One year ago today I made my first blog post. Here's an excerpt:
| This school year I aim to do better at providing nutritious, affordable, enjoyable lunches for my little ones ... I've seen a lot of blogs about bento lunches and kid-friendly lunches, and I'm inspired to adapt some of those ideas for my picky little sproutlets. |
And I did it! I'm pretty proud of myself for following through, too. So I made myself a little congratulatory bento:
Just kidding :) That's not actually a bento for me... it's a little snack bento I made for Bella, for after she'd helped around the house yesterday - some grapes and an oatmeal muffin decorated with cupcake picks. Bella's the only sproutlet home for lunch today, all the others are either at day camp or play dates. I made her a circus bento:
The circus tent is slices of watermelon and apple. Next she has cheese tortilla rolls - in a silicone box to keep them from getting soggy with fruit juice. And grape tomatoes with dancing circus animal picks. Cute little yelllow bento box don't you think! New circus food picks too.
They were blogiversary gifts from JeeJee of Bento USA by All Things For Sale! And guess what? One of my lucky readers will win their own bento box and set of circus picks, as well as one of the snack size bento boxes and a set of character and message cupcake picks!
That's right, All Things For Sale is generously sponsoring a giveaway in celebration of my 1 year blogiversary! Here's what you could win:
 |
| Bento boxes, decorative food picks, and ring toppers available from BentoUSA |
To enter the Giveaway, just leave a comment below! You can say anything - tell me something you like about my blog, your favourite post, something you'd like to see, ask a question, make a joke... whatever you like! Just one entry per person though please :)
Giveaway closes Monday, July 30th, 9pm PST CLOSED. Prize provided by Bento USA by All Things For Sale.
It looks so easy when i see the pictures but its not when i try to do it. I can understand how much work that goes in to making this picture perfect lunches. You go Girl! Grate work
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! I love coming to your blog and seeing what you create! Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteWTG on the 1 year mark Cristi!
ReplyDeletecongrats on your blogiversary! I love that "great job" pick :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats and happy anniversary! Those bentos are AMAZING! I absolutely love the watermelon and apple trick - and love the food pick/ring from the first bento. ^^
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary! I love your circus lunch! What a great idea to use apples and watermelon for the tent!
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary! Your blog is so inspiring. I have to start packing lunch for my picky 2 year old and I'm ready to put what I've seen on here to use!
ReplyDeleteRa da da da da da da da circus
ReplyDeleteDa da da da da da da da afro
Circus afro, circus afro,
Polka dot polka dot polka dot afro
Happy Bentoversary, Cristi!!!! ♥
Now I'm gonna have that circus song stuck in my head. ;)
ReplyDeleteCristi, I just discovered your blog last week, and it has already changed the way I take care of my family at lunchtime. I found it when I googled "man lunch". LOL. I'm always at a loss for what to pack for my hubby...regular sack lunches don't seem to fill him up. But the ones you feature on your blog seem so substantial! I would love to see more of the lunches you pack for your sailor. :)
I love your blog I am so happy I stumbled on it when I was searching for fun healthy lunches to send my son to daycare with. I know he would love this amazing set to take for lunch he loves circus animals so much his entire room is filled with them. The lion is by far his favorite.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time out of your busy life to share they great lunches your kiddos eat.
HAPPY 1 YEAR BLOGIVERSARY!!!! I look forward to many more great years to come . :)
Happy one year!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for all your very cute ideas.
Happy, happy anniversary to one of my fave bento bloggers!!! It's an honor to know you Cristi! You, your incredible lunches, and your beautiful family always make me SMILE ♥
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog. Love it! Happy Blogiversary!
ReplyDeleteI love the fruit circus tent. Adorable! Happy Blogiversary!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary! I love the variety of colourful foods you use in your lunches and how creatively you put them together...they look amazing AND delicious!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary!!! Your blog was my inspiration when I first started this madness! Everything is so nice and neat and colorful, it tickles my OCDs nicely! :)
ReplyDeleteJust discovered you!! Thanks for the inspiration!!
ReplyDeleteHappy one year. I love your blog.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! A brief history;I found your blog about 2 months ago. (I literally read the whole blog in less than a week!) Because of your blog, and your many bento friends, I've started to make myself lunches for work. With some lunch-spiration from your blog and being reminded to eat a 'rainbow' everyday I've lost 10 pounds! I don't have as many decorations for my lunches yet, but I'm always on the look out. Thank you for making sack lunches fun again!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary! Thanks to your blog I am inspired to make healthier lunches for my daughter. I ordered her a bento box and just last night placed an order for the silicone cups, sandwich cutters, and food pics from All Things For Sale. Can't wait to get the goods to nix the lunchables and start packing healthy fun lunches for my little girl.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary!!
ReplyDeleteI've only been following for as long as I've been bentoing which is a couple of months, but thank you for your inspiration!! I look forward to continuing reading and seeing what you can do in year 2!
Happy Anniversary! I enjoy reading your blog every day. It inspires me to be more creative with the lunches I make.
ReplyDeleteAmazing as always, Cristi. HUGE congratulations to you on your 1 year and setting the bar awfully high :) You are an inspiration to many!
ReplyDeleteHappy blogiversary!! Love all of your totally adorable lunches!! Very inspring!
ReplyDeleteI love the circus tent!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary on the Blog. Love the circus Bento. Can't wait to try that for my daughter.
ReplyDeleteI just discovered your blog today! Love the circus tent =)
ReplyDeleteCongrats! That circus tent is adorable!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your anniversary! Your blog is so inspiring!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your anniversary! Love the circus tent!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! Love your ideas!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary! Love the circus tent and I am always blown away by your bentos! Hats off to you for making cute and healthy bentos for 5 kids and your lucky hubby :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogoversary! I've been following since early on, and I'm gearing up for when my little guy is old enough for lunches. Thanks for all the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary!!! I love your blog.
ReplyDeleteYour lunches are so inspiring! Happy 1 year Blogiversary!!
ReplyDeleteWELL DONE for celebrating your 1st year Blogiversary!
ReplyDeleteI like the colourful lay out of your blog!
I love those high quality pictures of your bentoS, they make me want to EAT THEM ALL!
Keep up your marvelous work in blogging!
Looking forward for more entries!
GREAT giveaway by the way. Thanks for your kind generosity :)
Happy Blogiversary!!! Your blog has inspired me to be more creative with my kiddo's food. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI just started the bento addiction myself! My two kids are extremely picky and bento fun lunches made a huge difference it inspired me to change my online store to focus on the bento theme! Jee jee from all things for sale is awesome. The best customer service ever!! Happy one year Cristi! Your lunches are fab! Hope mine will be one day!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary Candy Girl! I'm inspired daily by all of your amazing lunches! Here's to another awesome year! XOXO
ReplyDeleteYour lunches are so cute! I need to start making these...my daughter starts preschool next week!!
ReplyDeleteYou never cease to amaze me with your genius, Cristi. Your creations are too cute to eat!! XOXOXO
ReplyDeleteHappy 1 year! Hope for many more years. I really enjoy reading your blog. :)
ReplyDeletesarah_mae_ at hotmail dot com
Congratulations! You give me so much inspiration :)
ReplyDelete(from Perth, Australia!)
Nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh AFRO CIRCUS!!!!!!!! :) Happy Blogiversary!!! 1 year! Woooo :D
ReplyDeleteI think you are an amazing bento artist and an incredible person! I cannot believe it has only been one year! Happy Blogiversary!!! You've inspired so many and I love all your creations!
ReplyDeleteOh and I totally squeal in delight any and every time you leave a comment on my blog still hahahaha :)
I have to say, I'm really feeling that circus bento. Its just so cute and has everything I love. Except cheese. I require (more) cheese. Adopt me?
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'm signing a yearbook. You are 2 sweet 2 be 4gotten!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful lunch, as always. I'm so glad you and your blog are here to inspire us all!
Congrats on ur blog anniversary! Super love the circus tent! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Aniversary!!! Love your blog! It's great inspiration.
ReplyDeleteNancyS
Love your blog! Congratulations on your first anniversary. Thanks so much for the fun give away too! Packing lunch every day for little ones with food allergies is tough. The kids sometimes feel different because they always have to bring their lunches. Your ideas have made them very happy though and now they look forward every day to opening their boxes. Thanks for that!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is starting preschool this Fall, and I can't wait to start making bentos for her! I hope I will be able to commit to it like you did. Happy 1 year!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being half my "age," but still twice as popular! (Or, judging by FB stats, SEVEN TIMES as popular!)
ReplyDeleteLet's be friends...
Happy anniversary! Your blog gives me lots of good ideas that I want to use with my girls!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary!! I started following you a few months ago and we (my kids, my nanny and myself) love your blog. Thanks for making lunch so much fun!
ReplyDeleteYour circus bento is so awesome! I recently started doing bentos for my kids and discovered your wonderful blog. Happy blogiversary! Thanks for the ideas and the giveaway chance. :)
ReplyDeleteLove your blog! It inspires me to make healthy lunches for my daughter....
ReplyDeleteamywels@hotmail.com
congratulations! I love your lunches. You are an artist! I'd love to get some of those bento boxes for my daughters!
ReplyDeleteI love the themes you pick and the lunches you pack! You inspired me to start bento for my daughter.
ReplyDeletehharrison3@ymail.com
Happy anniversary! I found your blog last week when I was looking for ideas regarding my hubs lunch I pack every day. I love your Man Lunches and would be elated if you did more blogging about them. I'm looking forward to making bento lunch & snacks for my grandsons when they are with me next week. Our oldest is autistic and I just happened to find a bentoish box that has a dinosaur divider in the middle suitable for dip. He loves dinos and robots. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Happy Anniversary on your blog. I wish packing lunches had been this fun when my kids were young. Now that I am a grandma to two little ones, your bento lunches and snacks are so inspiring and fun. I have taken notes and ideas and wait to use them on my granddaughters when I visit them in California. Keep the ideas coming!!
ReplyDeleteHappy blogiversary! I love your creativity. I have been packing pretty boring lunches compared to yours. My goal is for my kids to show them off this year.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations hun!!! 1 year is fantastic :) I've nearly made my 1st month and that is exciting too! I love your creativity and how you are able to theme your lunches to whatever your littles are into at any given time. Well done - you're a superstar.
ReplyDeleteYou make healthy food look fantastic. Perfect combination of form and function. Happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteHappy Aniversary!!! I love everything you post!! Keep up the good job!!!
ReplyDeleteI can say ANYTHING????? Hmmmmmm .... then I choose to say
ReplyDelete"Raxicoricofallapatorious" <3 <3
Happy Blogiversary! Thanks for the giveaway :)
ReplyDeletethrouthehaze at gmail dot com
Congratulations!!! Happy Blogiversary.
ReplyDeleteYou have always brought inspiration to all your readers. I am happy that your blog has turned 1. Wishing you more blessings to come. And it's wonderful to have known you.
I adore your circus tent! I am going to have to copy that someday... have a wonderful next year blogging.
ReplyDeleteCongratultions on your 1 year blogiversary! I have loved getting inspiration from your blog and cannot wait to send my daughter to Kindergarten with cute lunches! Looking forward to seeing many more posts from you!
ReplyDeletegemmamousley@hotmail.co.uk
Congrats on your 1 year anniversary! I really enjoy your blog and those circus picks are adorable!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh I am IN LOVE with that circus bento! SO CUTE!! Oh yeah, and Happy Blogiversary - you make the most awesome lunches!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog from a fellow Canadian! Thanks for the inspiration and the tip about the store in Vancouver (totally blanking on the name). We stopped there on our last visit to my inlaw's and picked up some things. My three year old asks 'what are we having for fun lunch' and all her lunchtime playdate guests love it too!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your first year of blogging! After finding your blog a few months ago, I just had to share it in a childhood nutrition class I was taking. It is exciting to see such amazing, diverse, rainbow-colored lunches for your sproutlets.I know you have inspiried more than a few ideas for healthy lunches for people I know and I can only hope that you'll keep blogging for another year and share your creativity for all!
ReplyDeleteLindsey lthurmes@mscd.edu
Congratulations! Can't believe you've only been doing this for one year--fabulous blog! Here's to many more! :)
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! Congratulations! I pack some boxes for my children too, but I am far away from beeing as creative as you!!
ReplyDeleteI really love the creative ideas you have for bento lunches, I'm so inspired by them and honestly think I'm going to have to start packing myself lunches every day so that I can join in and practice until I have my own sproutlets! keep up the good work and colourful photo posts :D
ReplyDeleteCongrats on one year! I pack bentos for my son too. I love seeing ones you have done for inspiration :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on hitting the one year mark!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on a year of blogging and bento packing! I have really enjoyed your blog and plan to steal many of your ideas for my kindergartner :)
ReplyDeleteBIG APPLAUSE to the 1st year anniversary!
ReplyDeleteWOOHOoooOO...WELL DONE!
I love your blog PICTURES~!
They are UP CLOSE..showing the food organisation using simple food!
AMAZING..u inspired me greatly to want to pack more! Teehee..
xx
I love how all of your lunches look fresh and fun to eat. The pictures definitely make the meal! Great job and happy blogiversary!
ReplyDeleteAdorable blog! I would love this for my daughters school lunches!
ReplyDeleteCan you move into my house and teach me how you do this? Great job!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! I may not have kids, but im sure going to take all these creative and colorful ideas for my work lunches! :)
ReplyDelete