New to Primal Bento? Start here!

Welcome to my little corner of Bento happiness. Here I will post pictures and descriptions of lunches I pack for my 4 children. Three of them are school aged the youngest stays home with me, but he still likes his bento lunches which he calls "snack trays".

To answer a few questions I've been asked recently.

Why Primal?
We follow a mostly Paleo diet, however because we still do dairy including cheeses, milk, yogurt, sometimes rice for the kids and other "non Paleo but maybe Primal foods" I guess we are more Primal than Paleo. I may change the title of the blog at some point because I try to avoid labels and so the "rules" change often for me. I never was one to follow all the rules anyhow.


Why are you gluten free? Do you have allergies?
We happened upon gluten free by accident. I started following the Paleo or Primal (because I don't follow every rule!) diet for health reasons. I have PCOS and Insulin resistance. Paleo / Primal  has helped me lose over 30 pounds in 2 months (still going!) and has dramatically lowered my blood sugar levels and increased my energy! It just also happens to be gluten/grain free. 
For myself and my husband we no longer eat grains or wheat products. Sometimes my kids want a sandwich or a treat. So if I see gluten free bread or cookies on sale I'll buy them and store in the freezer. I don't make a habit of purchasing gluten free items to replace gluten items. I'm happy and content with out noodles/breads/cakes etc. But like I said, sometimes my kids get treats. And they're just that TREATS! Once in a while, not several times a day or every day. I've also seen many items labeled as "gluten free!" that are highly processed and really not that great for you anyway.

Are you saying your food is better than mine?! How rude!
No! I'd never say that. I am doing whats best for me and my family. You are doing whats best for you and your family. I'm just here to share my lunches and hopefully inspire others to pack healthy lunches too! If my photos and ideas inspire someone  to pack bento lunches for their kids too then great! Glad to have you here! If my photos make you feel bad, or you think your foods aren't good enough, or maybe that I'm judging you. First of all I don't know you! Second I don't judge what other people feed their families!

Are you "forcing" your kids to follow your diet? What about parties and sleep overs?
My teenagers are old enough to make their own decisions about what they put into their bodies. I have only a few simple "rules" if you call them that. If they want to eat junk food, candy or drink sodas then they have to use their own money to buy them. And they're responsible for how they feel after consuming those products. If my teens drink a 2 lt of soda, eat a box of cookies, scarf down chocolate and then feel like crap afterwards, I don't want to hear about it. Unless they're bleeding or puking then they are the ones who have to deal with it. Also I don't want them eating things in front of the little kids that they can't share. Just to be nice. At sleep overs or parties they know what makes them feel good. We are lucky that 90% of  our friends and family feel the same way about nutrition as we do, so most if not all of the events we attend will have plenty of foods to pick from!


My younger two are happy and content to eat what I give them. I make it fun! And colorful! And exciting so they love it and gobble everything right up! But I do sometimes give them healthy treats too! 

My kids LOVE their lunches. How many teenagers do you know that beg their mom to pack their lunches instead of buying pizza at school? Most of the time the other kids are asking for food from my kids! 

Whats Bento?
Wiki says Bento is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container.

I say Bento is a fun way to get my kids to eat healthful foods. I dunno about your kids but mine will eat dang near ANYTHING on a stick! So I take a few extra minutes each evening to make their lunches just a little more exciting.

Are you a Bento expert?
Heck no! Gosh I am just starting out! There are many many blogs out there dedicated to some amazing and beautiful Bento lunches! Most of my photographs are snapped from my cell phone. Sometimes I break out the "real" camera for them, but I don't usually have time since I have to pack 3 different lunches each night before bed.
However, I am more than happy to share my pictures, descriptions and any advice on shortcuts, recipes, helpful hints that I've learned along the way!

Where do you get your Bento supplies?
I purchased my food picks, veggie cutters, rice molds and smaller bento boxes from my local Asian Foods Market. There are also tons of online sites selling bento supplies. If I find a great deal online I will of course post it for you!


What are those boxes you're packing in?
Most of my lunches are packed into Easy Lunch Boxes. I love these boxes so much! They're perfect for Bento lunches. And I also purchased the insulated lunch bags for each kiddo to carry them. There is room in each bag for your container, a reusable water bottle, whole piece of fruit, napkin, silverware and even an ice pack! My teenagers prefer their bags plain solid colored. My 7yo daughter wanted hers decorated. We used puffy fabric paint to put on her name, flowers, hearts and butterflies. She loves it! And her lunch box will never get confused for someone elses!


What do you mean by "Trash Free"?
I try to be as environmentally friendly as possible. I pack everything into reusable containers and we use cloth napkins (both at home and away) We make use of our towns free recycling program and if it can't be re-used in some way its recycled or thrown into the trash. 
I buy things like yogurt, apple sauce and cheese in larger containers and give each kid a serving size in their lunch. I never purchase things like single serving yogurt cups, apple sauces or chips. Most of that stuff is highly processed and just creates more trash!


What about your scraps? You cut shapes out of cheese and veggies? Doesn't that just create more trash or waste food?
I cut things to minimize waste, for cheeses I cut as close to each other as possible. Anything left over I either munch on, give to a kid wandering by or save in a baggie for later. For veggies such as cucumber and carrots I either pack the cut outs with the lunch (if they're pretty!) or I also save them in a baggie in the fridge. I use them in my own lunch salads or dinner salads. I only throw away/compost things that are not edible or saveable.

 


Does Bento cost more money?
Like many families we are on a budget. We feed 6 people several times a day on one income. I have to budget and save where ever I can. I don't believe that my lunches are more expensive than anyone elses. I'm still packing the same foods I did before, the only difference now is that I take a few extra minutes to arrange them, cut shapes, put food on cute sticks and pay attention to presentation. I save money by shopping locally when ever possible and watching sale flyers. I also make a list and stick to it! It really helps me to plan out my meals in the beginning of the week, write down my ideas and make a  list based on what is on sale that week.



Where do you shop for food?
We are lucky enough to live in the beautiful state of Colorado. From May to October we have many farmers markets to pick from. Each weekend we pick up our fruit and veggies for the following week. One of the local farms we buy from has a "fill a bag" policy. For $10.00 you can fill your bag FULL of produce. And boy do I ever fill it. I'm very good at stuffing the bags full :)
We  buy local raw honey to use as a sweetener in hot tea, plain yogurt and some baking/cooking.

We also shop our local Sunflower Market  I watch the sale ads and plan my meals (both dinners and lunches) based on what is on sale that week. 
During the fall and winter months we like to shop Costco as well. In the past few years they have really improved their organic selection of fruits and veggies.
For meats we buy our grass fed beef through a local co-op.  Chicken, some seafood, eggs, etc are purchased either from costco in bulk or local markets when on sale. My teenage son has a shellfish allergy so we do not buy seafood often.

We have our milk delivered weekly from a local dairy. Its not certified organic, but they are local, treat their cows respectfully and vow to use no routine abx or hormones.

I also shop at a local "discount" grocer. They have all name brand items and even some produce. Sometimes the boxes are a little dented or ugly but the product inside is perfect. Often times I can get stuff for 60-80% cheaper than the retail price!


You mention Organic often. Is everything you buy organic?
I prefer organic but like many people I can't always afford to only purchase organic products. I try to closely stick to the "dirty dozen" list of most contaminated foods and  always buy those organic. As for all the other things we eat I read labels carefully. I avoid HFCS and anything highly processed.

How old are your kids, what are their names?
My children are 17, 15, 7 and 3. Two girls and two boys.
Their names? Isn't that a little personal? :)

I will refer to them by DD for (darling daughter) or DS for (darling son) followed by their ages to keep them apart.

Any more questions? Leave a comment!

Lets get onto the pictures! Yay!