First Ever Bento

I have a new obsession... reading food blogs, especially those of moms who make adorable bento lunches for their kids. Well, I'm not a mom, but I am a teacher who packs her own lunch 95% of the time. I do have the option to purchase school lunch for $3.00/day. Compared to some school lunches I have seen, we have it pretty good. I'm talking actual people doing actual cooking. Most days hot lunch features homemade bread, fruit, a hot vegetable and raw veggies with dip. Of course the good comes with the bad: most of the fruit is canned in syrup, the menu features processed chicken nuggets or patties at least once a week (sometimes both in the same week!) and the kids are allowed to eat what they like, meaning most of the kids choose to skip the fruit and veggies, in favor of second helpings of nuggets or french fries.

Sometimes, I do indulge in a hot lunch. Our cafeteria baker makes cinnamon rolls that are to die for, so I am a regular customer on the monthly "Taco Tuesdays" that feature cinnamon rolls as the dessert. However, being a teacher, I am definitely on a limited income, and I have discovered that I can make my own lunches that feature foods I enjoy for much less than $3.00 a day. I would never degrade our hot lunch program, this is just a new adventure I am taking on for myself.

Annnnd, with all that being said here we have it, my first ever bento lunch:
Natural peanut butter and grape jam pumpkin shaped sandwich on whole wheat white bread, with a mini leaf shaped sammie from the left overs; leaf and acorn sharp cheddar cheese pieces with wheat crackers underneath; in the muffin wrapper is a mix of Annie's organic sour cream and onion bunnies and peanuts; an organic granola bar; in the blue container is garlic croutons; with a mini chocolate chip cookie tucked in for good measure.


Hopefully more bentos to come soon!