Bento Weekly Round 4

Monday (11/7) for Teriyaki Beef served over steamed rice, some oranges
to neutralize the beef flavor after meals, and some edamame
for the greens.

Tuesday (11/8) for mini corndogs with ketchup and mustard on those
mini smidgets, snowflake Ritz crackers, and some sweet red grapes.

Wednesday (11/9) for romaine & broccoli florets salad with  real bacon bits,
raisins, crab sticks, and cheese.  Dino nuggets on the side
and young corns on a toothpick for easy finger-eating.
Ranch and BBQ sauce on the smidgets.

Thursday (11/10) for fried eggrolls that has been drained and
 blotted off really well to prevent it from being soggy later.
Lined it with lettuce strips to help sip up the grease.
With red grapes and baked cheese crackers on the side.  Ketchup on smidgets.

Friday (11/11/11) for Veterans Day Holiday!
No school to honor all those who served
for our country.
Thanks a bunch!!

See you next week!
c",)

Bento Weekly - Round 3

My Bento item for WEEK 3!

Monday (Oct 31): Yummy Halloween Bento

Hotdog slices on a stick with marshmallows, kiwi slices,
sushi rolls, fruit roll-ups.

I know I need to be more creative next time.  I ran out of time to decorate my bento this year.  I couldn't find my edible marker pens to decorate & doodle on his lunch.  I was supposed to draw happy faces on his hotdogs, and decorate the mallow tops to look like a hat.  And doodle HAPPY HALLOWEEN on his sushi rolls.  I was supposed to unroll the fruit roll-ups and wrap it into toothpicks that would look like broomsticks.  But didn't have enough time.  SO I sent it in as is.  I also gave him a pack of goldfish for snack.  And my 3rd grader was as satisfied as ever.  He said he doesn't mind not having a dressed-up lunchbox.  He didn't want his lunch to draw much attention to other kids in school.  Or he might end up hungry again.  Good point!

Tuesday (Nov 1): Quiche & Toast Bento

Quiche & Toasts, edamame & strawberries on the side.

Request finally granted!  He's been asking for quiche for the longest time.  I finally had the chance to whip it up for him this morning for breakfast, and the rest ended up on his lunch.  I lined the bottom with lettuce, and noticed that too went down his tummy when he went back from school.  Good job, son!  Keep eating healthy :-)

 Wednesday (Nov 2): Fruits & Salad Bento

Salad of Romaine, raisins, broccoli, ham, crab sticks,
and Ranch bacon on smidgets.  Grapes on the side.
Plums for snacks.  Fruit roll-ups for treats.

I call it Salad days when I couldn't think of what to send for school.  Actually it's easier to prepare it coz you just have to toss everything you have in hand that your kids eat.  Just cut it into bite sizes.  Salads don't have to be all greens.  You can always add dried fruits, nuts, meat, hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruits, croutons or toasted buttered bread crumbs.  Just send in the dressing coz that's what put them all together neatly and yummy.

Thursday (Nov 3):

Gyoza, sushi rice rolls, crab sticks and watermelon balls.

I would say these are some of his favorite bento items put together.  I saw him flashed big smiles when he saw all these into his bento box. 2 compartments for watermelon balls to satisfy him even for snacks. He loves watermelons! The layers of Romaines at the bottom were used to prevent the steamed gyoza from sticking at the bottom of the bento.  And they don't go to waste coz he loves munching on Romaines after gobbling everything up. 

Friday (Nov 4):

Fancy garlic rice with crab sticks, mixed veggies, and eggs.
Chocolate crinkle muffins with plums on the side.  

To wrap up my Bento Weekly, I sent him something comforting on a rainy day.  Rainy days for school mean a rainy day schedule as well.  They would be eating inside their classroom.  So I sent him something easy and quick to eat, and not messy.  He also brought 2 fruit roll-ups for snack.

See you next week!

c",)

Bento Weekly - Round-Up 2

Oct 24 (Monday)

It's the second week of my Bento Weekly.  I thought I would be sending my son to school today with cafeteria meals.  We were so busy with a lot of kids' performances and parties during the weekend, that we failed to shop for this week's pantry supplies.  Anyway, this was what I came up with for Monday.

A salad full of Romaine lettuce, corn kernels, shrimp,
crab flakes & raisins. With a side dish of baked chicken
nuggets and diced plums. I don't know why my shrimps
turned out to be so washed out here, when they
 appear so pink.

I was dreaming about Monday's brown-bag last night.  I have to recall them when I woke up this morning. Ha! That was a nightmare.  But it turned out okay I guess, since I saw a smile on his face when he saw me packed his lunchbox.  I'm glad I still have Mc Donald's BBQ sauce in my fridge.  I sent it with his oven-baked chicken nuggets.

Oct 25 (Tuesday) Picnic Lunch Bento

Herbed beef balls with diced tomatoes,
 carrots with ranch, sliced oranges.

It's this time of the year for the school's picnic lunch again. They will be eating all together on the grass-grounds at exactly noontime.  I thought of sending in something new and satisfying on cold fall weathers like today.  I thought of sending soup, but I'd rather not to avoid spill-accidents.  They're sitting on the ground today, not on chairs.  So I made him herbed beef balls with diced tomatoes on the side.  I covered that diced tomatoes with press & seal, so its juice would stay where it should be.  I did the same thing with the ranch. I also sent him an extra small apple for snack, juice pouch & water.  Then I think I forgot to send him utensils to use.  I guess I would have to drive back just before lunch to make it to him.  That's the life of brown-bagging.  It happens.

Oct 26 (Wednesday)

Chicken Teriyaki strips over steamed rice, strawberry hearts
and banana-cinn muffin for dessert.

I like it when I get special requests coz that saves me the trouble of formulating lunch menus for the following day.  This was our dinner leftover last night.  I guess he really loved it to even repeat it for school lunch.  I forgot to send in ketchup though.  He loves it with ketchup.  Don't ask me why.

Oct 27 (Thursday)

Vege-meat Sushi rolls, egg rolls, red grapes, roasted edamame.
An ideal finger-food bento.

Let's try on that roasted edamame again.  Last time I sent it, it went back almost untouched.  He said he was having a difficult time to shell it.  But after I explained to him that there was neither shelling nor skinning required on my lunch meals, he was determined to try again.  SO I'm keeping my fingers crossed that those edamame would be all gone by the time he's home.

Oct 28 (Friday)

Edamame, meatballs, orange wedges and plums.

This was a combination of bento items of what he had for this entire week.  I also sent in apple slices which I packed it in a Ziploc eliminating as much air as I could to prevent it from browning.  I didn't have a ginger ale or lemon lime soda to soak the apples, so I have to find a way to keep it looking fresh.  So far the week went pretty well.  And I was glad to survive another week of lunch packing.

See you next week!

c",)

Bento Weekly - Round 1

This is the start of the week of my Bento Weekly Meals.
As stated on my weekly calendar, I have prepared as planned.
Hoping I'd go on till the last days of the school-year.

This is Week 1 for Oct 17-21.

Oct 17 (Monday): Japanese Bento

Seafood sushi rolls, breaded pork nuggets

with ketchup, carrot slices with bacon ranch.

Everything home-made except for the  ranch dressing and ketchup.  I sealed it with press and seal since the lids that came with my smidgets are so tight that even I find it so difficult to pop it open.  If you need help to make sushi rolls, click here.  Other questions, simply jot me a message.

Oct 18 (Tuesday): By Special Request

Chili topped with Quail Eggs served with

steamed rice.

I'm glad I was able to store some of our Chili leftovers in the freezer.  I knew he would ask for it anytime.  And he just did today.  He was supposed to bring a new dish, but opted for his favorite Chili.  This is actually one of my regular bento items.  I added a few quail eggs for a new look and I hope he'd consume it as well.

Oct 19 (Wednesday): Korean Bento

Korean Beef Bulgogi served over steamed rice,

Oyster Broccoli on the side,

Nectarine & Kiwi as dessert.

It's another change of menu.  I could tell my son has becoming more accepting of oriental dishes for school. This is one of his favorites but when it comes to packing for school, forget it!  This was our leftover last night and he suggested that he'd have this for  school the following day.  Nice!!

Oct 20 (Thursday): High Protein Bento

Cheese Pizza Bagels, Baby corn on a cob, roasted edamame

This is an example of mix & match bento items.  When you're running out of inventories,  just try to put together whatever's left.  This day the whole bunch of edamame came back because he couldn't take off the shell.  What shell, sweetie?  It's been shelled already.  Obviously, he wasn't familiar of these veggie and was still exploring with me.  So he was still a bit hungry and took a hamburger from the school's cafeteria.

Oct 21 (Friday): Shrimp & Sushi Galore

Shrimp with Mayo, sushi rice, kiwi and pears

He loved the shrimp and mayo idea last night at the dinner table.  He said he wanted another round for his school lunch today.  So I packed it with some of his favorites.  Hope he'd have a hearty lunch today.

See you next week!

c",)

Project Lunch Box - Week 4

Week 4 would be more like rice lunches for us.  

It's time to train the palate with rice meals this time.  

I'd like him to be more flexible with the foods we have at home.  

Just so I wouldn't be stressing much about low pantry inventories.

With the exception of Monday, all else are healthy rice meals.

Grilled Cheese Wraps for a Green Monday

Grilled Deli and Cheese Melt Wrap, Kiwi, Edamame

Packed with his favorite Fruit Punch and Frozen
Crushed Cup Strawberry-Banana Yogurt.

My son went home with some leftovers today. First time. Why? I think I packed so much for him.  He used to have some friends to share with at lunchtime.  You know little boys who's always so curious about his lunches.  And, my boy was so stressed about that.  He hears all kinds of comments and requests.  For instance, "Yucky green beans", "I'm allergic to shrimps", "I hate broccoli!", "let's trade lunches", and goes on.  There were also times he would just want to hide till he was all done, just so nobody would bother him.  I told him to either just ignore and eat or share a little to them.  

Steamed Chinese Sausages for Red & Yellow Tuesday

Steamed Chinese Sausages over steamed rice,
with corn kernels and red grapes.

I pack my lunches in such a way he has fruits and veggies on the side.  I make sure they vary each day, unless I get a huge supply at home.  So far, he's very happy and less picky lately.  The secret is I just let him know what he's having for lunch the night before.  I never give him choices.

No School Wednesday

My kids were off from school today.
It's PTC Conference Week, and Wednesday is off for a full day conference
 for parents who can't make it on their scheduled days.

My preschooler is off as well due to teachers' workshop set on the same day.

So consider this day be a rest day for us as well.

See you on Thursday!

Chili Thursday

Chili con Carne packed with corn, soy beans, edamame
and green bell peppers served with steamed rice
and grapes on the side. 

Not sure what to pack this Thursday.  Honestly, I'm running out of ideas.  I wanted to create a varied meal for at least a month to repeat over the school year.  Glad I have leftover chili last night which my children devour hot or cold.  Today was his first time to pack this for school.  And, guess what?  I had an empty lunchbox after school.  He said it was yummy and would love to have it again.  That painted a big smile on my face of course.  He also said that the boys in school asked how come he always have yummy lunches.  He simply replied with a smile, "My mom made them for me."  

Adobo Rice Friday

Adobo Rice, Shredded Chicken, Broccoli,
Kiwi & Chocolate Crinkles

It's Jog-A-Thon Day!  Each class jogged in the school's field for 30 minutes.  The classes took turns.  Not a race but the goal was to jog as many lapses as they could.  This was a fundraiser event for their fieldtrip.  Always fun to be a volunteer parent of course.  Because you get to join in the fun.  Orange slices and water bottles were donated by families per class.  Parent volunteers help tally their lapses as they jogged.  Their tally charts were attached and secured with a safety pin behind them.

So today I packed as much food as I could.  I know it would be an exhausting event, especially under the heat of the sun.  And I'd like him to regain his stamina as fast as he could. So he could better focus in school works.

My adobo rice is actually a garlic rice stir-fried with olive oil and added a bit of adobo sauce for added flavoring.  I fried the rice so it wouldn't be soggy by lunch time.  The sauce over the rice is usually the culprit.  I shredded the chicken too for easier eating, and added some broccoli and kiwi on the side for more nutrients. I also packed some chocolate crinkles for his snack.

Need Adobo Recipe?  Click here.