Thursday, July 26, 2012

Carnitas EcoLunchBox Bento

MisterMan's bento is packed in the two-tier EcoLunchBox today: he gets leftovers from dinner out, which means super quick bentomaking. Lower tier contains carnitas, Mexican rice, corn, broccoli and Okinawan sweet potato star shapes. Upper tier contains a small box of yogurt topped with blueberries, raspberries, sunflower seeds and wheat germ, plus a selection of strawberry, cherries, peach pie donut peach, and lychee. I love the way I can fit a whole lot of food (lunch and snacks) in this double box. And that's it for the week. Happy weekend friends!

10 comments:

  1. your bento looks so fresh, like it :)

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  2. These colors are brilliant! It's always such a treat to get to see your creations. :) I dearly love the deep purple potato stars!!!!

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    1. Thank you Heather; so sweet! Gotta have the Okinawan sweet potato :D

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  3. So pretty. I've been lurking now for a while, but now that my first is going to kindergarden in a few weeks, I'm getting serious about lunch beyond sandwiches. Could you please share two things...do the bentos look as nice at lunch, after the kids take them to school? And I notice that you pack small portions of a lot of items. Do your kids eat most or all of what you pack? Do you find that variety increases your odds? Thanks so much for responding when you get a chance.

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    1. Darla,
      How the bento looks when it gets to school will depend on your lunchtaker. Mine tends to swing the bag around if I don't warn him, but when I show him what it looks like sometimes he takes extra care to keep it upright so he can show his friends. The tighter you pack it, the better the chances that everything stays in place.
      I've always been a proponent of packing less of more varieties. I think most kids would find a few veggies of each kind more palatable than a whole bag of baby carrots (for example). My kids don't favor peapods but they won't mind a few stuck in the spaces if there's also some sweet corn and tomatoes tossed in there as well. If I don't overwhelm them, they are more likely to finish it all. My boy NEVER brings any food home, but then he's always been a big eater. My pickier daughter sometimes brings a few odds and ends home, but she says it's because she ran out of time while talking too much. She always finishes the last couple grapes or berries when she gets home. If your child is a smaller eater, I would suggest packing a smaller bento, so he doesn't feel pressured to eat so much. You can always work up to more food eventually, and this way you can praise him when he brings home an empty bento.
      Good luck, and have fun!!

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    2. Thanks. I just ordered some cute litte picks and other stuff to make her lunch more fun.

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  4. Where do you get the smiley face spoon and fork from? I've been looking everywhere. your lunches are so cute. I can't wait to pack my own for my toddler.

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    1. I got that one from Tokyo Lifestyle, in Japantown. But you might also find it at Ichiban Kan or Daiso.
      Thank you :)

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