New Bento Box!

No food in this post, sorry.

Today the bento box that I ordered from Jlist came, all wrapped up in Japanese newspaper! I wasn't expecting to get it until sometime next week, as their site says shipping can take 2-5 weeks, but it arrived 12 days after they shipped it all the way from Japan, 16 days total from the day I ordered it.

Of course I snapped some pictures, and I'm actually holding the items in a few of them just to show size and proportion.

First impression: WHOA. It's tiny. I know it holds 510 ml, which is basically the same as the tupperware I started with originally...but WOW. I guess the trick is just to pack tightly, and take dense foods. I can see a lot more pasta/rice in my future (not hard for the girl who loves carbs). Any similar experiences?

I also got 3 cute little snack boxes, which will come in handy. I recently found out that while I have to leave my house around 7:15 in order to get to school, I don't eat lunch until 12:45, and I'm definitely not used to going that long between meals!

The next week or so will give me just enough time to play around with these before the start of the school year :)

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Chick'n Nugget Meatless Bento

The main attraction: 4 Morningstar 'Chick'n' nuggets. I was eating them cold here, and I have to say I think they're better cold than they are warm (I had to test one the night before to make sure I liked them before packing in a band camp bento)

Other treats:

• bisquick biscuits
• the last frozen mac n cheese cup (on my to do list this weekend!)
• mashed potato balls? not sure what else to call them, just fried mashed potatoes
• red beet egg, salad, broccoli, carrots

This is my meatless bento for the week :) and also my What's For Lunch Wednesday entry! Check out the other lunches here!

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Another two-for-one special

Going backwards and starting with today's bento:

We made meatballs for dinner one night in the crockpot, and I asked to leave a couple out so I could put them in a lunch. Then I made some penne the night before, and put the two together with a little container of spaghetti sauce on the side.
Also in this bento:

• Bisquick biscuits (at this rate, I'll be out by the end of band camp)
• One of the last few egg rolls still in the freezer
• Red beet egg (We're not going to make it to market this week! I'm so upset, I love packing these in my lunch!)
• lots of grapes and an apple on the side

Now yesterday's:

In this lunch:

• salad with leftover chicken, some broccoli and carrot flowers
• bisquick biscuits
• apple, some cherries, almonds, red beet egg

4 days down, 4 to go! I have the sock tan to prove it.

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Two-for-One

I found one picture leftover from the end of last week that somehow got lost in transit...(my computer is in the shop, so I'm a little out of my element on someone else's) and I also have one for today's band camp.

Last week's bento:

Inside:

• little ham and cheese flower sandwiches
• potato 'chips' (cut/baked them myself, didn't get very crispy but were still good)
• salad with carrot and red beet egg
• some goldfish and apple

Band Camp Bento:

Inside:

• bisquick biscuits with cheddar and a slice of pepperoni. The cheddar was heart shaped too, but I microwaved them to make the cheddar stick, and it lost shape.
• salad and grapes
• red beet egg, apple, soft pretzel bites.

The camp bento took me about fifteen minutes, with prep the night before (cutting the cheddar and pepperoni and putting them with the biscuits), and it's actually one of my favorites. Maybe because all the cheese and pepperoni is so bad for me! ;)

Or because it actually somewhat resembles a bento lunch for once! Either way, this is going to be my link over on What's for Lunch Wednesday! :)

2 days of band camp down, 7 more (and 7 lunches!) to go.

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Muffin Tin Monday and first-day-at-band-camp bento

A very quick Muffin Tin Monday (and not technically in a muffin tin...oops)


Bottom row: part of a homemade baguette with turkey and lettuce
Top row: Carrots in dip, watermelon, Broccoli

Check out other Muffin Tin Meals here :)

In other news, today was the first official all-day band camp. Phew. I survived with a bit of sunburn, some wonky sock tan, and sore feet (better sneakers in my future). This morning's bento took me less than twenty minutes, with some minimal prep last night:

Turkey/lettuce/mayo sandwich on more baguette, with broccoli and watermelon, a red beet egg, grapes underneath sun chips. YUM.

Yes, it's pretty similar to the muffin tin meal. Can you tell I'm trying to use up certain foods? ;)

I've got the guinea pig running around here on the desk just begging for attention, so adorable.

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Quick Sunday Lunch

A quick Sunday lunch after we get home from the grocery store:


What's in my quick lunch bento?

• Turkey/Mayo/Romaine wrap with pre-cut carrot flowers
• Grapes and a red beet egg
• Sweet Potato Fries! I was hoping they'd get crispy, but instead they just got dark :) still good though!

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Today we officially went shopping for 'Back to School' supplies. It's dawning on me that the summer is coming to a close! I'm looking forward to the schedule and structure of school, but I also like having the kitchen all to myself over the summer ;)

Over the next two weeks, I'm going to finish testing all my freeze-ahead quick-bento foods, hopefully get my bento box (fingers crossed, remember?) and get ready for school (that means finishing the summer homework I haven't touched yet).