Back with Pictures - Tuesday Isn't So Bad

Again, I have been packing bentos everyday, just have trouble doing that and taking pictures. But today I managed.
Veronica has the Lube Sheep Putti Fresh Banana bento (again, thanks Angelina!) She is taking, in the top tier: Chicken and Rice/Wild Rice, apple slices, and a very nice piece of turtle cheese cake. In the bottom tier she has her salad, with the top open on the bacon and sunflower seed container. I am showing the two compartments in that container, because she loves keeping things separate till she puts them on the salad.

I have a small lunch today, just some fruit and an avocado roll. I have a training class from 11:00 - 12:30 which is going to play havoc with my lunch schedule.

Bless my sister because I have a backlog of pictures of her lunches. She has jumped into bento with both feet. Today's post from her is a foray into the tiffin. She has ham and cheese on rye, mustard in monkey container, string cheese, blue corn tortilla chips,yogurt, carrots, and caramel corn mini rice cakes in container.

Here is her tiffin (from To-Go Ware ) in its little bag, ready to head out the door. It is being guarded by Reginald the Attack Cat.

Holy Crap I'm Old on a Tuesday

Today is Miranda's 18th birthday. She is a lovely, funny, smart, and incredibly mature young woman. I am lucky enough to be her mother; but wow, how did I get to be this old?! I did pack her a bento, but forgot to bring the card reader so I will show it tomorrow. She did allow me to branch out a tiny bit, so it has a little more than a sandwich and grapes. Tune in tomorrow for that.

For today, I have my sister's last two bentos. She is embracing the fun of tiny food. Here is her Monday bento: spring rolls; onigiri; a broccoli, cauliflower and carrot chopped salad; Baby Bel cheese; balsamic vinegar in the fish for the salad; in the lid, packet of soy sauce, hot mustard and duck sauce in the lid.

For this morning, she had: 2 chicken and mashed potato cups (a modified chicken pot pie); baby gold fish; one piece of chocolate; spinach salad with broccoli, cauliflower and carrots; cranberries in the little cup, dressing in the little holder, and Pringles baked snack sticks in the lid.

Happy Tuesday Everyone and Happy Birthday Miranda!

Out and About Monday

It has been cold and snowy/icy here in the deep south. After staying home for 3 days, I am ready to get out, even if it means going back to work. The girls were not thrilled to be leaving the cocoon of home to go out at 18 degrees, but we had little choice.

As an "oh by the way", for you who are new to bento - and not new really, here is a really good overview of food safety in your bento; it is on the lovely blog called Just Bento.

Now on to this morning's bentos. Miranda gets pizza on Monday and Wednesday so it was just Veronica and I today.

Veronica was excited to have (in the bottom tier) some leftover salmon on a bed of mashed potatoes, Teddy Grahams, salad dressing . In the top tier was her ever present salad with sunflower seeds in the green and mandarin oranges in the Hello Kitty containers. Kroger had Organic Chocolate Milk on sale, so I swallowed my dislike of over-packaged beverages and got some as a treat.

I also took leftovers: baked chicken and rice, carrot sticks, Rondele cheese with whole wheat flatbread, and grapes.

In the Groove

This morning is what I consider my first "real" morning of 2010. Got up on time, got everything done, and still had time to photograph the bentos. I stayed up a bit late last night to make the shepherds pie that Veronica took today - also popped 4 more in the freezer for later lunches.

So today for Veronica: Shepherds Pie, Teddy Grahams, mandarin oranges (in the Hello Kitty), strawberries with kitty pic, salad and Baby Goldfish crackers. I also tucked a nice piece of chocolate in the lid just because sometimes being 14 sucks.

For me today: In the top tier - (leftovers from Mexican dinner Monday) rice, carne asada, refried beans and carrot sticks in the interstitial spaces; in the bottom tier - grapes, strawberries, and a smidge of potato salad.

Heard that Sydney had fun with her bento and Mary B. has promised pictures at some point.

"There is cheese in the elephant."

Didn't take any pictures this morning:  too early, too many (2) children back in school. I did however, hear myself saying to Miranda, "There is cheese in the elephant." If you don't pack bento lunches, this might sound weird, but at my house it is par for the course.

The cheese in the elephant was a lovely Rondele and it accompanied some nice wholewheat crackers. I am still working very hard to accommodate her vegetarian lifestyle. It requires a lot more thought than the omnivorous lifestyle the rest of us embrace.

Took a little Christmas money and made a smallish order for bento accessories from ebay - will post when they come in.

The New Year Welcomes Mary to Bento

Surprisingly, I gave out a bento box here and there as Christmas gifts. My sister was one recipient. Sadly, her vacation ends tomorrow (happily, at least she had a vacation.) She packed her first bento lunch tonight to bring in tomorrow. So, here is Mary's bento debut:

Inside, she has packed: salad with balsamic vinaigrette (in the little fish) and cranberries/sunflower seeds (in the little container); ham and cheese in spinach wrap with some pics holding the wraps together, miniature Bonbel cheese and baby goldfish; and saltines and a roll of Smarties in the lid.

Now, I am waiting for Tuesday to see if I get a picture of Sydney's bento. She is starting back to school and planning her first bento. She has done a lot of research and is perfecting her technique for making rice balls (onigiri.)