Bento Lunch Box

We have been loving all of the bento lunch box ideas for little ones being posted on Pinterest!  What a creative way to make eating a healthy lunch more fun for your child.

Below is one of our favorites from Parenting.com - we hope you will try it out and send us pics of your homemade bento lunch boxes to post here and on Facebook!!

This bento box packs tons of flower power.

Antichoking warning:  Remember to remove toothpicks and cut up blueberries, grapes, carrots and other food for children under 4

Serving the flower bento on a bed of lettuce makes it feel even more like a garden.

Tuck in a ham flower and a few green string beans for added color and nutrients.

Follow the steps below to make the flower:

1.    Start with a piece of soft sandwich bread.

2.    2. Cut off the crusts of the bread.

3.    Cut bread into two pieces.
4.    Gently push down the back of a knife on the middle of the bread to make a crease.

(You don't want to cut it through, so if the back of your knife is thin, put plastic wrap over the bread before making a crease.)

5.    Spread the jam on the bread.

6.     Gently fold each piece with index fingers and thumbs.

7.    Push the edges in with your index fingers to make a petal shape.

8.    Use plastic wrap to ensure that the flower petal is sealed together.

9.    Place the jelly flower petals together to make a flower.

Cut "V" shapes into cucumber and carrot discs to make the bright orange flowers.

Use a small, scallop-edged cookie cutter to make the fun floral fruit decorations -- this is fun to do with your kid if she's old enough. You can use this for the cheese in the center of the sandwich, too.

Have fun!!