Day 35 Bento Days: Egg Salad with Pita Chips

Sorry you guys for the small picture! I normally use my macro setting on my camera and take close ups, but couldn’t find the camera this morning and we were running late. Well, the kids weren’t too keen on the egg salad today. My son doesn’t like mayo, and my daughter doesn’t like mustard. And egg salad has both. But! They actually tried it this time, so we’re making progress!
Most of the cook time on today menu is for the boiling of the eggs. You know, they have to boil for 10 min, and then sit for another 10 turned off, but still in the hot water. So that’s where that comes from. While you’re boiling the eggs, throw some brown sugar in a pot with apple slices and let them stew over low heat for about 10 minutes. I used a veggie cutter to cut the cheese into long flower shapes and then just used a small knife to make them small coin like shapes.
The pita chips, you simply take a pita pocket, cut it into 8ths, and toast under your broiler for a few minutes until it’s crispy and warm.
 Today's Menu:

• Egg salad
• cheese flowers
• pita chips
• stewed apples

 Cost per lunch:  67¢

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In
4 min	20 min	24 min

Servings	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein
1	377	13	55	14

Day 34 Bento Days: English Muffin Pizzas

Today, we get to have pizza! Something my kids love and I do what I can to try to find many ways to make, so it’s not boring. One English muffin becomes 2 small mini pizzas, perfect size for school lunch.
We added in carrot slices (or coins to make them fun!) and about a quarter cup of both blueberries and red seedless grapes. We’ve also started using soy milk in our house, hormone filled cows milk is out. The kids just love soy milk, they actually prefer it over the cows milk. I haven’t included (ever actually) the milk or any drink in with the lunch cost or nutritional content.
My only suggestion is that if you use soy milk, please, spend the extra few cents to get organic. Soybeans are one of the most heavily planted crops, and most people use heavy amounts of pesticides on them.



Today's Menu:

• English muffin Pizza with pepperonis
• grapes and blueberries
• carrot coins

Cost per lunch:  $1.14
Kid Rating:

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In
3 min	7 min	10 min

Servings	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein
1	334	11	41	22

Product Review – Laptop Lunches 2.0 Bento System

In my household, healthy eating is a must. I am a firm believer that what you put into your body is what you get out of it. Put in crap, you’ll feel like crap. Put in good foods, and your body will respond and you’ll feel good.

I think we all are aware of the school lunch problems that face our children today. Most of the foods are high in fat, high in salt, and high in processed carbohydrates. So packing your child’s lunch is the way to go. However, the old standby of PBJ gets old really quick. And most think it’s too time consuming to pack healthier lunches, or that it would be expensive.

Well, Laptop Lunches makes it not only easy, but convenient and kid friendly! This reusable, compartment system lasts years, is dishwasher safe, and environmentally friendly. The plastic used for the compartments and the box are BPA free, lead free and PVC free.

 They’re easy to keep clean; you just throw all of the containers, including the “laptop box” into the top rack of your dishwasher. The system also comes with stainless steel silverware in a child friendly size and a drink container in a 12 ounce capacity. Also included is a dip container for sauces.  Laptop systems are also waste-free! There are no boxes, no baggies, and no plastic to toss. Your child will bring home everything they took with them.

The cost of the Laptop Lunch system might throw some off. The complete system with carrier, drink container and bento box is between $40 and $45. Amazon.com has a couple of them, for $40 plus free super saver shipping. It’s where I purchased ours. Don’t be intimidated though. The Laptop Lunches touts that the system pays for itself in just three weeks!  I can assure you, just the fact that there is no baggies to buy, no brown bags, no juice boxes, or milk containers, no single packaged foods, and the fact that it lasts for years, this system will save you money and time. Both of which are precious commodities in this house.

Laptop Lunch Bento systems are perfect for your child who needs can include:

• Allergen free foods
• Healthy foods
• Child size portions
• Foods for your picky little one
• And much more!

Let’s take a look at the Laptop Lunch System.  The systems start with the Bento Box, which is the laptop portion. It opens up in the same way. There is a tabbed locking mechanism to keep it shut.  Once open, inside you’ll find two compartments; one for silverware and one for the containers. There are five containers and three lids. Two of the containers are open, and three are lidded. One of the lidded containers is small enough for dipping sauces or condiments. Having the two lidded containers works great for wet foods like yogurt, puddings, soups, and applesauce. The two open containers are perfect for things like sandwiches, crackers, fruits, veggies, rice and pastas. The system is completed with the Bento Carrier for you box. The box and a matching drink container fit into the carrier which then zips up. There is a zipper pocket in the front and a handle and adjustable shoulder strap to fit all children.

There are also many books out there for making recipes in your bento box. I own Yum Yum Bento Box. I will be using it this year for helping us pack healthy, kid friendly lunches. I've also managed to find a couple of "healthy lunch packing" books from my local library.  Don’t want to invest in any books? Check out your local public library and see if they have any books on Bento lunches. Or better yet, just pack leftovers from the night before! The sky is the limit with the Bento Box system, there is no right or wrong way, only the healthy way!

For those of you trying the Bento System, be sure to check out my 150 days of Bento for ideas, recipes and pictures of our Bento adventures.