For snack the boys had cheese, crackers and pears.
For lunch we are finally using the Laptop Lunchboxes! I was still hesitant to send them since they are not easy for the boys to open. I realize that for most kids this would not be a problem since they would just ask for help. My boys on the other hand would likely skip lunch before asking for help, sigh... Anyway, since A and I were joining them for lunch today I though it would be a good day to test them out. And they did manage to open them without any problem.
In the top row I packed apple slices, a cookie and a tiny container of peanut butter and honey to dip the apple slices in for E. (S said he would rather have salad dressing in the tiny container to dip the veggies in) On the bottom row I packed carrot sticks, red pepper strips and a mini bagel sandwich with (the ever popular around here) creme cheese and jelly. And lastly, a container of yogurt with sliced pineapple on top.
Bentoforkidlet commented on one of my posts that she felt the laptop lunchboxes were very big. I agree! If I filled all the boxes I doubt even my husband could eat all that food in the 15 minutes my boys have to eat lunch. I didn't fill the boxes more than halfway and it was STILL too much food. Neither boy finished the yogurt and E also didn't eat the veggies and was frantically eating the cookie at the end of lunch period. Also, when you only fill the boxes half way the contents tend to "rattle around" and nothing looks quite so neat by the time they sit down to eat it. I have seen thier lunches at school many times and when using the small Bento boxers, the contents really do look the same when they sit down to eat as they do when I take the picture before putting it in their backpacks. Not so today...
Another complaint I have with them is that the tiny container does not seem to seal very well. In S's lunch (not pictured) I put an oil and vinegar based salad dressing in the tiny container. I sealed it as well as I could but still leaked.
I could take Amy's advice and fill one of the sections with a juice box. This would make it easier to pack the right amount of food plus solve the problem I was having of not being able to fit their water bottle along with the Laptop Lunchbox in their lunchbox. BTW, I ended up just switching their snack water bottles with the lunch water bottles and using the carabiner to attach it to the lunchbox strap. :) But anyway, I really don't' want them drinking that much juice and I hate the thought of throwing away the used juice box so I probably won't go that route too often. - -- Thanks for the idea though Amy!!
Here is a photo of A's lunch with such good lighting!!! It is still dark outside when I take photos usually! Anyway, A had pasta with parmesean in the orange guy, grapes and a half of a cookie.
I had yogurt with granola to sprinkle on top, grapes and a cookie.
The napkin on the left was one I made but never used. The one on the right is one that has been used and washed approximately 3 times a week. As you can see it shrunk and is worn looking but otherwise not too bad.
Here is a closeup of the edged. The edges of the used one are starting to fray but not too badly. For less than a dollars worth of fabric and no sewing I think they held up pretty well. I did learn that if I ever DO decide to put in the effort and sew hems on napkins, I need to make sure I get "better" material that won't look so worn and fade so much. Any ideas on what a good fabric would be? Are their different "grades" of flannel? I can't even rember what this type was called when I picked it out at the craft store.
A also made this spider today to add to our Halloween decorations.
