I’ve written about my Bento packing here on the blog a few times. I have seen this trend towards making fun lunches take my lunch packing for my children to a new level of creativity. Even The SoMoms are starting to have fun with this new to us (but old) way of packing lunch for their own children. Some of them have even blogged about their experiences as well. As part of our continuing growth and learning, one of the activities I look forward to with the SoMoms is our #BetterMe sessions. Recently, we were able to attend a Better Me session with The Bento Mommas which was sponsored by Oreo.
This would be considered my “everyday” bento that I pack. I may not be so fancy with characters, but I try to keep it healthy and home made, even down to the bread…
If you are a regular visitor here to the blog and follow me on Instagram, you already know how much I LOVE Oreos, Gia and I have made Oreo cupcakes, we have experimented with Oreos and chocolate chip cookie dough, and when I don’t feel like baking, Oreo is our “go to” dessert with ice cold milk.
To get started with your Bento packing you only need a few things.
Why is learning to pack your child’s lunch box in the bento fashion considered a #BetterMe activity? Well, anything that makes me a better mom, better wife, or better person not only enriches my life, but the lives of those I love. Hence, the whole concept of #BetterMe…
The thing that I love about the philosophy of how The Bento Mommas pack their kids’ lunches? Use whatever you got on hand. Meaning, leftovers from dinner the night before are the perfect ingredients to healthy lunches. No need to make yourself crazy with preparing the food…just make yourself a little crazy with the creativity to pack it in a fun and amusing way! hahahahaha.
So, during our workshop we were all challenged to make our own bento box lunch incorporating Oreos as we randomly chose from a variety of animals. I really wanted to make an Owl, so of course I asked help from the Bento Mommas to make sure I “picked” my favorite animal!
For the owl, I used chocolate bread, white bread, and three different types of Oreos. The filling for the sandwich is Cheez Whiz spread. My owl is resting on a branch made of pretzel sticks has the orange sun next to him and a healthy checkerboard apple.
To get started on your bento making you only need a few tools. I suggest separating your bento tools from the rest of your kitchen equipment. I prefer using the same cutting board (that I received as part of my kit from my workshop with The Bento Mommas) each day for my bento packing. This way I know that there is no chance of the kids getting sick from contamination of cutting boards. Incidentally, my cutting boards are color coded, yellow for onions and garlic, light blue for meats and fish, green and red for veggies, white for fruit, and wood for bread and cheese. It’s just part of my normal kitchen routine to train the household staff in the color coding for cutting boards, because I feel it’s so much easier and cleaner.
Basics for me are books for inspiration, you could also just follow the Bento Mommas on IG) silicon cups to separate the food, a hole punch for eyes, tweezers, and the little exacto knife looking thingie. (missing from this kit is my tiny scissors)
While there are a ton of different tools you can invest in for your bento needs as your skills develop, I feel like these are the basics that most anyone could use with ease. I couldn’t find my scissors (go figure because my kids are always taking my scissors) for the pic. Some of the other tools that are in my kit are sandwich cutters. I pack sandwiches on most days, but on the rare occasion that I pack rice I try to make it fun too. I love using “picks” to dress up the boxes, especially if I have packed finger food. However, keeping that in mind, you know that “all you really need to get started is creativity and your imagination.” -The Bento Mommas
Tina Ong’s bento creation from The Phenomenal Mama won her the new book by Wendy Copley.
Michelle Lim and her daughter created this tiger bento! Isn’t it so cute? You can learn more about how she made this striped kitty on her blog My Mom Friday.
Patty at from Mrs. P Cuyugan was able to make a penguin with different types of bread and Oreos. She packs lunch for both her boys every day too.
Conci from The Blairbitch Bunny made a reindeer with a red nose…I think I might actually KNOW that red-nosed reindeer myself!!!
I super love Thammie Sy‘s panda bear creation. This one doesnt look that hard to make, no?
Tin Dychaio from Manila Fashion Observer made a set of bears! I feel like Goldilocks would fit right in this bento, don’t you?
I forgot to take step by step photos when we were together in the workshop, so I am recreating an Owl bento just for you.
So to create your own owl all you need to do is this:
1) Choose two different types of bread. I used whole wheat and chocolate breads.
Rolling your bread out makes it easier to work with.
2) Use a rolling pin to roll your bread out flat. Roll all three pieces of bread out flat.
For this owl, I used the Chocolate Bread as the Tummy.
3) Use a round cookie cutter or a small glass to cut the body of the owl out first.
Use what ever you filling you like. I used Goober because its been our favorite since our last Bento Workshop with the Bento Mommas here at my place, but you could use ham and cheese too.
You have to cut a hole in the TOP piece of sandwich bread, and the one we will use as the tummy.
4) Oreo Cookies for wings and Big part of the eyes.
Open up your Transformer Oreos and carefully remove the blue filling for your owls big eyes.
Use a sharp and heavy knife to make a clean cut for your Oreo.
For the inner part of the eyes you can roll out some more bread and use a scissor or cutter for a smaller inner circle.
You can use a knife if you want to cut out smaller circles for the eyes. I just used some more bread. Other items you could use are sliced cheese, ham, or even nori.
5) For your food glue you can use any condiment. You can use mayonaise, Cheez Whiz, or peanut butter.
“Gluing” your details in place is important. Condiments come in handy here. Be sure to choose a condiment that wont clash with the flavor of your sammie! I used the sweeter variety of Cheez Whiz that we received in our gift pack.
6) I don’t have space for any branches for this owl to sit on because he fits perfectly in my Easy Lunchboxes container. If you needed to add fillers, you could add any kind of fruit, veggie, cubed cheese, or even pretzel sticks. You just have to make sure that your sammie is snug as a bug in a rug. You don’t want movement in a bento. That spells room for disaster when your kid opens up his lunchbox.
Slicing the apple and letting it sit in a Sprite/7up bath stops the apple from browning and becoming really ugly.
7) Slice your apple in four. Let it rest in a little bit of Sprite. I used to use calamansi squeezed into ice cold water, until Kaye from Bento Mommas taught me this trick. It doesn’t alter the taste of the apple so much.
This is probably the best tool ever. It looks like an exacto knife but is totally for bento making. I use it quite often, most especially when making checkerboard apples.
8) Score the skin and lift the skin off carefully. It gets easier each time you do it.
The first time I did this, I dug in really deep and took some of the apple with me. But once you get the hang of it, you can just lift the skin off really lightly.
9) Use a carrot and cut a thin slice off for the beak and the claws. I just used a pairing knife to make these triangles and then shape them into claws. Don’t forget to glue!
I used these eyes that I bought from Bento Mommas to top off the rolled and cut out bread. But if you don’t have them, you can use a food marker or nori to create the black inner eye part.
Add the rest of your fruits and fillers and you are done! You now know how to make an owl bento!
You know, many of the SoKids were at our Bento Workshop with us. In fact, most of them made their OWN bentos to take home and enjoy later. Making bentos is not just a way for Mommas to get creative in the kitchen and feed our kids nutritious lunches. It’s also another way for our kids to get INVOLVED with making healthy choices on their own.
Check out Kris DeGuzman’s daughter from OC Mom in Manila making her very own Bento!
Involving your kids in packing their lunches is a sure fire way to make sure that they eat what is packed!
Happy Bento Packing!
How wonderfully made! Make a piggy bento for me pretty please??? <3 I promise to eat each & every single morsel on my box. :-*
Yes! Actually Piggies are very easy 🙂 Will make and post for you.
Your owl bento is really the cutest! 🙂
Thanks Patty 🙂 I had fun with this one…now, my next challenge is a Piggy for Jane! hehehehe.
You the Mom, Mish! You actually made another bento just for this how-to post. Applause!!!
I love how you did your owl bento during our session, and would have to say that I personally found yours to be the best-looking and most creative!
Tina! When I started to write my post it felt so bitin without the proper pictures to go with each step of the Owl Bento. I felt it would be a disservice to post about how to make it without the how to pics! I just didn’t know I would be writing a “HOW TO” post when we were making our bentos together, otherwise, I would have snapped pics all along the way! hehehehe. Thanks for the kind words. I know you put a lot of thought into what you pack for your kids as well, so I often look to your posts for inspiration. Thank you!!!