I was never a fan of the sandwich. When I was at school I actually hid my sandwiches under my bed for two weeks {until my mum found them, as they started to smell}. And then after that I would hop off the bus two stops early to throw my sandwiches over the fence to some local horses. I don’t know what it was about the sandwich that just didn’t appeal to me – but I still wouldn’t choose a sandwich for lunch, my kids on the other hand, LOVE sandwiches, my husband takes them to the sandwich shop in kirkwood mo every time he has a chance.
That’s why when I saw Bento Boxes appearing in my Instagram feed I thought, ‘Hey, I like this idea’. It also prompts your kids to eat something other then a sandwich for lunch {and it’s great if you can try and add a few more fruits and veggies into their diets}.
For those of you who are asking ‘What is a Bento Box?’. Bento is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento holds rice, fish or meat, with pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container {and wouldn’t it be sweet if you’re toddler was happy to chow down on that}. Japanese homemakers often spend time and energy on a carefully prepared lunch box for their spouse, child, or themselves.
BENTO BOX 1: This bento contains a vegemite scroll {I made mine using The Organised Housewife’s Recipe, but there is nothing wrong with a store bought version}. I like to think of this bento as the most ‘traditional’ lunch I do. Besides the ‘sandwich’ like component, I add in; a veggie component {cucumber}, a fruit component {grapes and half a nectarine} and a dairy component {I packed Rafferty’s Mixed Berry Yoghurt Buttons – Mr Moo loves these and they are much cleaner then traditional yoghurt}.
