So technically it’s not cheating, but here’s an easy and inexpensive way to start Bento-ing for your kids without laying out big bucks, or driving to one of the large metropoleis if, like me, you live in a region lacking in Japanese food supplies. Of course you can simply order online too. Which I did. But that’s another post.
In the baby/toddler products aisle of stores like Meijer, Wal-Mart, etc., you may stumble across this cute and very useful snack box by Sassy, called the On-the-Go Feeding Set. I found mine locally for $5.99 and have been packing it full for school lunches for my younger daughter. I know it looks tiny, but following the Bento model can be loaded with calories. And since I also pack a similar container for the afternoon snack, I’m not worried that she’s eating too few calories. Honestly, since I’ve started doing this, I think she’s eating more calories. Certainly, she’s bringing home fewer mangled leftovers.
It isn’t super tight and leaks a little, but I take that into account when filling it. And there isn’t as much of a learning curve to packing it as I’ve found there is with a traditional Bento box.
If you want to check out the different styles of easily accessible Bento boxes for kids and don’t want to get your hands dirty, check out anotherlunch.com where Melissa shows pictures of the different types, and evaluates them by size, washability, etc. She even has a Sassy Box category, where you can see the Sassy lunches she’s created.
And how about you? If you’ve used one for your kids, especially for those on specialty or medical diets, I’d love to hear how it’s working.
Cheater Bento
Low-carb SCD Bento, or Where to Score a Phenomenal Menu Planner
Photo used under Creative Commons from gamene
Without whining about all of the details, I’ll tell you that I spent 17 hours this past weekend cooking. Am I crazy? Probably. But when my husband mistakenly said earlier this weekend that I was “enthusiastic” about my daughter’s diet, I had to correct him. “I’m not enthusiastic; I’m desperate.”
Those of you who have kids with behavioral and/or digestive issues know that the reward of the hard work of a successful dietary endeavor is no comparison to having a child who’s out of control, unable to attend class, or sit in a car seat, or worse yet losing weight due to malabsorption.
My daughter has been on the SCD for three years and for the first time, getting her to stay on the diet is becoming problematic now that she is in kindergarten. My heart goes out to her. I know that she wants be like other kids, but within the past few weeks she’s started getting snacks from her table mates at school, sneaking her sister’s food at home, and most embarrassingly, stealing a forbidden candy from a store while my husband was distracted paying the bill. Ouch! So much for my perfect parenting award.
I’m hoping to redeem myself, and make her life a little easier, by upping my game when it comes to the lunches and snacks she takes to school. She can be picky when it comes to food, especially in her lunch—while her friends are watching—and that in combination with the restrictions of easily transportable, ready-to-eat SCD food, led me to contemplate Bento.
Never heard of Bento? Me neither until recently. But what kid wouldn’t love supremely cute lunch boxes filled with scenes of forest animals, or comic characters—not just lunch, but art? Granted, traditional Bento foods are not SCD, gluten-free, or even low-carb, but I’m on a mission and I won’t let that stop me.
I’ve found a phenomenal Bento site, chock full of resources, including recipes, pictures (definitely the most helpful), and equally as important for thinking ahead—and for getting one’s family to stick to the plan—is a meal planner. I have been using meal planners of one sort or another for years, but this is the Holy Grail of (on paper) meal planners.
It’s a full week, with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for each day, along with extra space for notes and a shopping list, but the best part is the Bento lunch section. It is organized graphically, which means that the lunch section looks somewhat like a mini Bento box and each section is proportional to how much of that type of food: protein, carbs, vegetables, fruit/snacks, you should include in your lunch. Obviously, for the SCD Bento, one has to alter it a bit.
If you would prefer more Americanized Bento lunches for kids, check out bentolunch. The Bento photos in the masthead alone are worth the visit, but you’ll want to make sure to check out the What’s For Lunch weekly post where commenters leave pics of their cute Bento lunches.
If you have a cute SCD, gluten-free, or low-carb lunch site or picture to share, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
SCD Halloween
Holidays, for SCDers, can be a challenge.
Since Halloween is coming up, I’m brainstorming some workable SCD solutions so I don’t freak out at the last minute.
Please remember, not all of these foods will work for everyone, especially if you are new to the diet. And the small bits of dried fruit and nuts may not be suitable for especially young ones.
I’ve broken this down into two lists, the first for trick-or-treating and the second for parties, festivals, etc.
A few ideas for trick-or-treating:
Add a little extra pizzazz by using themed treat bags.
1. Non-food items such as little puzzles, mini-sticker books, individual-sized Play-doh (note: these contain wheat) etc. (Personally, I’m not a fan of small plastic toys.)
2. Boxed raisins without sugar.
3. Dried fruits without sugar: pineapple, apricots, etc.
4. Date-nut balls, baked or raw, if properly packaged (from Breaking the Vicious Cycle).
5. Clementine pumpkins (You can make really cute jack-o-lanterns by pressing fruit leather onto clementines as seen on page 78 of the print edition of October’s Family Fun magazine.)
6. Mini-pumpkins: not edible, but still fun.
7. Honey lollipops (from Breaking the Vicious Cycle; these are fickle and melt easily. And take it from me, if you tackle these, make sure your counters are level!)
8. Honey marzipan animals—or Halloween ghouls (Ditto the note above. Keep refrigerated as long as possible.)
9. Homemade nut brittle.
10. Individually packaged almond butters. Please note that I have not confirmed that these are SCD compliant, but we have used them successfully.
11. Toasted pumpkin seeds.
12. Homemade trail mix.
13. Homemade Tricolor Chips (from Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet) or Carrot Curls (from Breaking the Vicious Cycle).
14. Individual mini-sized LaraBars. (I’ve found these in boxes of 12 at Whole Foods, and Target in the vitamin section, for about $10. Definitely not frugal, but as one of the few packaged, easily transportable foods, they’re worth it.)
For other Halloween functions such as parties, festivals, pumpkin patch field trips, etc., where the treats aren’t as likely to be crushed during transportation:
1. Homemade SCD cookies in Halloween shapes, like these gingerbread skeletons. (Or the gingerbread recipe from Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.)
2. Homemade SCD meringue cookies (I’m going to try these in scary shapes.)
3. Homemade SCD brownies (from Breaking the Vicious Cycle; replace peanut butter with almond butter).
4. Homemade SCD pumpkin mini-muffins (Don’t forget the specialty liners, like these spider web cupcake wrappers and toppers. Here are some free printable cupcake picks to get you started.)
5. Glazed apple slices (peeled apple cooked in honey, cinnamon, a little butter, and nuts).
6. Pumpkin pie (I usually make a crustless version and bake it in individual ramekins.)
7. Mummy meatloaf (using SCD legal cheese instead of American).
Is this a rare time where we offer non-SCD treats to our little ghosties? That’s a personal decision based on your own child’s health, but on special occasions, I have served these prepared fruit leathers with success.
As for me, I’m on the search for a honey-based candy apple recipe. If you have one, let me know.
What about you? I’d love to hear what SCD Halloween treats you give your little goblins.
