*I Heart Lunch* — the Valentine’s Day Edition

A Toddler Rainbow Bento (in a Lunchbot container):

Cream Cheese & Organic Raspberry Jam Tortilla Rolls; Bell Pepper Strips, Sugar Snap Peas, Maroon Carrots; Cheese Sticks; Fresh Fruit

I have to admit — Valentine’s Day was never my favorite holiday.  Too much red.  Too much pink.  Too many hearts and doilies everywhere.

Then I had Kidlets and fell in love with Valentine’s Day.  And, yes, even the hearts and doilies.

Heart-Tastic Bento (in an Easy Lunchbox container):

Homemade Pizza Hot Pockets; Sugar Snap Peas (with ranch dressing in the polka-dot sauce container); Greek Yogurt with Sprinkles; Strawberries

I don’t need a specific day to tell them that Mommy loves and adores them . . . but it’s fun to take extra effort with hearts to remind them that this ol’ Mommy (who, on occasion, gets the epithet of “MEANEST MOMMY EVER”) is in love with them.

(Mr. Boy’s hot pocket bento …. stored in a Laptop Lunchbox)

Regardless of how loud they yell, how hard they stomp their feet, how sticky, messy, or slimy they are, I love them.  Their quirky smiles, ornery sparkling eyes.  The pale freckles beginning to dot the Little Lady’s cheeks and the dramatic eyebrows of Mr. Boy.  And, of course, Baby Barney’s blonde spirals that (more than once) have hidden Cheerios.

This Heart’s For You bento (store in a Lunchbot container)

Heart Pocket Sandwiches (stuffed with Sunbutter); fresh fruit; Maroon Carrot slices; dip (in the blue sauce container); heart-shaped Hard Boiled Eggs

(yes, it seems my Toddler’s hair has a super-power; such an awesome discovery to learn your child uses his hair to store food)

Hearts Over-Flowing Bento (stored in a Sandwich Box):

A (slightly over-done!!!) Grilled Cheese Sandwich that was stamped with a heart prior to cooking; Maroon Carrot Slices, Fresh Fruit; sliced Hard Boiled Eggs

One of these days, I know my kids will get big and old and will start shunning all the cutesy lunches.  And, at that point, I’ll have to find new, daily ways of reminding them how special their faces and personalities are to me.

But, for now, I’ll fashion hearts out of everything I can and fill their lunches with all my hugs and kisses … simple symbols that conveys so much.

Leftovers for Lunch (stored in an Easy Lunchbox container)

Trader Joe’s Potstickers with Red Pepper letters; Homemade Fried Rice; Carrot Sticks; Oranges and Strawberry Hearts; Cheese Sticks; Veggie Dip (in the green sauce container)

I Heart Lunch!!

I adore getting inspiration and ideas (and even “THAT’S how you do that” moments) from others out there … so let’s share with one another with the “I Heart Lunch Weekly Link-up.”

You can link to any kid-lunch/bento or family-friendly recipe on a blog post or via flickr photos — this linky is for any kind of healthy school lunch and kid-food, regardless if it is Bento-style or not. I want to celebrate our efforts to provide good and enjoyable school lunches for our families!

My only request is that you either add a link back to this post or include the Lunch Graphic (which links back) to your post so others can get here to view the linked lunches too!

Link up your school lunches and bentos!  Please use a permalink for your post rather than linking your general blog/flickr account URL — this will help people go directly to your fabulous lunch!

Now — link ‘em up!