Believe it or not, I did this. Not my husband, the chef. It’s not a photo from a magazine I cut out (actually, it’s not good enough to be in a magazine, but still). I really did it.

As we’re preparing to send Zoe to school, I started obsessing over all the things we need to do prior to day one. I do this with most things I tackle in life – just ask the poor people I work with (or my husband). We had an excel doc to plan our wedding, our honeymoon, our baby prep, our search for a new home – a google doc to plan our move to the new home, our home improvements, our upcoming vacation. I’m a freak. Oddly, we do NOT have an “organizer” for Zoe’s school experience – what was I thinking?! I’m on it.

But back to the point: Zoe’s lunch. I pictured our small child opening up her little lunch box, all by herself, and decided I needed to act.

Then I found this cool article on Parenting.com and was convinced I needed to bento. Suddenly, amazon.com boxes started show up every couple of days (veggie cutters, egg molds, baking cups). And Bart started to worry. Less about what I was spending, more about what bento box fun was going to do to our good little eater. He’s afraid she’ll never again eat a slice of cheese that isn’t shaped like a heart or a star. I am on the fence. Clearly, we need your help.

My suggestion is to have ONE day a week that’s a special bento day (and after making the one you see above, I think that’s all I could keep up with). Like a “Wacky Wednesday” where we pack her a special lunch and read the Dr. Seuss book at bedtime. Bart just shakes his head and says, “It’s already starting” when she isn’t interested in eating the slice of cheese that has the cutout holes in it… She really IS a great eater, and I don’t want to ruin that, but her face lights up when I hand her a flower-shaped carrot cutout. It’s hard not to want to get repeat that smile…

Anyone have any experience here?

P.S. Ann – I know what you think (and love Susana’s bentos), so I am prepared to blame you entirely if I get my way ;)