Bento Summer School - Week 2

Kid-Friendly Finger Food Recipes

Kawaii (Cute) Eggs

Egg Faces Tutorial

These are a great alternative for something cute if you don't have egg molds.

Cutest "Chick" Eggs Ever!

They are basically deviled eggs, but cuter!

Hard-Boiled Egg Mice

With chive tails, radish ears, and olive eyes, hard-boiled eggs get transformed into whimsical critters (that like to be served wedges of cheese, please).

Chicken Egg Family

It totally makes sense to reshape boiled eggs so they look like hatched chicks.

Pickled & Deviled Beet Eggs

These hard-boiled eggs were pickled in a beet and white vinegar solution, then sliced in half and filled with an egg yolk-mayonnaise-mustard cream.

How To Make Shaped Eggs

When I saw a shaped hard boiled egg for the first time, in a photo of a bento lunch, it blew me away! I couldn't get over it. I had no idea an egg could be molded that way.

Mini Sandwiches

Fun Finger Sandwiches

Here is a bento that you can eat with your hands! Mini finger sandwiches made with deli meat, were decorated with cheddar and mozzarella cheese butterflies and flowers.

PBJ Sushi

You can substitute turkey/cheese, hummus, anything you want. Peanut Butter & Jelly just happens to be a favorite around here.

Sammie Cupcake Bites (Sandwiches)

I came up with the idea of little one bite sandwiches masquerading as cupcakes. I'll explain how I made mine, but there are a thousand different variations you could come up with by changing the bread and the contents. What I love about these is how simple they are, but still SO yummy.

Veggies

Lily Pads & Yam Yums

The lily pads are essentially small spinach pancakes.

Mashed Potato Balls

So what do you do when you have made too much mashed potatoes?

Dips

Dips!

Both of these are really good with veggies or with pretzels, mini breads, crackers. I've also used them as sandwich spreads which both kids liked.

Kid-Friendly Bean Dips

Of course there is hummus, which we love, but since I've spoken of that before, here are two other healthy bean dips that my kids like.

Spinach Dip

This spinach dip has got to be our favorite dip, hands down!

Edamame Hummus

A variation on the classic hummus recipe made with edamame instead of chickpeas.

Little Dippers

Fun Shaped Tortilla Chips

Learn how to make cute baked tortilla chips.

Snacking Tofu

Good for dipping and eating in a bento lunch!

Baked Oatmeal Crusted Chicken Nuggets: Pomegranate Dip & Sauce

Healthy chicken breast nuggets recipe with pomegrante sauce. Oats, coconut, egg, ginger & paprika. Low fat, low glycemic, diet food.

Homemade Cheddar Cheese Goldfish Cracker Recipe

A fun way to use your mini bento food cutters! Simple, easy, quick homemade cracker recipe with cheddar cheese, whole wheat flour and smoked paprika.

Chick-en Nuggets - Vegetarian

Turn beans into something familiar, like chicken nuggets.

Eggplant Parmesan Sticks

Crispy on the outside and creamy and tender inside, I bet even kids that say they don't like veggies will devour them - they're like eggplant French Fries!

On A Stick

Piggy Corn Dogs

Cute idea to dress up mini corn dogs!

Pan-Grilled Pork Kebabs

Kids will love these kebabs -- the juicy orange chunks with a honey and mustard dipping sauce make them irresistible.

Chicken Fingers On A Stick

Breaded, grilled chicken strips are a great choice for finicky eaters when they can use their favorite dipping sauce.

Sandwich On A Stick

How do you turn a sandwich into a fun snack? Make it a stick-wich!

Miso Chicken Skewer

Mini kebabs using toothpicks to make little chicken skewers.

Meatball Lollipops

I decided to run with the Lollipop concept and share it as a nourishing, protein filled kid and adult friendly food choice!

Feeling Stuffed

Mini Cheese Stars

Tortillas make a stellar snack that's also a festive treat for July 4th.

Mini Turnovers

Hearty kid-sized snacks filled with meatballs and tomato sauce.

Mini Pizzas & Tartletts

Savory Puff Pastry Tartlets

Adorable little tarts that are easy to make and use cutters to cut shapes.

Wrap It Up

Of Mice & Fruit

Because "Of Mice & Men" would be awfully icky for lunch. :o)

Pumkin Roll Ups

This colorful snack is perfect for nourishing young pumpkin carvers.

How To Make Bunny Maki Sushi

For my bunny maki I used hotdogs and SPAM cooked in teriyaki sauce with sushi rice and nori.

Guacamole Ice Cream Cones

If your kids like chips and guacamole, they'll also like these cones!

Meals

Hello Kitty Soft Taco Bento

Cute soft taco Lunchables-like kit made from dinner leftovers.

Fish In The Sea Pasta

Random lunch, very simple (pasta is dyed while boiling) but so cute!

Desserts

Homemade Granola Bars

I absolutely love granola bars to begin with and have been desperately looking for a good recipe with no peanut butter in it. This one uses honey to bind it all together and no extra sugar added.