Lunch Packing

Is it weird that I'm obsessed with packing Beth's lunch for school? :-)

I knew we were in for a rough year because one of her classmates is allergic to Peanut Butter, Beth's FAVORITE food and a major staple in our home. Ugh. A few years ago I ran across a website blog/picture site where I lady took a picture of her son's lunch everyday. What made this interesting to me was they have the same problem we do - no peanut anything allowed, so all her photos were of lunches that were "safe." Ever since seeing her great lunch ideas, I've been on a roll. I wrote many of her lunch items down and have a "master list" of "safe items" on my kitchen cabinet that I can refer to nightly, if needed.

I learned that what I'm doing is basically called "Bento." Its a Japanese technique of packing lunches - lots of little containers - lots of choices. I've since discovered other blogs that I read on occasion to get fresh ideas. Many people say the more choices you give a child at lunch, in small portion, the more they will eat. So far, true with Beth! Its VERY rare she comes home with ANYTHING left in her lunch box. Her favorites are hard-boiled eggs and yogurt, ham & cheese cubes on a stick, string cheese wrapped in ham, bologna cut into triangles, chicken legs and on days when I'm lazy - Lunchables. I limit Lunchables to 1x a week. Her favorite drinks are Minute Maid Fruit Punch juicebox, chocolate milk, small bottles of water, Berry Gatorade and CapriSun Roaring Waters. She hasn't been impressed with the small bottles of apple juice, though...never has been an apple juice fan!

I also have a stock-pile of snack items and special treats. Its hidden so everyday there is surprise treat. Most include mini chocolate chip cookies or mini-Oreos sprinkled in the lunch, Oreo sticks, Fruit-by-the-Foot, PopTarts, Mini strawberry Fig Newtons, mini Muffins, Cheetos, Bug Bites cookies and more! I also buy cool napkins and other things when I see them - so far, I have butterflies, Tinkerbell, pink, pumpkins and turkeys (for fall), Disney Princess ziplock baggies, Halloween baggies and pink utensils. I also make sure to include a note everyday!!

Most of my lunches pretty well mimic the lunches here (website mentioned above), minus the "wraps" and other weird things she won't eat. We have the same container- LOVE IT!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mslil65/sets/72157601755804789/

I also get ideas from:
http://www.laptoplunches.com/lunchmenus.html
http://lunchfitforakid.blogspot.com/

So, am I obsessive? :-)