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If you're a foodie who prizes creative plate presentation, this is the place for you :3 

Tags: bento, food, lunch, recipe, cute 

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Super easy, super quick? Bento gadgets and tips!

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Tute Sweet


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:07 pm
So my kid will be starting pre-school next year.
I've found a great pre-school I love, but the lunches they serve are crap; processed food with added salt and sugar is not magically made "healthy" by serving it alongside boiled vegetables. talk2hand

So she's gonna be taking packed lunches!
The problem, of course, is that the other kids will be chowing down on chicken nuggets and cake for dessert, so I need to make what's in her lunch box look better.
But as much as I'd love to spend ages making a bento box scene, it's just not practical to do that every single day.


So far I've got 2 ideas:
1. Cookie-cutter sandwiches. Normal sandwiches, cut into a fun shape with a cookie cutter.
2. Bunny eggs!

User Image - Blocked by "Display Image" Settings. Click to show.
(Just an ordinary boiled egg, moulded in a Bento egg mould, and dyed blue with organic food colouring.)

So this is where I need help from you guys.
The challenge:
-healthy packed lunches that look fun and appetising
-quickly and easily prepared

I love kitchen gadgets, so any cool/fun Bento gadgets you'd recommend are welcome, I've got plenty of time to order them online.
And in general, just any simple tips you've got for prettying up lunches quickly and easily will be hugely appreciated.  
PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:19 pm
I think the sandwiches and egg molds will be a great idea! Stock up on cookie cutter shapes to keep the sandwiches new for her 3nodding I'd also recommend getting some smaller veggie cutters for fruits and vegetables. I'm not sure you'd want to get food picks for her at her age since she might loose or swallow them? sweatdrop Cup cake liners will work for easily accessible food separators. Also, if you're feeling ambitious, have you seen animal frying pans? I lovelovelove sandwiches made with waffles and pancakes heart (I recently had an amazing panko crusted chicken sandwich on a cheddar cheese waffle with apple cider maple syrup to dip it in rofl Sooo goood, will never forget it) That might be a nice alternative to bread tho, and maybe a special friday treat or something 4laugh

Some food idea's:
arrow Apple bunnies are always a win smile
arrow Lasagna Cupcakes are portioned wonderfully for bento lunches and can be made ahead of time!
arrow Worms in Dirt is just hot dogs and beans. Might take a bit of time so something to prepare beforehand, but it might be fun for a kid... unless she's uber girly sweatdrop
arrow Sunflower Sausage is super cute!

Those are just a few choices from our savory recipe section, what do you think? Are there some foods you'd prefer to feed her over others?  

Sir3n Song
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Chocofreak13


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 2:37 pm
octodogs would work great in this case, since they're something every kid knows and loves, and they still look cute. (and they're quite simple.)

they make rice ball shapes in cute shapes, if your kid is willing to chow down on rice.

when your kid gets older, you might try shaped sauce bottles, too. they're cute and really useful.

you know, it sounds a bit tricky, but they make egg shapers where the entire egg (white and yolk) get molded, such as hearts and stars and such.

if you have a thermos for your kid, you could try using vegetable cutters to make a shaped veggie soup. i was considering doing that but i'd need the thermos and some smaller cutters first..... ^^;

if you feel like putting in some extra time, you could always bake cupcakes and carve them into different shapes (cat face, mameshiba, star, etc), since those will keep for a few days and they seem easy enough to cut into shape.

depending on the tastes of your child you could make a little veggie portrait of her (cherry tomato for a head, shredded carrots or chopped bell peppers for hair, lettuce for a dress, etc).

hope this does something to help. :3
 
PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:44 pm
Pickling is also a good idea. It's a little hard to explain, but I have enclosed a website. http://www.justhungry.com/introduction-quick-japanese-tsukemono-pickles I would also suggest try it at least once or twice yourself before put them in the bento. Hope that helps.  

Sailor Blue Rose

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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:00 am
i've tried the instant pickles before (the recipe i have only requires 4 ingredients and takes not even 5 minutes to prepare. plus, they're ready overnight), and while they're good, they can be a little salty and EXTREMELY sour (depending on the ingredients, the one i have uses lemon juice which is likely why it's so sour).

if your kid likes sour food, then the pickles would be a superb option. but like Sailor Blue Rose said, you should make sure to try them before you commit. have the kid try them too. :

of course, this is true of any new food. :3
 
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:56 am
I just want to add that if you're against food colouring of any kind (organic or not), you can also tint hard boiled eggs with beet juice. They come out a lovely purple-pink colour n_n  

axecaliva

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Yarnee

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:04 pm
how about jelly? in some small shaped silicone cups?  
PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 5:14 pm
Here's a tutorial on how to make hard boiled eggs shaped like hearts.

There is a lot of other tutorials and ideas on this girl's blog too.  

Daggger


xStardust_Lunax

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:44 am

xxxxxxx Everyone goes to the moon. I want to land amongst the stars~
{I would suggest getting some small little edible ball shaped things. Such as those decorating pearls that they use on cakes or nuts, and make smiley faces!
biggrin

Also, in terms of making the morning easy, I cook up all my rice and meat that I'll use for the next few weeks, freeze it, and then in the morning just heat it up in the microwave. While you're heating up the rice/meat, you could make a sandwich or cut up some veggies, and voila! Instant 5 minute bento!

Also, for an added treat every now and then, you can throw in some jelly beans. It's still sugar, but a lot better than a chunk of processed cake.
}
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 8:18 pm
Gadgets? Hrm....

I use rice molds for my onigiri. It is fast, simple, and too cute!
I have a hole puncher to make mouths and eyes for my rice creations.
I use different sizes, shapes, and colors of silicone cups. My bentos
do not have dividers which can be a hassle sometimes.
Other than that I would love some ideas!  

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