Valentine’s Day Bento Box Idea

Question: Do you plan fun bento meals?

My Reply: I wear many hats, but for me personally, one of them isn’t artist. I also don’t have all the time in the world. My goal in meal planning is functional and fast (to make and eat). I might not make cute dino sandwiches (which my 4rd grader would kill me for sending) or awesome Pokemon style hard boiled eggs, but I offer things like the picture above “Red Day.”  This is a great St. Valentine’s Day lunch box or make it on Husker Friday (yep, that’s my alma mater, shout out: Go Big Red!). You can create a color or themed meal for your alma mater or local sports team or college. You can make it red and green close to Christmas; all green on St. Patrick’s Day or Earth Day; red, white, and blue around President’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, 9/11, and 4th of July; and orange for Halloween. One of my friends makes an advent calendar for her kids every Christmas, and one of the days each year is “red and green” lunch box day filling their entire lunch with naturally red and green foods. For themed meals do eggs and bunny food (salad or carrots) around Easter, or for Thanksgiving  you theme with dried cranberry and a turkey sandwich. Just because you can’t recreate an amazing looking bento from Pinterest doesn’t mean you can find other fun and practical ways to play with food. Have fun!

Top left clockwise to bottom left: Rainier cherries, cheese wheel, strawberry jam atop local fresh bread from Proven in Woodinville (for all our local Seattle readers), shelled pistachio nuts, red bell pepper slices