Toddler Bento Box Lunch

Serenity is a picky eater - what toddler isn't, right? Well a while back I was doing a little Googling about picky eaters and eventually came across Bento Boxes. What a cool way to get toddlers to eat!

So I started buying supplies to make Serenity fun Bento Box lunches. She loves jasmine rice, so the number one thing I had to make sure to get was a rice mold. I found these cute little bear molds that make the perfect sized rice balls for toddlers. Some of my other favorite supplies are these alphabet food picks, egg molds, nori face punches, hotdog molds, mini cookie cutter set, and mini silicone muffin cups.

You can find Bento Boxes and supplies all over the 'net. Google. Amazon. And Ebay has a ton of stores: here, here, here, and here too.

One of my favorite Bento sites is Lunch In A Box. This creative site is like a Bento one-stop-shop&learn - it's full of helpful Bento information, recipes, store links, and lots of pictures! Go have a look-see!

Serenity loves her Bento Box lunches. The first time I gave her one, she was excited about opening it to see what was inside, and then she immediately started to chow down - and she still gets that way!

I don't follow any rules - as long as she eats, I'm happy. I fill her box with food that I know she likes and some that I think she might like to eat. It's a good way to introduce new food too. As a bonus, I always add a little "surprise" - like a sticker or tiny toy (a ring or ball).

You can also use just about anything as a Bento Box for your little stinker - including those cute little sandwich containers you can find at Wal-Mart. Plastic lock containers, tupperware containers, Disney food boxes, or practically any neat plastic container would be good to use too!

In Serenity's box today: 2 pieces of bird-shaped oatmeal bread, 1 potsticker (cut in half), 2 wormy dogs, jello w/pears inside, 1 pickle, Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper, a Cinderella sticker, and a Blue Clues yogurt drink.

Some people get really creative and have made some beautiful boxes. Mine are so ordinary compared to them! Check out these Bento Boxes on Flickr!

Let me know if any of you decide to try it - I'd love to see pictures of your boxes!

Have fun!