Make a Bento Lunch for a Picky Eater

Master N started a new preschool two weeks ago. Meals are not provided so grandma is back in the bento lunch game.

Four years ago, I volunteered to make bento lunches for Miss T every Friday because she wasn’t eating well at preschool. If food is presented attractively and in small portions, I theorized, wouldn’t kids eat whatever is served?

The answer is yes…and no.

Sometimes, Miss T would eat everything, to my delight. At other times, I’d make an especially cute bento box lunch and it would come home practically untouched.

So here we are again. Another picky eater; another bento Friday challenge.

I’m employing the same tips that I devised over the years I made lunches for Miss T.

My first bento lunch for Master N was themed around one of his favorite animals: dinosaurs! He ate the whole thing. I was ecstatic.

The following week, when I made him bear and bunny pizzas from scratch, all he did was nibble on an ear.

So it goes.

How to Make a Dinosaur Bento Box

The basis for this winning bento lunch is a grilled cheese sandwich. Use a panini press if you have one; grill on stovetop if you don’t. Set the sandwich aside to cool on a rack.

Step 1: Making the Dinosaur Sandwich

When cooled, use a cookie cutter to cut the sandwich into a dinosaur shape. Choose a cutter without too many details, which can be difficult to cut cleanly.

Press the cookie cutter down firmly on the bread and use a paring knife to trim out stubborn areas that resist being cut.

Step 2: Making the Side Dishes

Use colorful silicone baking cups or other divider cups to keep items separated in the bento box.

For the carrots, slice thinly and cut shapes with a vegetable cutter. You can slice the carrots a little thicker and steam them, if cooked carrots are preferred.

Hard-boiled eggs (technically, hard-cooked eggs), are a convenient protein choice. The secret to perfectly peeled eggs is to steam instead of boil them. You’ll find instructions at the bottom of my deviled eggs post.

There are many types of molds that can transform an egg into a fun shape, such as a fish, a star, a heart, or even a Star Wars storm trooper or R2D2.

But you can turn an egg into a flower easily enough, with just a paring knife. Cut a zig-zag line around the equator of the egg into the yolk; then gently pull apart.

Step 3: Adding the Decorative Touches

I used inexpensive plastic Japanese sushi grass to add a bright splash of green. You can also use sturdy micro greens, such as beet or arugula leaves, or a sprig of parsley.

Decorative food picks–in this case, dinosaurs picks–will dress up the rest of the bento box.

Finally, I like to decorate the bento box itself. Tied with raffia, the dinosaur tag gives a clue as to what’s inside. I used my Cricut machine, but you could trace the dinosaur from your cookie cutter onto cardstock or construction paper and cut it out with scissors.

Coronavirus Lunchbox Tips

In this time of Covid-19, teachers may no longer be microwaving kids’ lunches for them, so be sure everything is edible at room temperature or that hot foods are packed in a thermos.

If you are reducing grocery shopping trips, think of what you have on hand and how you can use those ingredients in imaginative ways for a bento box.

My mainstays are:

• Eggs in various guises–in the shell, deviled, cut into flowers, or cooked into an omelet or frittata. Eggs can last up to five weeks in the refrigerator. Here’s how to tell if eggs have gone bad.
• Vacuum-packed cheeses tend to have a long shelf life, such as Kerrygold cheeses from Ireland (my former client). Made with milk from grass-fed cows free of artificial growth hormones, I like these cheeses for sandwiches or cut into sticks or cubes for a lunch box snack.
• Apples are hardy and keep well. Cut into wedges or chunks (brush with lemon juice to prevent browning), skewer on picks to make fruit kabobs, or turn into applesauce.
• Cold cuts and other deli meats can be frozen for longer storage; here’s how. Use for sandwiches, add to salads, or roll up into cornucopias and secure with decorative picks for a finger-food lunch.
• Dried fruits can substitute for fresh when you run out and can’t get to the store. Raisins, dried cranberries, and blueberries are some good choices. Add a few chocolate chips for an extra treat.
• Leftovers–pizza, meatballs, steak, meatloaf–all can be repurposed and dressed up for the lunchbox to prevent food waste.

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