Back to Bento

January always brings new optimism that I CAN accomplish all things. 

One thing in the list for this year is to get back to making Bento Lunches for {not so little} Little K. 

Inspired by my Bento Buddy Sheri at Happy Little Bento to get back to it. 

Unfortunately I didn't have much to work with today, but I'll be sure to put my favorite Bento foods on the shopping list this week.

Sticky rice (leftover from yesterday's lunch) with a Turkey and cheese flower decoration on top.  Cucumber sticks and blanched carrots & cauliflower fill the veggie tin.  I also included a fruit squeeze, peanut butter crackers and a fruit bar. 

Everything was packed into this sweet oilcloth lunch bag (and then promptly crammed into a very full back pack). 

You can find the Lunch Bag tutorial here.

Considering the rough ride these bentos now have to endure being carried from class to class until 1PM lunch time, I don't think I'll be able to send any delicate creations like I used to. 

(This is one of my most popular bentos - viewed nearly 8,000 times)

But there is no reason I can't include a little something Pretty in her lunches. 

I've forgotten how much fun it is. 

Happy Bentoing. 

Oilcloth Lunch Bag

Now that Little K is in Middle School - and has to carry around her lunch (since her school doesn't have lockers) - we try to use smaller lunch bags that don't take up too much space in her back pack.

Usually that means I pack her lunch in a Paper Bag (decorated with drawings and Washi Tape of course).

I try to include re-usable containers.  Because I still like making {simple} Bento Lunches, plus it helps reduce the amount of wasted plastic baggies.

This sweet stack able set from Paper Chase is one of our favorites.  Unfortunately the containers are just a bit too big to sit flat in the bottom of a paper bag (as are most of our Bento containers).

I decided it was time to maker a New Lunch Bag that fit all our needs:

Not too bulky

Big enough to hold Bento Containers

Washable & Foldable

Here Is My Creation

A colorful, re-usable Lunch Bag made from durable/washable Oilcloth Fabric.

I have had several pieces of Oilcloth in my stash for some time.  

I purchased them from an Online retailer - back when it was hard to find Oilcloth.  Now most of the big fabric stores carry lots of adorable designs in stock every day.  

I think this Pink Strawberry and Green Gingham was originally planned to be a Splat Mat for Little K.  She's almost 13 now - and pretty tidy these days - so probably won't need to make that project. 

Because the fabric had been folded for several years - there were deep set creases that I was afraid I would not get out.  I was pleased to discover that they were easily removed by ironing on the reverse side using medium heat.  The Oilcloth will get very soft under the heat of the iron and can easily be stretched out of shape (be careful not to pull too much), but it quickly cools down and regains it's stiff form.  

I decided the dimensions wanted for this little lunch bag - and cut them out using a Rotary Cutter.  

There are only 3 Pieces needed - so the cutting is pretty quick.  

Only basic sewing skills are needed to put this bag together.  The oilcloth fabric is a little sticky and can be tricky getting it through the machine - with a little gentle coaxing and some patience it moved along as needed.

Thanks to my Mum for doing the sewing while I took pictures.

You can download the complete tutorial for free HERE.

I added a unique feature on my Original design:

Gross Grain Ribbon Ties to keep the bag closed.

Most often these bags have a velcro closure

(I found the stress of daily opening causes the oilcloth fabric to quickly wear and tear away)

They also look very sweet using an old fashioned clothes pin clipped to the top

(but its not very practical for a lunch bag that gets smashed into a back pack)

The ribbon tie solution is working perfectly.

(Little K has been using her new bag for a week)

Plus it adds another opportunity for some color coordinated details.  

Some of the bags we made had contrasting side panels.

And some had self fabric.

With just these 4 fabric patterns - there were so many fun combinations....I could stop.

And I still have some oilcloth fabric left - so there may be more to come.

I hope you enjoy making some of these cute lunch totes.  

If you don't feel like sewing them up yourself - I have listed a few of the extras for sale in the SHOP if you would like to buy one pre-made and ready used. 

Last Bento {of the year}

I'm feeling a little nostalgic as I make Little K's Last Bento Lunch for this year.

 (meatballs, flower shaped cucumber slices, apples and cherry tomatoes)

Mostly - because it may be the Last Bento Lunch I may EVER make for her.

She's moving up to the Middle School next year:

Where kids try to pretend they are Cool

to mask how Insecure they really feel

and make fun of anything and everything Different

to try and Feel better about themselves

Nope - I don't think we'll be packing any Bento Lunches next year - at least not for the first few months.  

Until she finds her way around and settles in with a bunch of kids that she doesn't yet know - and kids she has known for some time (but that have changed as they try to find their place)

I have faith - she has the confidence to stand up for what she wants.  

She isn't easily influenced by others.  

Although it's not always easy, and tears are shed. 

She is braver than she knows

She is stronger than others imagine

She will be just Fine

(I think we are talking about more than just Bento)

Maybe I should organize my Bento Stash after all.  I've been wanting to do that for several years.  It has a way of getting out of hand.  

I have a feeling I'm not completely done packing Bentos - not just yet. 

Little Lunches

I've been asked recently if I still pack bento lunches for Little K.

The answer is Yes - although they have become less creative (and therefore requiring less time) lately, so I don't often take any pictures.

I find it harder during the winter months - when the fruit and vegetable selection is not as varied - to come up with new ideas. Not to mention that my Bento Stash is much in need or re-organizing.
note to self: put that on the To Do List

Here are a few pics I took over the past few weeks.



My favorite Laptop Lunch container. It's not in the true Bento style - but the little compartments kind of qualify it as a bento.

I was excited to see cherries at the grocery store - yay - something different than the usual carrots and grapes.

The cut outs on the bottom are bologna and cheese with crackers. She's not a bit cheese eater (that's why they are small ovals).

One tiny little begonia blossom that hasn't been frozen out yet - added as a garnish (not to be eaten).





These are my other favorite containers. I got them at the Daiso store when we were in San Francisco last year.
Everything just seems to look better in a round container.

Fruits, veggies and another begonia flower blossom.

The top round has a Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich (cut into a round) with polka dots from cinnamon sugar (left of after making breakfast that day).

I'll get back to making more fancy lunches soon, but in the meantime...You can see more of the lunches I have made over the years - over there ------> in the Bento Lunch Gallery (it's links to my flickr set).

You can even find one of my creations published in the Laptop Lunches (Dec 2011) Newsletter in the "from your kitchen to ours" section.

Tired and Uninspired

I've been a bit uninspired when it comes to packing Little K's Lunches lately.

I still pack nearly every day - but I don't often take a picture. The last time I made a post about them was over a year ago.

I'm not quite sure why I'm losing my motivation?

Maybe it's because she's been more picky in her food likes lately?

Maybe it's because she really dislikes the school lunches - and I'm feeling the pressure to have to pack every day?

Maybe it's because I've been making them in the mornings, and I feel more rushed (instead of at night like I used to)?

Could be any - and all - of those things.




This is one of the better ones I have created lately. Back in April when we had a string of nice sunny days and I was inspired to make a Spring Themed lunch.



But more often they look like this. At least the added flower and cut out cucumber makes it a bit more photo worthy.



Or this - down to just a flower - not even a cute cut out shape.



Leftovers from the night before - and a dish of crackers. How lame is that? At least I had a homemade brownie bite to include.



The dinner leftovers in this one were not even home made - KFC chicken strips.



But then I decided I need to cut myself a break!

I have to remember what my goals were when I first started packing Little K's Bento Lunches:

ONE - to do my part and reduce waste
TWO - to give my daughter healthy and nutritious lunches

While they may not always be the cutest (or photo worthy) lunches, I think I'm still accomplishing my goals.

By the way - I packed my first Laptop and Bento Lunches over 2 years ago. For those of you that know what a short attention span I have - I'm pretty proud of myself.

I don't even want to count how many bentos I've packed in that time - or how many plastic baggies I've kept out of the landfills.

While I may not post about the lunches I make - I often add them to my flickr gallery that you can see here - or over on the sidebar in "My Bento Lunch Gallery".

So what do you think - should I start taking pictures of even the not so clever or cute bentos as well? It's kind of fun to see how my style has changed since I started. Maybe some day I'll even add up how many I've made.

Anybody else tired of packing lunches yet?

Valentine Bentos

I've been a good Mom this week and managed to pack Little K's lunches filled with pink, red, hearts and (of course) lots of Love for Valentines Week.



We were out of bread - so the Peanut Butter and Nutella heart shaped sandwich is cut from an English Muffin (now I have to find something else to make for breakfast).



This one was planned to be mostly RED as part of Debra's great B.O.M.B. challenge over at Hapa Bento.



We were finishing up Little K's Fortune Cookie Class Valentines, so I had Chinese Take out on my mind - don't you just love this adorable heart decorated velum Take Out Box (found it at Michaels).



Mostly Pink with a few selected heart shapes. Funny story about who ended up actually eating this one.



A flower made of heart petals, and strawberries cut into heart shapes.

St. Patrick's Day is coming up next - but I don't think I'll be doing too many All Green Bentos - although that flower made from heart petals does look a lot like a lucky 4 Leaf Clover....well, maybe just one St. Patrick's Day themed Bento.

A Little Bit of Bento

I had to laugh when Sheri at Happy Little Bento tagged me to post about what I do with the little bits and pieces leftover from making Bento.

Truth be told, I most often make lunch fairly late at night, when I'm tired. For some reason I think eating helps me stay awake, so the Bento Scraps usually end up in my tummy. That's not to say I don't have "plans" on what I think I should do with all the scraps, so I guess that's what I'll post about.

Depending on what I'm packing, and how decorative it is, the bits and pieces can vary a lot. This is a pictures I took of what my kitchen counter looked like one night after making Little K's Bento.



I called it "Bento Remains" - or as my Flickr friend gamene calls it "Bento Carnage".

But not all days are like that. When I'm packing leftovers, and whole pieces of fruit and vegetables, the leftovers are pretty minimal.

This is today's lunch. Leftover Potstickers with strawberries, blackberries, tangerine, tomatoes and cucumber flowers. The box I used is just a sandwich box found at the grocery store. I love the peek a boo heart.



And this is the only mess that remained.



So if you are thinking about getting started with a Bento Lunch (you know who you are) - give it a try. They don't always take a long time to assemble - my husband even said last night how fast this one came together. You don't have to have any special Bento boxes, and if you don't want to re-use or re-cycle your scraps - feel better knowing that mine often end up in the trash.

No pressure - go ahead - give it a whirl.

Since this all started with a tag - here are my thoughts on making use of Bento Leftovers:

1) Bread - I love feeding the birds outside my kitchen window, and it seems the bird feeders are always empty, so I break up the crusts into bits and toss them into a dish that gets put out for the birds in the morning. I don't throw it directly on the ground (gets too mushy and attracts ants).

2) Nori Seaweed - I keep 2 bags in the fridge. One for full sheets that I use for cut outs and punches, and the Other for smaller bits (or cutting mistakes). I love the peppery flavor of Nori and the little bits can be sprinkled on rice or veggies for a little contrast.

3) Cheese - This is one thing I don't usually eat up on the spot, probably because little K likes Swiss, which is not my favorite. I love the idea of keeping the bits in the fridge to use on eggs, or grilled sandwiches. We have a Hermit Crab that loves cheese, so he usually gets a treat from what's left.

4) Cold Cuts/Lunch Meat - Chop up into small pieces and keep in the freezer. Add to eggs, fried rice or Soup Stock.

5) Fruits - If I don't use the entire fruit (plum, apple etc), I usually make up a snack box (nothing fancy, just sliced or chunked). It either gets eaten after school, or in the car on the way to an activity. I'll add some cheese or crackers to the snack box just before we leave.

6) Vegetable or fruit peels - Veggie peels can also be kept in the freezer to be used in Soup Stock. I wish I had a compost pile, but it's still on the "to do" list, so these usually get tossed, or given to our pet crab or parrot.


I'm going to tag MandLmom at Pigs do Fly next and ask her to share what she does with her bento leftovers!

Once you accept the tag, the rules are simple:

1) Please link back to the person who tagged you and add your name to the "tagged list" below.

2) When you have answered the question (which can be in any style/format you like), nominate another (one will do) fellow blogger (who is not already on the list) and pass the tag to your nominee.

If you (the selected nominee) has already answered this question in an earlier post (well done), then your job is very easy - just link the tag to your earlier post and pass the tag on as per item nos. 1 and 2 above. Alternatively you can update it (if you wish). Have fun :)

Tagged:

1. javapot
2. susanyuen
3. sherimiya
4. Karina
5. MandLmom

[Ps. No cute picture with this tag unless someone can generously suggest one which would be most appreciated! Hint, hint…anyone wanna sponsor or is just creative? All credits will be given.]

Happy Halloween

It's almost Halloween....and believe it or not, I'm feeling somewhat prepared. I'm sure it's because my mother is here with me, and has been helping me bring to life all those crazy ideas that swim around in my head (what would I do without you Mum...Thanks!)

We've been busy:

Halloween Costume Made....CHECK

Boo Bags Delivered....CHECK

Fall Teachers Gift Created...CHECK

Class Treats Completed....CHECK

House Decorated Inside and Out...CHECK

Little K dressed in something Cute and Haloweeny for the week...CHECK

Creepy Bento Lunches Made...CHECK

Haunted Gingerbread House Baked....OOPS, didn't quite get to that one!

Here are Little K's lunches from the past few days to get you into the Halloween Spirit!

I've had so much fun not only making these...but being completely inspired by what other have done. Check out these cool Halloween Themed Bento Lunches. Now do you see why I just can't stop.

My Flickr Friend Texasmomof4 started the group on Flickr and I'm blown away with what everyone has come up with. I have a feeling there may be more Holiday Themed Bentos in the works.

Have a Fantastic Safe Weekend. Save a Peanut Butter Cup for Me!

Busy Bento Week

I've been having fun making Little K's Bento Lunches this week. Here are a few of the more interesting ones I thought I would share.

We got a new Bento Box this week, and I couldn't wait to use it. Little K has been busy making jewelry, and made this adorable Pink and Black Zebra set.



Of course, she coordinated an entire outfit around the Necklace and Earrings - so I thought the Panda Bento would be a perfect compliment to the outfit.

Doesn't everyone coordinate their lunch to what they are wearing?

Don't you love the little band that makes him look like Kung Fu Panda? It's an elastic strap that keeps the layers together...notice the eye brows.



I accidentally threw away the Panda Soy Sauce Bottle, so he won't be making another appearance. I still have a chick, elephant, lion and bunny, but they don't quite go with the panda theme.



The rice face was so fun and easy to make. I just copied the details from the box lid, with the addition of a radish bow and some blusher (it is a girl after all).

This is Today's Bento. I recently purchased Susan Yuen's book and I love how she makes her little people, so I was inspired to give it a try.

Just in case you didn't get the subtle reference to our family.



I added another box of fruits and veggies, because the Happy Family scene is made completely of rice, cheese and meat.



Little K wanted to be surprised, but I was worried it would all shift when she rode the bus...so I actually delivered it to her at school at lunchtime. OK, maybe I'm going just a little overboard now. Hey - it's Friday, it's OK to splurge.

Happy Friday - from our Family to Yours!