What are you putting in your Planet box lunch box (or any other bento style one)

[cilantromapuche]

Help! I need ideas.
DS normally takes an apple whole but the planetbox kind of makes that hard, sandwiches sometimes. I am doing some cheese and crackers and hardboiled eggs.
Please help me!

[happymomma]

I've been using the planetbox for about a month. I've put in baby carrots, soba noodle, sushi, (crackers with ham and cheese -but in plastic cupcake cups so that they can make their own sandwich), brocolli, fruit salads, cheese sticks, ham rolled up, chex mix, etc. I'll try to post pictures next time.

[pastrygirl]

The main part has sandwiches, usually cutouts like Lunchpunch (I did puzzle pieces the other day -- looked so cool!). For fruits, I saw someone had an apple half cut into slices, where every other slice was peeled so it looks like a striped apple (reassembled to look like an apple half). I think it looks so pretty! Also got the tip to dust with cinnamon-sugar so that any browning is hidden.

I bought some red and green grapes, cut each in half, and assembled two half-red half-green grapes on a toothpick. Three of those fit in the bottom left compartment and looked really neat!

Popcorn, pretzels, Ritz, buttered bread, Goldfish. I'm working on seeing what veggies he likes, but haven't had much luck yet aside from baby carrots. I've put chocolate chips or mini marshmallows in the "treat" compartment. Need more ideas for that, though.

I have a few pics on my phone. Let me see if I can post them...

ETA: Let's see if this works: http://photobucket.com/pastrygirl_planetbox

One of those has meatloaf cut into shapes (I have mini cookie cutters) and ketchup.

[cilantromapuche]

Those are great ideas!

Pastrygirl--I like popcorn. That is easy and the kids love it.

I've enjoyed this blog:
http://thislunchrox.com/

If you have some other blogs that have great ideas--I would love to see them!
Thanks!
c

[elektra]

The main part has sandwiches, usually cutouts like Lunchpunch (I did puzzle pieces the other day -- looked so cool!). For fruits, I saw someone had an apple half cut into slices, where every other slice was peeled so it looks like a striped apple (reassembled to look like an apple half). I think it looks so pretty! Also got the tip to dust with cinnamon-sugar so that any browning is hidden.

I bought some red and green grapes, cut each in half, and assembled two half-red half-green grapes on a toothpick. Three of those fit in the bottom left compartment and looked really neat!

Popcorn, pretzels, Ritz, buttered bread, Goldfish. I'm working on seeing what veggies he likes, but haven't had much luck yet aside from baby carrots. I've put chocolate chips or mini marshmallows in the "treat" compartment. Need more ideas for that, though.

I have a few pics on my phone. Let me see if I can post them...

ETA: Let's see if this works: http://photobucket.com/pastrygirl_planetbox

One of those has meatloaf cut into shapes (I have mini cookie cutters) and ketchup.

So impressive! Looks so inviting!

[wimama]

Fun thread!:thumbsup:

It would be fun to have more pics and posts to refer to for ideas. I have been having fun experimenting with DS's Planetbox. This is the lunch I sent with DS yesterday for his first day of school. Whole wheat mini-pitas with Spinach Hummis in the little dipper. I included this little cheese spreader "knife" in there to help him spread the hummis. It is not sharp and safe for the K5 crowd. I also sent carrots, cherry tomatoes, coconut macaroons, yougart covered pretzels, regular mini pretzels, grapes and chocolate covered pomegranate seeds for a treat. I totally over-packed, but I was having fun seeing how much food I could squeeze in there. DS ate all the pitas, most of the hummis, two grapes, the two macaroons, one yogurt covered pretzel and some of the chocolate covered pomegranates. He usually is a pretty big eater, but I am sure there was a lot of socializing that needed to be done on the first day.;)

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/wimama06/BBB%20-%20Show%20off%20Pics/2011September-BacktoSchool352.jpg

Today I sent: A peanut butter and fig preserve sandwich. Snap peas and ranch dressing in the little dipper, canned pears, chocolate covered peanut butter cookies and honey wheat pretzel sticks, and Sundrops in the treat compartment.

Tomorrow I am planning on crackers with cut up ham and cheese if I can get to the store today.

Thurday is French Toast Sticks day at school. So, I plan on sending some French Toast cut into strips with some syrup in the little dipper.

I like the Weelicous website and I like looking at Planetboxes Facebook wall. There are tons of pics with great ideas on their wall.

http://weelicious.com/

[Kindra178]

The main part has sandwiches, usually cutouts like Lunchpunch (I did puzzle pieces the other day -- looked so cool!). For fruits, I saw someone had an apple half cut into slices, where every other slice was peeled so it looks like a striped apple (reassembled to look like an apple half). I think it looks so pretty! Also got the tip to dust with cinnamon-sugar so that any browning is hidden.

I bought some red and green grapes, cut each in half, and assembled two half-red half-green grapes on a toothpick. Three of those fit in the bottom left compartment and looked really neat!

Popcorn, pretzels, Ritz, buttered bread, Goldfish. I'm working on seeing what veggies he likes, but haven't had much luck yet aside from baby carrots. I've put chocolate chips or mini marshmallows in the "treat" compartment. Need more ideas for that, though.

I have a few pics on my phone. Let me see if I can post them...

ETA: Let's see if this works: http://photobucket.com/pastrygirl_planetbox

One of those has meatloaf cut into shapes (I have mini cookie cutters) and ketchup.

So awesome. Question: will the little dipper fit in that area with the planetbox closed? Love the popcorn and choc. chips ideas and will send one of those tomorrow!

[endlessheather]

Love this thread! We start school next week and I so need lunch ideas for our Planetbox.

[hellokitty]

I just do regular bento, with real bento boxes. I sent my kids today with a two tier bento box. Turkey/cheese wrap ups (tortilla) with baby carrots on one tier and apple wedges in the bottom tier with a hershey kiss as a treat. My kids are not big eaters, so the planet box would be waaaay too big for them, plus I can't fathom spending that kind of $, knowing that there is always a possibility that my kids will lose their bento box, lol.

[cilantromapuche]

I worry about them losing it but as a parent of a child who struggles with portion control--I can't put a price on that. I don't know about other districts but there is one monitor in the lunch room. It is an area that they have really cut back with during these tough budget times. We tried the Laptop Lunch but I even I had a hard time opening that!
I like the no waste aspect.
DS is older so we'll see how he feels about it after a couple months of school.

[BeachBum]

One thing my kids loves that I haven't seen mentioned is cocktail picks (we have pirate swords), with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls. I'll do a pinch of salt and pepper too.

We buy the choc covered blueberries/ pomegranate at costco (they are about the size of a pnut m&m) and I do 3 of those in the "treat" compartment.

In the sandwich compartment I will do a pasta salad (pasta, cherry tomatoes, cut up girkins pickles, diced pepperoni) with a little olive oil and pickle juice. I mix it in another bowl and haven't had a "too wet" problem yet.

[cilantromapuche]

Where do you get cocktail picks?

[Kindra178]

Where can I get cute sandwich cutters? I have a dino one, but would some others.