Tale of a School Spirit Sandwich

Friday is School Spirit day at my daughter's elementary school. When I have the time (aka get up nice and early) I try to make her a lunch that reflects the school mascot which is a bee. I didn't sleep much last night so I had plenty of time to think about what to do today. 

Here is her painted bento lunch for Friday March 14, 2014. 
I hope she likes it!

PB&J sandwich with apple slices and cookies

Close-up of today's sandwich

White Girl Bento Lunches

This August the 5yo started Kindergarten and her twice monthly lunch from preschool became a daily challenge. I know this will sound crazy but prepped for months. Planning for her lunches was a way for me to feel prepared for this huge change to all our lives. I spent time picking up boxes here and there and other little items to embellish the lunches. As it happens, she is totally and completely dedicated to eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches so one of the things I try to do is provide her some variation in other ways. At the start of the school year I decided to try to do something different each day (when possible). One aspect of this that I really love is that the two of us sit together at the start of the month and decide what days she will take hot lunch and what the themes of the other days will be. They are usually seasonal but they also include events at school. As a disclaimer I use the word bento because the boxes are bento style. My children would not eat much of the food that would go into a traditional bento lunch, but I love the portion sizes and the opportunity the divided boxes provode for diversity of foods. Here are some of my attempts at a non-asian style bento.
#1

First day of school with school mascot made of sandwich balls painted with food coloring and embellished with candy eyes. Also in lunch raisins, plumb and animal cookies. Pre-made grass and hand-made pick.

#2

Mostly Monsterly lunch- The 5yo was given this book as a gift from her cousin and both kids love it. Monster face sandwich (cut freehand so questionable), cut up pear, Annie's bunny cookies, and trail-mix. Flower-shaped silicone cup, pre-made pick.
#3

Panda lunch- PB+Nutella "Sushi, panda cookies, string cheese cut into 1/3rds, and plumb (no skin). Red silicone cup and panda stick.