[exceptional-citing quoted=”featured-bento” template=”bubble-gray” date=”” ](Stored in an Easy Lunchbox) Almond Butter & Jelly Sandwich (made using the CuteZCute Animal Friends Cutter Set); air-popped popcorn with sprinkles; white cheddar cheese; carrots and homemade yogurt dip; raspberries. Halloween “Spooky” Food Pick from Bento USA. Halloween Lunch Card from Lunchbox Love.[/exceptional-citing]

I’ve talked about making this school year the “Year of Make-Ahead Lunches.” It’s still going on and it’s still working for me. BUT … now that we are entering my favorite months (yes, I’m 100% a fall and winter girl), it’s hard not to make our simple lunches into fun and cute themed lunches.

After all, the cute food is a good creative outlet for me and a fun daily surprise for the Kidlets (and their teachers, so it seems), and with so many possible lunches ideas with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s hard to reign in the creativity… what little I have, that is.

So, out come the Halloween lunch cards, the quirky food pics and even the Halloween sprinkles … turning the simplest of lunches (prepared ahead of time on the weekends) into lunches that will make my Kidlets smile.

For this lunch, the sandwich, fruit and veggies, and cheese were all packed on Sunday night. I didn’t add the “Spooky” pick to the fruit since Raspberries are a little bit on the finicky side. And those nori (seaweed) details on the vampire-pig’s face? Those were left off as well. I could have added them, I’m sure, if I’d thought about it.

But, the truth is … I didn’t. The idea for a vampire came after the lunch was already packed. In one of those “I’m already in bed and I don’t want to crawl out from under the covers right now” kind of moments.

Confession 1: I have a lot of those.

Confession #2: I really like staying in bed. Way. Too. Much.

The popcorn was something else that wasn’t added till the morning I sent this lunch to school. I popped a small handful in my air-popper (best invention ever) and, after it was all fluffy and white, then threw the popcorn and some Halloween sprinkles into my daughter’s Easy Lunchbox.

A few snips of Nori … and we had a delightfully cute but slightly creepy Vampire Pig Bento.

Confession #3: I kind of find the thought of a vampire pig really, really disturbing. Glad my kids don’t.

ANOTHER LUNCH FROM THIS WEEK:

{IHEARTLUNCH}

Time to share your lunch! What fun lunch boxes have you been packing for your family?

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!