Me: Owen how do you want this carrot in your lunch? Do you want me to cut it into carrot sticks or do you want me to leave it like this-- like a big carrot rocket?
Owen: I don't want any carrots in my lunch.
Me: Would you like me to put some dip in for your carrot sticks?
Owen: I would like ketchup. . .
with french fries. . .
and some chicken nuggets. . .
That got no reply from me other than to turn and march myself right back into the kitchen to finish making his lunch. This is exactly why I am making his lunches at home and sending them to school.
Kindergartners want to eat fun food. And right now he's thinking that those french fries and chicken nuggets look fun. That is one of the whole ideas behind bento. People, especially children, eat with their eyes first, and if the food isn't visually appealing--they won't want to eat it.
Carrot sticks, sweet red pepper squares on toothpicks, cheese leaves, and ants on a log. He also had a half a sandwich. (Jeremy had made him a whole sandwich, but Jonas found it and ate one half for his breakfast.)
When I finished putting together Owen's Americanized bento box I took it over and showed him. I got the wide-eyed expression of surprise and interest I was looking for.
"This is your lunch." I told him. (And no, you may not have fries with that.)
I think he enjoyed his lunch. I definitely was excited to show it to him, and he ate most of it. Now I just have to stop by the principle's office when I drop him off today and ask for his plastic toothpicks back.
Apparently they were confiscated for being "spaceships--flying through the hair galaxy."
("Who's hair galaxy Owen?")
Seriously, they should be paying me to send my kid to school. You know those teachers haven't had laughs this good in a long time.
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