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Daily Bento

31 May

Summer vacation.

Or what I refer to as: Three seemingly endless months of incessant whining about how there’s nothing to do and there’s nothing to eat and how hot it is outside and how we never go anywhere…

Can’t wait.

My husband and I dread summer.

Sure we’re all tired of the homework, the endless things that need to be filled out and returned to school, last-minute book reports, IEP meetings, waiting in the car lane every afternoon, getting up earlier than any person should be required to get up to make sure the teenager eats, grooms himself, looks presentable, doesn’t forget his lunch, and doesn’t miss his bus and summer does allow us a welcome break from all that.

But couldn’t it be a shorter break?

There’s just something about your kids sticking their heads in your fully stocked fridge and/or pantry every half hour and then yelling across the house “Mooooooom, there’s nothing to eat in here” that will drive even the most sane, put together woman to the brink of madness.

It also gets hot – really, really hot and humid here in the summer. So you have to hit the park or the beach or any other outside activity early in the morning, otherwise you risk burning to a crisp or passing out from heat stroke.

Been there, done that. No thanks.

Don’t get me wrong. We’re very lucky to live where we do.

We have quick access to parks, beaches, amusement parks, zoos, aquariums, movie theaters, libraries, and museums. But the novelty of those places wears off all too soon.

We’re also right next to a very popular summer vacation destination so the traffic becomes horrible and the crowds are almost unbearable everywhere you go. It’s easier on my sanity to just stay inside.

My kids have just three days of school left.

Those three days are filled with parties, movies, games, and an outside water play day for my daughter.

My son gets to take exams.

He sure got the bad end of that deal.

Since today is Cam’s last Friday of the school year, I made her a colorful and fruity Friday lunch.

She’s basically having ice cream for lunch next week so it seemed like the right thing to do.

 

For lunch today, she had a fruit salad that contained organic strawberries, pineapple, organic grapes, and organic cherries. She also had french green beans, cheese, crackers, and a slice of a banana bread/carrot cake hybrid with salted caramel glaze that I whipped up two nights ago.

The banana bread/cake contains carrots and pineapple so it’s pretty much a salad in its own right as well.

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Big Kid Bento

30 May

Today is a first.

I’m posting my oldest child’s lunch.

Can I still refer to him as a child if he’s old enough to drive?

That fact makes my brain hurt. It’s just weird. Wasn’t he just 7 last week?

I can’t even handle it. He’s like this huge teenaged person with a man-voice that still plays video games and watches cartoons, so child seems like the appropriate term here.

Anyway, he’s always been a lunch packer.

I could give him money for school lunch (which would be a lot cheaper) but he’d most definitely buy pizza and pop-tarts every day and that kind of diet isn’t good for anybody.

He’s not so good at making wise choices when it comes to food.

He’s also an Aspie (a term of endearment for someone with Asperger’s Syndrome) so for many years, he would eat the same lunch every day.

Every. Single. Day.

Sandwich, chips, cookies.

That’s it.

No fruit, no veggies, no variation.

The only exception to this rule was if pizza, chicken fingers, or a sugary treat of some sort were involved.

It’s hard to get kids to try new foods but it’s next to impossible to get a kid with Asperger’s to do it.

And even if you’re lucky enough to make that happen, it will almost always end in tears, gags, or vomits (if not all three).

Nobody needs that drama.

All that changed over the last couple of years.

I became super persistent about getting him to try new things and I finally wore him down.

I’m no quitter.

Of course there was whining, crying, and gagging in the beginning, but over time the process became easier for both of us and he has a much more varied diet these days as a result.

Now, let’s talk lunch!

 

I try to make bread at least once a week. The recipe I use is fabulous because it’s so versatile. That one dough recipe can be turned into cinnamon rolls, garlic & herb rolls, swirled breakfast bread, pizza crust, hoagie rolls, sandwich loaves, and so many other things. One day I’ll get around to posting it on this site.

I like to take that dough, roll it out, top it with all-natural lunch meat and cheese, roll it back up, slice it, and bake it. Pretty much the same way you would make cinnamon rolls (see, versatile).

D just pops them in the microwave at lunch time and in about 20 seconds they’re all warm and soft again with crispy meat on the edges and melty cheese in the center.

Nuthin’ wrong with that.

For lunch today, he had two of those meaty/cheesy spiral thingies, fresh pineapple, and some Big Cheez-Its.

 

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Daily Bento

29 May

If you had any issues with yesterday’s cupcake lunch, you may want to avert your eyes.

This was today’s lunch:

 

I know you see them. Those are banana bread brownies.

Yep. I went there.

I probably won’t be going there again any time soon though. They were not a big hit with both kids.

Cam liked them, D was not a fan.

I also packed grapes, strawberries, pineapple (which Camryn ate most of before I could snap the pic) and some cheese hearts.

In the interest of full disclosure, this lunch is still sitting in my fridge.

Camryn is home sick from school today so she’s only had saltines, pasta, and dry toast up to this point.

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Daily Bento

28 May

Look who’s back on top of things!

I made a lunch, photographed it, then had time to post it on the actual day that it was eaten.

Whaaaaat?

I know.

 

For lunch today, Cam had three whole wheat mini vegan chocolate & root beer cupcakes…

Wait.

I know what some of you are probably thinking – OMG she put 3 cupcakes in her daughter’s lunch! Where’s the sandwich?! Where are the healthy carbs!? 3 cupcakes full of sugar & who knows what else? The humanity!!!

It’s cool. I get it. And I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for you that will clear up this whole debacle and put your mind at ease.

Ready?

Sometimes my kids get cupcakes for lunch.

Shew! Glad we got that all cleared up.

In addition to her cupcakes she also had organic strawberries, fresh pineapple, colby jack cheese, and cherry tomato slices.

It was all packed in that nifty food storage box I found at Marshall’s for like $4. I ♥ Marshall’s. I wish I could remember the brand name of the box for you so you could all run out and get one of your very own but it has escaped me.

If you happen to be in a Marshall’s, T.J. Maxx, Ross, Beall’s, or any other discount store, look around their food storage department. You never know what you might find.

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Daily Bento(s)

28 May

Was May a busy (and expensive) month for anyone else?

Sheesh!

We had two birthdays, two Mother’s Days, a wedding, recital stuff, family coming in from out of town, and now that the end of the school year is fast approaching, we have ice cream party day and water fun day coming up next week for Cam.

Seriously.

We’ve had a lot going on around here over the last couple of weeks so posting took a backseat to my sanity.

It happens.

Anyway, I have a few of Camryn’s lunches from last week to share today.

This first one was last Wednesday’s lunch:

In her Bynto was organic strawberries, turkey and cheese roll-ups, a granola bar, a juice box, some honey almonds, and veggie chips.

This was last Thursday’s lunch.

It contained a granola bar, a juice box, baby goldfish, Greek yogurt with sprinkles, a cheese stick (under the spoon), grapes and strawberries.  It was all packed up in her Laptop Lunch Box.

And this one was Friday’s lunch:

Packed in her Yubo was a chicken sandwich, organic strawberries, baby goldfish crackers, honey roasted almonds, and a juice box.

There are no pics of her lunches that I packed earlier in the week because I slept in those days, then drug myself into the kitchen, slapped a sandwich together and threw it into an ELB along with some chips or goldfish, and cookies or maybe fruit? I can’t even remember. Let’s go with fruit.

Since this post is already pretty lengthy, I’ll keep my reviews short. First up, the Bynto…

Goodbyn Bynto:

Would I buy it again? Yes. It is inexpensive, it works well, holds quite a bit of food and Cam loves it. You do have to buy the stickers separately but you get a lot and they are dishwasher safe and easily changeable.

Would I recommend it to a friend? Yep. But I would be sure to inform them that you have to close the middle section first to get the other sections to close.

Laptop LunchBox:

Would I buy it again? Yes. I had actually been eyeing them for a while and was finally able to get a great discount on the one Camryn wanted. So I would say wait until they offer up a discount code and then snag one for yourself because they are on the pricey side.

Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes, but only to friends with older kids. Say 1st grade or above. The lids can be tricky to get off. I rubbed Cam’s with a little vegetable oil which has helped but they can still be tricky. The box itself can be hard to open and close occasionally too. Not sure what that’s about. It also holds a lot of food. Maybe more than a pre-schooler or a kindergartener would need. It is lovely to have all those compartments to keep everything sectioned off so nicely. That in itself is a big plus.

Yubo:

Would I buy it again? I was lucky enough to win our Yubo so I didn’t pay for mine. That being said, I was eyeing that lunch box too and waiting for a discount code to pop up so I could snag one for Cam. This lunch box is definitely pricey. Especially if you’re going for personalization. But… it would make a great birthday or Christmas gift so if you look at it that way, it’s not so bad.

Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes. But wait for a discount code and definitely spring for the drink holder. Camryn is the only one in her school with a Yubo and the kids and teachers go nuts for it. It is easy for little ones to use but holds enough food for older kids to use as well. The interchangeable face plates are fairly inexpensive so it doesn’t cost much to swap them out when your kid gets ready for a new look. I also love that the whole thing comes apart and goes right in the dishwasher. Genius!

*Alll of the products listed can also be found on amazon.com.

Disclaimer: I am not an affiliate for any of the companies reviewed above. I make no money if you purchase any of their products. This is just my unsolicited, honest opinion.

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Daily Bento

16 May

 

Today we’re taking a look at the Lunchbots Trio.

This was another fairly recent purchase (within the last couple of months) so I can’t attest at this point to how durable it is. It does seem sturdy though so I like to believe it will last a long time (here’s hoping).

Pictured above was Cam’s lunch today. A sandwich cut with her Funbites Cube It! cutter, grapes, strawberries, carrot coins, veggie chips, and cheese rabbits.

Overall, I am happy with the Trio.

The lid is supposed to be hand washed so obviously I throw it in the dishwasher anyway (we touched on this issue previously). It still looks fine.

The compartments are all on the smaller side so you really need to plan out the arrangement of your food. Which can be very aggravating first thing in the morning, especially if you’re already running late.

I don’t use this container very often for just that reason.

I just don’t have the time to fiddle with every piece of food to get it to fit in the box.

All of that aside, it is a fantastic little box. I would say that the size is geared more towards little ones or maybe snack for older kids and adults.

Cam did have some trouble getting the lid off at first but she mastered it pretty quickly so I would suggest (if you buy one for your little one) having them practice a few times at home until they get the hang of it.

I should probably also mention at this point that I am not being reimbursed in any way by any of these companies for my opinions.

 

 

 

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Daily Bento – Better Late Than Never

16 May

bento 003

This was Camryn’s lunch on Tuesday. I just didn’t have the time to get it posted until now.

This lunch was packed in Cam’s Good Lunch Box by Sugarbooger. The super cute one with the owls on it.

In the box, are two little business bear sandwiches with organic fruit leather cut-outs on top, a cheese stick, organic strawberries, and tortilla chips.

Let’s discuss the box, shall we?

I haven’t had it too long so I can’t really go into too much detail about how long it lasts, how durable it is, yada yada, you get the idea.

I can tell you that we’ve only had it for a couple of months and the plastic on one of the locking sides is already coming away from the container :(.

I’m not sure if this is because I wash it in the dishwasher rather than hand-washing it or if it’s just thin plastic but it is a little disappointing.

I’m not a hand wash kind of gal. So I tend to chuck things into the dishwasher pretty haphazardly and hope for the best.

I would have never made it as a housewife during the pioneer days, or the colonial days, or really any days before the late 50’s when dishwashers became a thing that regular people had in their kitchens.

I do have another theory that removes all blame from my shoulders…

When stored flat in Cam’s lunchbox, it’s a pretty tight fit and I have a sneaking suspicion that she crammed it in her lunchbox while one of the locking sides wasn’t locked causing it to catch on the edge of the lunchbox, and in turn, ripped away from the container a little.

That makes a lot more sense.

Yep.

I’m going with that.

I will say that the dishwasher is doing no favors to the cute owl print on the lid. So if you ultimately purchase one of these containers, do yourself a favor and hand wash the lid. Don’t be like me.

These containers are a little smaller than an ELB. Here’s a handy visual:

ELB vs. Good Lunch Box

It has one large section and two smaller but equally sized sections. I love containers with built-in dividers because that means that I don’t have to use silicone cups, baran, or any other dividers if I don’t want to.

These dividers do not go all the way up to the lid so it is not leak-proof. If the box is carried vertically there’s a good chance that food can be mixed if it is small enough to fit through the gap between the lid and the dividers.

Also, a whole sandwich will not fit in the large section which I know is a big turn off for some people. You just need to cut the sandwich and stack it to get it to fit, no biggie.

All in all, I do like this box. It’s cute, it was affordable, it’s the right size, did I mention it’s cute?

 

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Daily Bento

15 May

Today’s lunch: Chocolate hazelnut sandwich cut in half with organic fruit leather bunnies placed on top, two pieces of cheese, organic strawberries, and veggie chips all packed in an Easy Lunchbox (ELB).

In keeping with the super official recent theme on this blog of what works for us vs. what doesn’t, I’d like to share my opinion of Easy Lunchboxes with you today.

And here it is…

If I had to recommend only one lunch container to a friend, out of all of the containers that I own, it would most likely be the ELB’s.

Shocked?

I hear ya. That statement doesn’t make a lot of sense if you’re a regular reader of this blog. I haven’t used them very often for Cam’s lunch this year but my son, on the other hand, brings his lunch to school every day and has used an ELB religiously with only a couple of exceptions this school year.

He packs his lunch in an ELB at night and throws it in the fridge (most of the time, literally).

In the morning, he puts his ELB in his insulated lunch bag along with a drink and off he goes.

I wash them in the dishwasher after every use and they’ve held up beautifully. No cracks or stains. They look as good now as they did when I first got them.

More reasons why I ♥ ELB’s:

  • They are versatile and practical. No fancy bells and whistles or various parts to keep track of.
  • They fit in most lunchboxes
  • They are easy to clean
  • They are affordable
  • They are durable

And at only $13.95 for a pack of 4, they will pay for themselves over and over again because you won’t need anymore baggies or small containers.

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Daily Bento

10 May

Seriously you guys.

The cuteness is overwhelming.

Can’t. Even. Deal.

I bought yet another bento box because that’s apparently what I do now.

Some girls go nuts over a new pair of shoes or a cute purse. This girl can’t pass up a cute bento box priced under $10, as evident by my ever-growing collection and the fact that I am steadily losing storage space in my kitchen.

I was strolling through Target when I spotted what is now Cam’s new bento box. Target has actually gotten in a few different kinds of bento boxes over the last few months which only goes to show how popular this whole bento situation has gotten.

The two-layered boxes are $6.99 and I found them on an end cap near the plates and bowls and things of that nature. They also had a smaller, one-layered box with a divider and locking sides for $4.99

This is the other (more boyish?) version of the box.

Don’t those little turtles look like Squirt from Finding Nemo?

I’m sure you know that I just had to send lunch in the Octo-box today. 😉

Inside is a pig-shaped chocolate hazelnut sandwich, organic fruit leather piggies, a fruit and seed flapjack from our Graze box, some carrot sticks, cheese, celery sticks, strawberries, and grapes.

It holds quite a bit of food and I love that it comes with a fork and spoon attached.

The most important thing though, is that Camryn loves it.

Items used in this lunch:

                 

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Daily Bento

8 May

I love our little Lock&Lock box.

It’s been one of my absolute favorite boxes to pack Cam’s lunch in this year and probably one of the most often used (if the not the most often used) bento box in my collection.

It’s held up really well through a school year of use and it holds just the right amount of food for her.

Now that we’re getting close to the end of the school year, I thought it would be a good idea to highlight which bento supplies have become favorites, which ones I use on a regular basis, which ones held up, and which ones didn’t. You get the idea.

I hope that by letting you guys know what worked for us and what didn’t, you’ll be better informed when you make your bento purchases.

Today our Lock&Lock was filled with saltines, a cheddar stick, carrot sticks, broccoli, strawberries, and watermelon.

I purchased mine here.

Unfortunately they are out of stock right now but I know there is a big demand for these boxes so keep checking back. You can also purchase them on amazon.

 

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