Yumbox Lunch Before & After

Yesterday was Birdie's first day of Kindergarten! It wasn't her real first day of school though, in my opinion, that will be Monday, when I actually drop her off and leave. Yesterday, parents stayed, and learned about the school rules & practices, took a tour, and got to know the kindergarten teacher. I failed to pay attention to details when I read the notice about it, so I didn't catch the part about her not needing a lunch, and packed her this Yumbox:

Oh well,  we took it back home with us :) And I got to see how lunch in the Yumbox looks by lunchtime, after being packed in a lunchbag (usually sideways) then a backpack, tossed in the back of the van with all the other sproutlets' backpacks, or jostled about while my independent child put the backpack on herself to walk, the trip to school, then sitting in the backpack hanging on the classroom wall for 2 ½ hours, until it's taken out (often turned upside down in the process) & opened by the small child:

Awesome! Everything still in it's own section, even the yogurt with strawberry syrup! Some stuck to the lid but I expected that - and you can see how the silicone seal in the lid did it's job :) 

Birdie's lunch was decorated with elephant picks, and contained yogurt with a drizzle of strawberry syrup,  popcorn, strawberries, & a Clif bar,  which she asked for,  plus red grapes, which I added since she didn't want a vegetable. She's kind of gone off them lately - even baby carrots :(  I baked some carrot muffins for after school snack though, she likes those. 

Stuff I used to pack this lunch: 

Picks shown may not be the same colours as the ones in my lunch, they come in assorted colors, so if you're looking for particular colours, there's an "order comments" section in the checkout process where you can say so - the folks at BentoUSA are awesome and will do their best to honour your request :) 

Goodbyn Bento Box Round-up

Here's Birdie's last preschool lunch ever! More of a snack, really. The school had a cookout on the last day, so she didn't need to bring anything, but I didn't think she would eat a hot dog & chips (she didn't) so I packed her some applesauce (sprinkled with heart quins), a granola bar (broken in half) & a cheese heart, packed in a Goodbyn snack box.

Since the school year's over, I might as well share the rest of the Goodbyn lunches that never got posted for whatever reason :)

Our Goodbyns are some of my favourite containers to reach for in a rush - they're so colourful they make the lunch look fun even if it's just random things practically thrown in it, so I don't need to take any extra time to be creative or add accessories, unless I want to - see:

Ok, so the hard-cooked egg is shaped like a teddy bear head - but that didn't take any extra effort since I cook & mold eggs in batches ahead of time.  

Pancakes are always a favourite. They can be made ahead & frozen, or purchased that way. Add some fruit, a little dipper of syrup , & a yogurt (not shown), & my little one's lunchbox comes home empty.

Here's an Instagram pic I shared but forgot to blog! I had nothing in mind for lunch that day & was not feeling at all creative so I asked Sprout what she wanted & packed exactly that - ham, grapes, a Go-Gurt, crackers, & iced tea (with reusable CoolStraw), in her purple Bynto, an oldie but goodie :)

Another oldie, from way back in October! This one was for Bella - as the note says - and it appears I swapped the purple Bynto lid for a pink one, maybe for fun, or maybe I was just in a hurry :)

I don't remember what was tucked under the mini bagel! Being October, it might have been a Hallowe'en candy...

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I just bought one of the new Goodbyn Hero lunchboxes, a red one, for Pickle to take to school next year. He's pretty excited about it - he loves red. He's pretty hard on his lunch gear, so if it can hold up to his abuse, it really will be a hero! I'm pretty optimistic;  if it's anything like our other Goodbyn containers, it won't disappoint. I wonder if it will fit in the Goodbyn lunch bag... if it does, I might get one for Birdie too... she loves her blue birdie bag :)

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Some stuff used to make these lunches

   

I Love You, Near & Far

Remember that Sesame Street segment with that loveable, cute & furry monster Grover running back & forth to show preschoolers the difference between near & far? I wonder if they still play that segment...  Anyways... these are not Sesame Street bentos nor do they teach near & far...  it's my lunch photo that got me thinking about Grover's lesson...  you'll see why.

Here's lunch for Birdie & Sprout. Birdie made her own cheese sandwich with our CuteZcute cutter! She didn't quite press hard enough for the kitty image to imprint well but she had fun making it & she's happy with it ♥

Usually I take the lunch's photo on the table on our front porch but Sailor Boy had some boxes on it so I put the lunch down on the porch instead, and took it from standing. Then I cropped in for this post. Now you see what got me thinking about Sesame Street's near & far skit!

I got a kick out of my toes peeking in because my socks match the lunch :) Kind of hard for those socks not to match something though, heh!

Anyways, they both have CuteZcute kitty sandwiches - Birdie's is cheese & Sprout's is Nutella & PB - carrots with one stuck through a heart cupcake topper ring, & apple wedges, packed in mis-matched Sassy boxes. I couldn't find one of the inner containers so subbed a silicone baking cup.

And here's that Sesame Street clip :)

Stuff used to make these lunches:

   

Personalized Preschool Lunch!

My preschooler's personalized bento is packed in her Dr. Sears Nibble Tray:

My 6 year old, Sprout, wanted her lunch in her little sister's Yumbox, and 4 year old Birdie was happy to share. Both girls had cheddar & mozzarella cheese, carrots, red grapes, strawberries, apples & goldfish crackers. I used alphabet bento picks & Scrabble Cheez-it crackers to spell their names.

Sprout also had a treat of Sunbursts candy coated sunflower seeds. Yummy :)

They'll both be excited about the new Framboise Pink Yumbox - coming soon!

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Some stuff used to make these lunches:

Last Day of Kindergarten - Farewell Clifford!

Wow, this school year went by fast! My kindergartner Bean Sprout had such a great year :) As excited as she is about going into first grade next Fall, she's going to be sad to say goodbye to her her beloved kindergarten teacher & her fun classroom, and their mascot, Clifford the Big Red Dog.  Today is her last day, and this is her last Clifford themed kindergarten school lunch:

Sprout's last day of school Go Green Lunch Box contains:

• Oatmeal carrot muffins - one for her teacher & one for her
• Strawberries (frozen) 
• Mozzarella string cheese (with a Clifford ring cupcake topper)
• Organic Berry Medley Junior Juice
• Yogurt with purple, red & green sugar sprinkles
• Granny Smith apple wedges
• Raisins, in a Monbento square egg mold used as a treat box
• tucked behind the muffins, a Light My Fire spork
• & a Lunchbox Love note ♥

I've made my Sprout more than a few Clifford lunches this year! We do love Clifford ♥ Here's a round up in case you missed any :)

April ~ Clifford in his doghouse

February ~ Valentine's Day & Clifford's 50th Birthday!
December ~ Clifford's First Snow

November ~ Learning is fun with Clifford

My bento blogger friend at Organized Bites has also made a Clifford the Big Red Dog lunch for her kidlet, check it out: My Big Red Valentine

And my bestie Karen at What's In our Lunch Bags? made one for Hallowe'en, Clifford's Halloween Howl, and one featuring Clifford and his canine friends:  Scholastic Big Red Readers.

Congratulations to my kindergarten graduate Sprout!  ♥

Mia Made Lunch

I usually take a few minutes Sunday night to make sure everything is in order for Monday morning, but last night I failed to do so and as a result this morning was chaotic. Mia Bella was ready ahead of time though so I asked her if she wouldn't mind making her own lunch while I made her brother and sister's.

She packed a lovely lunch ♥ She has a turkey & sharp cheddar croissant sandwich, cantaloupe chunks, and sunburst & cherry tomatoes, embellished with pandas, hearts, & one lollipop bento pick, because "pandas like candy" :) Well done Bella, it's as cute & colourful as the girl who made it ♥

I had no worries about my girl packing a healthy lunch though, she makes good choices :) One of her lunches was even awarded 3rd place in Tray Talk's Healthy Lunches Kids Love Photo Contest! 

You can see all the lunch entries in Tray Talk's facebook album.

Kindergartner Sprout "helped" me pack her lunch by standing beside me and suggesting what went in it :) She loves sandwiches made with the CuteZcute sandwich cutter and today she chose the cat face:

Sprout's little lunch is packed in a Sassy On the Go Feeding Set container. It's the perfect size for small appetites. She also got a yogurt tube, not shown.

Some of the stuff used for these lunches: