School is around the corner and I already started with school lunch box preparations. We had a great Bento party the other day.

Well, when I look the other way it was my working day, while I finished cooking and shooting my kids and nieces ate all my made bentos.

It was fun watching them and they especially loved pandas as well as chicken salad sandwiches. Every time when I make characters in a bento, it is a winner because not only that kids eat the main meal, but all the fresh fruits and veggies around it, which is fantastic.

This bento is great! You can of course switch and make it the way your kids like, but even for work lunch I think this is a pretty good idea; you can make it larger if it’s for the adult. 

Now, I used deli turkey bologna, because that’s what my kids wanted, but often I use Virginia ham, mesquite deli chicken, or deli smoked turkey breast and just switch cheeses such as mozzarella, smoked provolone, cheddar or Swiss cheese etc.

Depending on what I have or what cold deli salami I used. 
Fruits and vegetables you can also use what is in season and of course what your kids like. I think broccoli, celery, and carrots are pretty common veggies that they know and would eat raw.

Green apple with a Peanut – Butter is fantastic, although make sure to check if anybody around your kid in the classroom had PB allergies, and you can easily substitute it with almond butter, or pecan butter etc. Also, I never tried it, but you can check “NoNuts Golden Peabutter” 
It’s Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Soy Free. 

Q: What Box is safe for me and my child?
A: Look for the boxes that have a clear written label that they are BPA FREE just in case if they are plastic- 
BPA stands for bisphenol.  BPA is an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960s. Seeking out BPA-free products may not always be easy to do. Some manufacturers do label their products as BPA-free, but some do not. If a product isn’t labeled, keep in mind that most aluminum cans or bottles have linings that contain BPA, while steel bottles or can do not. Polycarbonate plastic is generally hard, clear, lightweight plastic. It often has the No. 7 recycling symbol on the bottom. (Source Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L. D. From Mayo-clinic)

HOW TO MAKE HEART SHAPED BOIL EGG:

• Use corner of any carton such as a box, milk carton etc. 
• Cook egg for 5 minutes in boiling water with 1/2 tsp of salt. 
• Turn off the burner, and let it steam under the lid for the next 7 minutes. 
• Drain the hot water and replace with cold/iced cold water. Let it sit in that water for next 3-5 minutes before peeling. (This way it’s easier to peel an egg)
• Place peeled eggs into the carton with the corner (lengthwise), right in the middle. 
• Place in the middle chopstick, thicker straw or similar and slightly press and shape an egg a little… Just a slight pressure. I used a plastic straw. 
• Place rubber bands on both ends and wait for 10-15 minutes. (NO need for the third rubber band) 
• Cut in the middle and you will have a perfect heart shaped egg.

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Lunch Box: Biscuit Deli Turkey Sandwiches

1 lunch box

Course LUNCH BOX

Keyword school lunch boxes, lunch box, work lunch,

Servings 1

Author Sandra | Sandra’s Easy Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 Biscuit
• 2 Sliced Deli Turkey Bologna  or any other
• 1 slice  Cheddar Cheese
• 1 boiled Egg

Vegetables:

• 3 Broccoli Florets
• 1/2 Rib Celery cut in two bites pieces
• 3 baby Carrots
• Served with “classic ranch dressing -Bolthouse”

Fruits:

• 1 Granny Smith Apple
• Served with Peanut-butter and nuts any nuts will do

Beverage:

• Water

Instructions

1. Add and arrange however you would like it. Put Turkey and cheese in the bisque and slice in half. Any direction you take, you can’t go wrong.

Recipe Notes

FOR MORE LUNCH BOX IDEAS, VISIT MY PAGE:

SCHOOL/WORK LUNCHBOX IDEAS

One of my favorite animals is pandas. They are so cute and cuddly…I even have a panda pillow, and I am not kidding! So, I got really inspired by Pinterest bento ideas, especially ones that have a panda.

There is not much work here, just a little patience. Since my scalpel broke, I had a really hard time making face features. I was cutting with a knife coz somebody hid scissors, so I had to darken those out so you guys can see better.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LUNCH BOX IDEAS

Other than that little issue this is a really simple and delicious lunch box idea. My kids were in love with it. I made these for two of my kiddos for after school snack and they really enjoyed not only looking at it but eating too.

The only difference was that I made a bit more manly for my baby boy comparing to this very girly one!

Needless to say, this makes one great school lunch box, and even after school snack. It is full of fresh ingredients and it’s just enough to keep them full and happy before dinner time.

Yield: Serves 2

Panda Bento

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Cute idea for a school lunch box. Panda Bento

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• Rice:
• 1 Cup of short grain rice
• 8 oz water
• Pinch or two of salt
• Other ingredient OPTIONS:
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Lettuce
• baked potato fries
• Cooked ham, or any meat such as chicken, beef strips, pork est...
• Rolled Egg omelet, plain or with seaweed
• Strawberries, apple, blueberry etc.
• Soy sauce for the rice or use any sauce that you desire, just packs in the little container.

Instructions

1. Combine the rice and water in a pot with a tight-fitting lid you might add pinch or two of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to a low/simmer and cook for 7 minutes under the lid. 
3. Turn off the heat, take off the burner and allow rice to steam in the pot for 10 minutes. 
4. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with the fork.

Notes

• Rinse the rice only once before cooking! You want it to be sticky and clumpy. For this reason. White short-grain rice is the best.
• It's important to work with the rice while it's still warm and sticky, but let it cool a little first so you won't be burned; about 5-7 minutes should be perfect. Turning the rice from the cooking container into another bowl and fluffing it with a fork will help it to cool down slightly.
• Dip your (Clean) hands in the bit of oil or even warm water then take out a small quantity of warm rice, like a handful. Depending on the size of your hands, you can make a bigger or smaller version but it's like making a snowball, you will compress the rice together. OR you can place 1/2 cup of rice into clear wrap foil and make a ball/shape it, take it out and then add eyes, mouth etc. 
• Make eyes out of the nori/dry seaweed and add one grain of the rice in the middle or Cheese, putting one small nori dot for pupils or black sesame seeds. Also, cut nori for the nose and mouth. 

·       Just be creative, it's not hard but you will need a few tools such as a scalpel, scissors, and tweezers. 

On the end just have fun. 

You can use any vegetable or fruit that your kid likes and talk to them and see what they would like in their lunch boxes- that way kids also feel important that they are asked and that you are value their suggestions and opinions.

Did you make this recipe?

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