I am a big fan of Asian food, so when I think of a bento box I usually think of sushi, egg rolls or a stir fry meal! Yum! However, a Bento Box is not just for adults since it is a great way to pack a variety of foods in kid-appropriate portions to encourage our little ones to eat. You can make your kids Bento lunch box simple, or you can go all out. There are so many fun and creative ways to make food visually appealing to kids such as using a food cutter for cheese, making a smiley face on a peanut/almond butter and jelly toast, cutting veggies to make them look like French fries, using animal toothpicks to hold food in place, etc. Here is my personal review on using a Bento Box. I have a 7-year-old and a 2-year-old, and their food likes/dislikes are completely different. My 7-year-old loves pasta, cookies, and rice; however, she struggles to eat her vegetables. While my 2-year-old absolutely loves vegetables, fruits and pretty much anything when he wants to but not when I want him to eat. One of the reasons that I started to pack lunch for my kids is that I wanted to know what they were actually eating and if they were making healthy food choices. Instead of relying in what is available in school/day care I let them pick (usually by given them to 2 choices that I am ok with). So, do you want strawberries or bananas? How about broccoli or cucumbers? This has been helpful with my 7-year-old. By using a bento box, I am also able to provide variety, make food visually pleasing to my kids and help with portion control. With my 2-year-old I have to get a little more creative. Since he likes Mickey Mouse and dinosaurs, I usually focus on making food visually appealing to him (dinosaur chicken nuggets, using food cutters). Even though I want my kids to eat everything I pack for them I also include those foods that I know they will not eat but still want them to try. I find that if I talk to my 7-year-old the night before about what is going to be in her lunch box this minimizes the drama when it comes to the non-preferred foods. When she comes back from school, I like to encourage her healthy food choices by stating “I know that you don’t like eating carrots, but I see that you made a healthy choice today by eating half of the carrots in your lunch box.” I think it is important to focus on the positive and let your kids know that you are happy that they are least are trying different foods. Since, I started to pack lunch for my kids my 7-year-old discovered that carrots are not that bad, cucumbers with avocados are delicious and broccoli is still the worst vegetable in the world for her, which is ok since we all have our likes and dislikes when it comes to food. I am also motivated by the fact that I know what my 2-year-old is eating and that I am providing him with healthy food choices that I would approve. I know that packing lunch might not be the best choice for every family, but I think that it has work with my family. I do love to cook and often have my little ones involved in the cooking process (washing vegetables, mixing cookie though, using cookie cutters etc.) so I think that this option works well with my lifestyle. There are endless kids’ bento box lunch ideas that you can find online for any cooking skill level. If you are interested in using a bento box, I have included the one that I am currently using for my kids. Keep in mind that bento boxes come in different colors, different sizes (younger child vs. older child vs. adult). Here the one we have: Bentgo® Pop - Leak-Proof Bento-Style Lunch Box with Removable Divider for 3-4 Compartments - Perfect for Kids 8+ and Teens, Microwave/Dishwasher Safe, BPA-Free & Sustainable (Periwinkle/Pink)

Posted by tsantistebanot at 2022-08-01 18:34:11 UTC