St. Patrick's Day Bento

I know, technically, St. Patrick's Day is on Saturday.  However, I had a cute idea, so I ran with it!

The kids had an open-faced shamrock cheese sandwich, ham rolls secured with a cute pick, cinnamon toast cereal, and a piece of marshmallow rainbow leading to a marshmallow pot of gold!  They also had a yogurt.  

I don't usually give the kids sweet treats in their lunches unless I do themed bento lunches, then they hit the jackpot!

Car Bento

This bento was part of the Valentine bento run, but Mr. W got a Cars theme instead!

I still hadn't learned the "punch the bread out before filling it" lesson. I created the details on McQueen by coloring the raised areas of the cutter with food-safe markers before pressing out the sandwich.

Lunch also consisted of Cars fruit snacks, grapes and a small piece of chocolate for afternoon "junk snack"

A Variety of Valentine Bentos

These bentos were made in the days leading up to Valentine's day.  The kids each got a similar lunch, even if only one is pictured.

I learned a valuable lesson with this bento, press the design before filling the sandwich!  Lunch contains rwo PB&J hearts, grapes, fruit snacks and a small chocolate heart.  I am sure there was something else in her lunch bag too...

 Lunches this day consisted of a a cheese sandwich on a sandwich thin, strawberries and chocolate covered pretzels.

This bento contains chunks of roasted chicken, a slice of homemade bread with butter, a jello heart and my guess is a tasty treat under the heart wrapper!

Sorry for the blurry pic! Lunch here was half a banana (decorated with a sticker), peanut butter sandwiches with heart fruit leather pieces, chocolate pretzels and a chocolate heart.  The kids also got a yogurt. Given the amount of sugar in this lunch, I am guessing this was Valentine's Day!   

Fishy Bento

Identical bentos made in two-tier boxes   The bottom tier consists of a sandwich round with a cheese fish, the word "fish" in gummy letters, and some teriyaki meatballs.  The top tier has strawberries, grapes and goldfish.

Panda Cookie!

Dinosaurs and Pandas. While not technically Lunar New Year themed, my kids enjoyed it!  Lunch consists of a PB & J sandwich, pretzels, strawberries and a panda cookie from Sogo Bakery.

Lunar New Year Bento

Gung Hay Fat Choy!  Happy Year of the Dragon!

I tried to make a cute dragon bento for the first school lunch of the New Year.  Unfortunately, it looked more like a hungry caterpillar!  I guess that is what I get for deciding to do a dragon at 11 pm the night before.... Next year, maybe I will plan better.  Or maybe I will wait for an easier zodiac sign.  Dog, rabbit....anyone....

 Anxious Dragon

The kids' lunches are identical.  They consist of a deconstructed "dragon" cheese sandwich, a strawberry, a clementine and a fortune cookie.  Below the red napkin is an applesauce pouch.

Perturbed Dragon

Christmas Bentos

Rudolph cheese sandwich with cheese stars, pretzel antlers and an m&m nose.  Hedgehog sandwich and strawberries.

Candy cane sandwiches made using two kinds of cheese, deli ham, grapes and a little marshmallow snowman. 

Christmas tree cheese and crackers or hawaiian bread.  Teriyaki meatballs, grapes and Christmas Jello jigglers.