Monkey business

Posted by: bentoriffic on: July 13, 2012

In: bento | casein free | Foods | kids | lunchbox | plant based | salad | Spring | Summer | Vegan | Vegetarian
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This week is jungle week at preschool summer camp for the girls. They are obsessed with monkeys already. I happen to think it’s because they can relate to their behavior at 2 & 4. They’re wild, they like to run around and make tons of noise, throw things, and thank goodness they’re cute…what’s not to like?

Miss G is having a monkey face. I used a biscuit cutter for the top part of the head and a large oval (Easter egg) cutter for the mouth portion of the sandwich and trimmed the edges a bit. Then I used a smaller circle cutter for the ears. It’s all made from Rudi’s Honey Wheat bread and filled with Justin’s Almond butter and strawberry jam. I used the almond butter to stick on the fruit leather mouth, nostrils and pupils. The eyes are Vegan brand cheese. The face is on 2 romaine leaves and there are halved prunes underneath to prop up the ears and mouth & keep them from falling. I also included heart shaped strawberry halves. At the top left are plum sections with a piece of monkey baran (food separators) and at top right are watermelon squares with another monkey packed in her Easy Lunch Box container.

Little A is having a monkey swinging from a broccolini tree. I used a cookie cutter for this one and made the face from Stretch Island fruit leather. I also cut “bananas” from pineapple chunks. Miss G and I have a severe banana allergy so we can’t have the real thing in the house. I hung the bananas in the tree along with a monkey pick. Underneath the monkey are crinkle cut sugar snap peas for the jungle floor packed in her Easy Lunch Box container.

My husband’s salad is very orangey today. Orange foods are full of the antioxidant carotenoids which help reduce inflammation, enhance the immune system and are a great source of vitamin A for things like healthy skin and vision. He has baby bok choi and other mixed baby greens. On top are sliced orange bell peppers, Daiya vegan cheese shreds and carmelized walnuts around the sides. At the top left are cashews underneath dried apricots. At the top right are watermelon squares, a heart cut out of the middle is filled with pomegranate seeds packed in his Easy Lunch Box container.