How To Make A Butterfly Bento Box
by Amanda Keefer
This cute butterfly bento box will liven up any lunchbox! Use a cookie cutter for fruits and veggies for a quick and easy way to add more fun to lunchtime.
Nutrition Tip: Make half your child’s grains “whole” by reading the ingredients list and choosing 100% whole wheat bread, bagels, pasta, or tortillas.
Cutting a Sandwich with a Cookie Cutter
The secret to this butterfly bento box is the cookie cutter we used!
Making shapes with cookie cutters in sandwiches is a fun way to add some excitement to your lunchtime routine. Plus, it’s a great way to get the kids involved in the kitchen. Here’s how to do it:
1. Choose your cookie cutter shape and place it on a cutting board.
2. On a slice of bread or a tortilla, fill your sandwich with whatever sandwich toppings you like.
3. Close up your sandwich with a second slice of bread (or second tortilla)
4. Then, place the cookie cutter on top of your sandwich, and you can now do one of two things. Either carefully cut around the outline of the cutter using a sharp knife, or press down on the cookie cutter to cut through the sandwich.
Some people prefer to cut around the cookie cutter with a knife so they don’t get a smashed sandwich. But do whatever you prefer.
For our butterfly sandwiches we used peanut butter, sliced bananas, and a drizzle of honey!
Bento Boxes Are Like Upgraded Lunchables
They are so much fun to make and eat! Bento boxes are a popular way to pack a meal in Japan. They’re usually divided into compartments, which can hold different foods.
You can find bento boxes in many Japanese grocery stores, or online. Some stores even sell special American-themed bento boxes with all of the characters kids and adults alike love in the United States.
If you’re looking for some ideas for what to put in your American bento box, here are a few suggestions:
For the main compartment, try a hamburger patty or hot dog. You could also include some potato salad or macaroni and cheese.
For the side compartments, fill them with things like celery sticks, carrot sticks, grapes, berries, or apple slices. In this bx we cut cucumbers into star shapes with our favorite veggie cutters!
And don’t forget the dessert! Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Cookies or brownies would be perfect.
The possibilities of what you can put in your bento box are endless.
Get creative and have fun with it.
How do you #PowerYourLunchbox? Show us your healthy lunchboxes on Instagram using #PowerYourLunchbox.
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Butterfly Bento Box
Ingredients
- 2 slices whole-wheat bread
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1/2 small banana thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon honey or to taste
- 1 small clementine
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
- 1 tablespoon chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
Instructions
- Spread peanut butter onto each slice of bread. Top with banana and drizzle with honey. Use cookie cutter to cut sandwich.
- Assemble remaining ingredients into bento box.
