I Heart Lunch: Sometimes The Simplest Foods Are Just Too Weird

Silly Giggly Bento (in an oversized Sandwich Box)

Homemade applesauce with sprinkles; “Octo-Dogs;” a Biscuit stuffed with peas/carrots/corn; natural Fruit Leather letters

This was a bento that I sent to school a few weeks ago. It was a “thrown together” lunch — one of those morning where I hadn’t planned or prepared for anything in particular. But, thanks to a restless night, I was up early and drinking cup after cup of coffee.

And I blame the caffeine for the insanity that ensued.

I decided I would try an idea I’d seen on Pinterest — the “Octo-Dog.” A simple and silly concept — cut hot dogs or natural casing sausages in half and then make a few more cuts, creating eight dangly legs.

Boil or pan-fry and within a few minutes, you have an official octo-dog. Easy. Peasy.

I quickly pulled out a hot dog for Mr. Boy and a Aidell’s Chicken and Apple Sausage for the Little Lady (she loves them). Cut. Cut. Cutcutcutcutcut.

With each passing moment, as my edible creation began to take shape, the excitement began to boil within. THIS was going to be the BEST LUNCH EVER!

By the time the Kidlets had woken from the deep sleep of childhood, I had finished assembling everything and was eager to see their reactions to this bento.

Oh, the smiles! Oh, the giggles! Oh, the joy!

They LOVED it! Mr. Boy was especially tickled with his hot dogs, laughing over the curly legs and little hats.

I just knew I had won this one.

Several hours later, I was picking them up from Preschool and beginning my usual spiel of asking about their day and (of course) asking about their lunches.

“Um… I ate the biscuit! But …. I didn’t eat the hot dog legs,” volunteered Mr. Boy.

“Me EITHER! I did NOT eat those legs,” yelled the Little Lady from the third row of our mini-van.

You. Didn’t. Eat. The. Legs???????

Nearly unanimously, both children began to chant, “Legs are weird, Mommy! Legs are too weird!”.

Well, then. I see.

I just can’t win for trying . . . sometimes.

Link Up With 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 a blog post or flickr photos — this linky is for any kind of healthy school lunch, regardless if it is Bento-style or not. I want to celebrate our efforts to provide good and enjoyable school lunches for our children!

The linky is offered each Tuesday when I share our Bento lunches so you’ll be able to add your lunches every week. 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!

Note: you can link a blog post, public facebook photo, flickr page, etc.