Cool New Way To Pack Your Child's Lunch!

[shayesmom]

I have been searching into new ways of packing a lunch for myself (for work) as well as trying to find a cool way to pack my dd's lunch when she finally heads off for school. After a year of searching, I think that this is one of the coolest new ways to make gluten-free lunches appealing, healthy and most of all....FUN for kids. Be sure to check out the link and view the pictures as a slideshow. I think that when non-gluten-free kids see this....they're going to want to eat gluten-free too!

Open Original Shared Link

[missy'smom]

Ahhh.. you've discovered the ancient art of Japanese lunches. Have fun. I have books at home with instructions on how to make apple slices look like rabbits, hot dog pieces like octopi, hard boiled eggs like chicks, riceballs like soccer balls, etc....................................................................................

(in Japanese, I just look at the pictures)

At one time and maybe still, if you sent a lunch to school and it wasn't attractive enough, the teacher would have a talk with you.

[Guest j_mommy]

Will you pack my lunch too??????

Those look great!!!! Awesome job and inspiring!!!!

[Karen B.]

Creative way to get kids to eat their lunch and some good lunch ides for grown-ups in there too.

I have one question though. The containers that did hold bubbles, shampoo and so forth may not be food grade plastics -- have you had any problems with flavor cross over? You can get similar container at hiking supply stores made from Nalgene (food safe, no flavor transfer).

Open Original Shared Link

[shayesmom]

Creative way to get kids to eat their lunch and some good lunch ides for grown-ups in there too.

I have one question though. The containers that did hold bubbles, shampoo and so forth may not be food grade plastics -- have you had any problems with flavor cross over? You can get similar container at hiking supply stores made from Nalgene (food safe, no flavor transfer).

I haven't had any trouble with flavor transfer because I haven't officially gotten a Bento yet. However, I can tell you that the "bubble" bottle is actually an accessory sold specifically for use in the lunch kits. I was checking out some of the boxes on ebay and some are just absolutely beautiful.

I don't know if anyone noticed, but the use of the plastic "grass" for both decoration and to separate foods was my favorite touch to a lot of the meals. I stumbled across this site which exhibited the bentos this morning and had a "EUREKA" moment. lol! Truly, I have been struggling with finding ways to package home-cooking in a fun way for dd. Not only is she gluten-intolerant, but can't have soy, dairy, eggs, artificial sweeteners and food colorings. So I've been really concerned that brown-bagging it will get a bit old over the next 10 years or so.

[Michi8]

Have you checked out this website yet: Open Original Shared Link They sell all sorts of bento boxes and related items.

Michelle

[powderprincess]

Here's an awesome blog that shows photos and recipes of her kid's lunches, packed in something that looks like the laptop lunches system. I am so jealous.

Open Original Shared Link

[Karen B.]

Here's an awesome blog that shows photos and recipes of her kid's lunches, packed in something that looks like the laptop lunches system. I am so jealous.

Open Original Shared Link

I'd swear I've seen something similar to the melamine lunch kit at our local Asian market. I'll have to go browsing.

[kimchi]

Hi all

My middle daughter and I have been gluten-free for about a year now, and bentos are a lifesaver for us. Freya has a bento lunch every day for school, and I often send a bento container with food for her whenever she goes to a friend's house or a party (after her coming home too many times having been fed only carrot sticks!! Argh!!) I am a midwife, and when I am called to a birth I could be gone for 24 hours or more, and bentos are a very space-efficient way to bring a lot of food in a small package. Two great places to look for ideas are www.cookingcute.com and 'Lunch in a Box' at Open Original Shared Link . You can pm me if you want to know more...

Cheers,

Kim

[janelyb]

that is so cool. The only thing I am just now starting to worry about is actually using plastics. There has been a lot of talk in my community about plastic materials and how they are possibly leaching toxins. I'm so confused I don't even know what containers are safe anymore. I do currently still use some plastic until I can figure this all out.

I really like all the ideas they are really cool.

[missy'smom]

For adults, you can still pack your lunch this way using the clear pyrex or white corningware individual dishes with lids and plasic containers for the fruit/dessert/salad part. I did it for work last year. Doesn't work for kids, at least mine, because he likes to swing his lunchbox around! One Japanese mom I know was concerned about plasic too and found a metal obento dish(they don't reheat their dishes at lunchtime because everything is made fresh in the a.m.). Her concern was mainly about putting hot food directly in it in the am.

Tip to those adding fried foods to the obento. If they are warm/hot when you put them in in the am, let them cool down to room temp before putting the lid on to ensure that they retain some crispness and don't get soggy from the steam.

[shayesmom]

that is so cool. The only thing I am just now starting to worry about is actually using plastics. There has been a lot of talk in my community about plastic materials and how they are possibly leaching toxins. I'm so confused I don't even know what containers are safe anymore. I do currently still use some plastic until I can figure this all out.

I really like all the ideas they are really cool.

I went to Walmart today and saw some small tempered glass containers with plastic lids that would work for side dishes (4 containers for about $4.66). The only thing that concerns me is the weight. I have also seen some stainless steel and aluminum containers on several sites which are nice....except if you're in need of microwaving your lunch. I've read that the Japanese bento containers are of a higher grade plastic that is less likely to leach toxins into your food (and that the Chinese containers are of a lesser quality).

I do have some glass containers that I picked up at Crate and Barrel a few years ago that work well for an entree. I've been taking them to work more and more....but I wouldn't be sending them to school due to potential breaking.

I do want to find some stainless steel-lined thermoses in varying sizes though. Something for soup, spaghetti, chili, stew....any suggestions? I'd prefer stainless steel to aluminum due to dd having moderately elevated aluminum blood levels (which can cause more GI issues and the link to Alzheimer's down the road).

I've had so much fun following the links all of you have shared. Truly, this has become my new obsession!

I LOVE BENTOS!!!

[missy'smom]

Look for canned quail eggs. They're a great addition for kids who like hardboiled eggs. They're peeled and ready to go. You can also put them inside a meatball or mini meatloaf. Ds liked the canned lychees that came stuffed with a piece of pineapple.

[shayesmom]

Look for canned quail eggs. They're a great addition for kids who like hardboiled eggs. They're peeled and ready to go. You can also put them inside a meatball or mini meatloaf. Ds liked the canned lychees that came stuffed with a piece of pineapple.

Hmmm....I wonder if that would work. Dd has an egg allergy as well...but with food allergies, you never know if one type applies to another. She cannot tolerate cow dairy at all but can tolerate a bit of raw goat cheese on occasion (if it's not coated in egg white....ARGH!).

[janelyb]

thanks Missy and Shayes mamas....a friend sent me these emails/links

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

the 2nd one actually gives you a list of what plastics to avoid and what are ok if you have to use plastic.

[shayesmom]

Okay, this site ultimately takes the cake. It is almost too cute to eat! It's all in Japanese...but at the top of the page is a list of months that you can click on to see what was prepared. It's incredibly inspiring!

Open Original Shared Link

[missy'smom]

I came across this site since this topic was originally pinned. I've seen alot of obento books, pictures etc. over the years but these are incredible, esp. the Christmas ones. Did you see them? I called my husband over to the screen to see them. I keep thinking that they'd be in a bit of disarray by lunch but he insists that they remain in tact. I suppose if you fill them up completely and put the lid on it puts just enough pressure on to hold things in place? That's why it's called an art! It's hard to imagine but it's his culture so I'll have to take his word for it.

I have to say that my brain doesn't function at that level first thing in the morning. I used to cut carrot flowers with the Japanese vegetable cutters and blanch them and freeze them and take out a few at a time to pop into Ds's obento. Grandma's old aspic cutters worked well for this too. We did obento's for 2 years of preschool and 2 years of elementary but now he wants American style lunch more often than not.

[kbtoyssni]

That food looks delicous! I'm not a kid and can handle the disappointment of boring-looking food, but I might have to start spicing up my lunches that way.

When I was a kid, my mother always made me take my food in a lunchbox. It was certainly more environmentally friendly than a brown bag, but I was always embarrassed because all my friends had brown bags. In high school I started using the brown bag, but I'd reuse it until it started ripping.

[buffettbride]

I am so excited to get the laptop lunchbox! I am dreaming up the possibilities of what lunch holds for my daughter, just when I thought all hope was lost. Her usual lunchbox crapped out on us last week (it's holding together via safety pins). It had a pretty good run...two years and I just started looking for a replacement (she goes to a day camp during the summer and I was having nightmares about how she would fare being gluten-free). I am now CONFIDENT this will make lunch so much easier. We are prolific packers of leftovers and this will make it just fantastic!

[janelyb]

I am loving seeing pictures on this concept. I attempted today to create my own for my son. He wasn't too thrilled with his teddybear shapped waffle...so after the pic I had to cut it up but he really liked the container I used for the syrup. Odd thing my friend gave me that container a year ago when she sent some pnut oil home with me, I had forgotten i had it ; it's perfect for this lunch idea. Ok here are my pictures....

breakfast- strawberries, Gluten-free Casein-free waffle and syrup

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/525272602_58d68dd3e5.webp

lunch for on the go at the park and in the car- Gluten-free Casein-free grilled cheese, carrots Gluten-free Casein-free ranch and corn-nuts

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/525272606_194e2ce580.webp