Bento Class

Last week I held my first bento class! I decided to keep it simple, using sandwiches and common kitchen items that most everyone would have. I felt that for a first class, I wanted everyone to go away feeling, "yeah, I could do that."

We started with the sandwich, using white & wheat breads with small cookie cutters to cut out a cute image. I figured that almost every parent can probably dig up either actual cookie cutters or playdough cutters. For the faces we used raisins, whole wheat angel hair pasta, and 100% fruit fruit-rollups. To shape the mouths I brought along a bunch of metal frosting pipers. Using the back end of a frosting piper makes it a cinch to cut out a perfect crescent.

After building the sandwiches, I showed everyone how to cut Tofurky slices into pom-poms. Then we tucked them into the bento along with tiny grape tomatoes and halved snap peas.

I demonstrated a few quick ways to cut baby carrots to not only look attractive, but to make them fit vertically into a bento box. Using two colours of grapes, we skewered them on frilly toothpicks in a pattern.

I brought along a mini microwave steamer for the broccoli which makes steaming small quantities of vegetables effortless. And we topped off the meal with a Sweet & Sara toasted coconut marshmallow! The bento boxes were purchased on sale at AllThingsForSale, and everyone had their choices of a giraffe or deer design.

Everyone did a great job creating an original bento, and many used them to send to school the next day! Here are some of the finished lunches: