiches (stacked), decorated with a marshmallow to look like a bunny tail
• Strawberry slices with an Easter egg cupcake ring
• Broccoli and ranch with an Easter Bunny cupcake ring
• Jelly beans**

**My daughter got her braces off last Thursday but has to get a permanent retainer put in on Wednesday so she only has only had a few days to eat without food restrictions.  So, we've been pretty free with the jelly beans and popcorn this week!

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Luck of the Irish to You!

A couple more St. Patrick's Day lunches to celebrate!

Both lunches have:

• Shamrock shaped cucumbers with ranch in a clover sauce cup
• A rainbow fruit salad with a pot of gold cupcake pick
• Pretzel crisps
• Gold chocolate coins

The top lunch has 2 shamrock shaped sandwiches decorated with little shamrock picks

The bottom lunch has turkey and cheese on St. Patrick's themed picks.

Click on the product links above or see the Amazon links below for the products, or similar products that I used when making these lunches.

This post contains affiliate links.

Minion Monday

It definitely seems like there is  Minion Madness going around out there...Minions can be found everywhere! And now they are in our lunchbox.    This lunch was inspired by several different lunches that I've seen recently including these: Eats Amazing, Bent On Better Lunches, and Glory's Mischief.

• 2 minion shaped sandwich, decorated with fruit leather, icing eyes and flour tortillas.
• Carrots with ranch
• Red grapes
• Girl Scout cookies

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

This post contains affiliate links.

Girl Scouting is fun!

This has been a busy week for Girl Scouts around our house!   We've had a field trip to the Humane Society, a cookie booth, cookie pick-up and delivery and the Father/Daughter Luau dance!   So, Girl Scouts was on my mind as I was making lunches today.

• 2 Trefoil-shaped sandwiches (stacked) decorated with a Girl Scout cupcake pick
• Carrots with ranch
• Red grapes with letter picks to spell "fun"

and of course it wouldn't be a Girl Scout themed lunch without a Girl Scout cookie for dessert!

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

This post contains affiliate links.

Mickey Mouse

I love Mickey Mouse.   I love chocolate.   I love my husband.

For Valentine's Day my lovely husband got me chocolate covered Mickey shaped pretzels.  My first thought?....Disney lunches!!

• 3 turkey and cheese roll-ups, decorated with Disney picks
• Red grapes, decorated with a Mickey pick
• Sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes, with ranch
• Utz Mickey Mouse shaped chocolate covered pretzels

• Mickey shaped PB&J
• Broccoli with ranch, decorated with Chip and Dale picks
• Red grapes, decorated with a Mickey fork
• Utz Mickey Mouse shaped chocolate covered pretzels

Here are some of the items, or similar items,  I used when creating these lunches:

This post contains affiliate links.

Playdate Fun

My youngest had her friend over for a play date last week and they wanted to make their own lunches to take to school the next day.  Happy to have the day off of lunch making duties, I happily let them!  I think they did a great job!

Well done ladies!!

Lunchbox Love Notes Valentine's Giveaway!

The wonderful people at Say Please, Inc have offered me another opportunity to giveaway their adorable Lunchbox Love Notes to one of my readers.  This giveaway is just in time for Valentine's Day!  

The first prize for this giveaway will be the two volume back of Lunchbox Love for Valentine's Day.  These notes are a fun, thoughtful way for your child to share the celebration with friends. The pack comes 24 special Valentine's cards and each card in the pack has the same heartfelt message on the front and a unique animal fun fact on the back. The notes are fun to include in lunches but can also be attached as a Valentine's Day card on a pack of stickers, added to a gift bag, or given on its own--the recipient will sure to feel Loved and have fun at the same time!   In addition to the Valentine's cards,  Say Please is also going to send the winner Lunchbox Love Notes for Loved Ones, volume 3 .  With these special notes you can show your love and appreciation for your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, or significant other. Each pack contains 12 cards with heartfelt sentiments on the front and fun, interesting trivia facts on the back.  But wait!  There's more!!   The winner of this giveaway will also get Lunchbox Love Notes for Kids, volumes 1 and 2 so everyday can be Valentine's Day!

To take part in this giveaway, simply enter below.   This giveaway is open to United States and Canadian residents only.   I will randomly select a winner on January 29th and the winner will have 48 hours to respond.  If I don't hear back within 48 hours, I will select an alternative winner.   All entries must be active and will be verified at the time of the drawing in order to be valid.

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Kid Created Christmas Bentos

I have been super busy with work (and life!) so my kids got into the fun and created some Christmas themed lunches for themselves!

My 8 year old made herself this lunch:

• Stocking-shaped sandwich decorated with food safe markers
• Clementine flower with a raspberry center
• Peas
• Peppermint covered pretzel stars

And my 10 year old made this one: 

• Christmas tree-shaped sandwiches (stacked), decorated with food safe markers
• Raspberries with a Christmas tree pick
• Peas
• Peppermint covered pretzel stars

Here are some of the items, or similar items, they used when creating these lunches:

 

Deck the lunch with boughs of holly

Fa la la la la, la la la la!...Cucumber and cherry tomato "holly"!

 

• 2 circle-shaped sandwiches (stacked) decorated with food safe markers and a ring pick to look like an ornament
• Red grapes with a ornament cupcake pick
• Cucumber slices that I cut using a leaf shaped cookie stamp, and cherry tomatoes
• Peppermint dipped pretzel stars
• Lunchbox Love Note from the Christmas series

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

 

 

 

Tom the Turkey

Every since I saw this adorable turkey lunch at Bento for Kidlet, I have been looking forward to recreating it.   I used dough presses to make the turkey feathers and then just added a bit of the heal of the bread for his head. 

 

• 2 dough-press sandwiches decorated to look like the feathers of the turkey.   As mentioned above, the turkey's head is just a piece I cut from the heel of the bread and decorated with food safe markers, icing eyes and a carrot nose.
• Red and Green Grapes with a "Give Thanks" cupcake pick
• Carrots with ranch
• Hershey kisses
• Lunchbox Love Note from the Thanksgiving series

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

 

Click here for other Thanksgiving themed lunches:

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

Boo! Another Ghostly Bento Lunch

 

• 2 ghost-shaped sandwiches, stacked.   I put the cheese from one sandwich on top of the bread and, using a straw, added circles for the mouth and eyes.
• Peas
• Strawberries with a ghost cupcake pick
• Marshmallows, decorated to look like ghosts using food safe markers
• Lunchbox Love Note from the Halloween series

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

 

This post contains affiliate links.

Super Quick Jack-O-Lantern Lunch

 

• Pumpkin-shaped sandwich.  I used a pumpkin cookie stamp to add the Jack-O-Lantern face
• Carrots with ranch
• Strawberries with a jack-o-lantern cupcake pick
• Mini candy bar

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

 

This post contains affiliate links.