Dollar Tree Bento Finds!!

Ok, so yesterday I posted about trying to Bento.  By the time I finished the post I had made the decision to go for it (sometimes writing can be so helpful!).

I mentioned that one of the blogs I followed had talked about buying some stuff from the Dollar Tree (I follow her main blog, but she started a blog just for Bento and you can see her Bento blog here :  Bento On a Budget)

Well, I went and checked out my dollar tree and I found a ton of stuff!  I spent a total of $22 (plus tax), and in some cases a Bento Box costs that much or more if you buy it online!  Here are all of my goodies!!!

I got 4 locking boxes, 2 Eggies (for making hard boiled eggs you don't have to peel...or without yolks if you have a picky eater), some small clear containers (20 total), some cute animal containers (frog, bee, lady bug, and monkey), 3 animals bowls (bee, frog, and monkey, neither one of my dollar trees had the lady bug in stock so I will have to keep looking), 2 sandwich cutters, an egg slicer in case I decide to not do a whole egg, or to make it easier to eat, some cupcake liners that can be used also to separate foods, some picks with hearts on them, and some pick forks with diamonds on them.

Not a bad start!  I could have bought less, since I know (at least right now) I won't Bento for my oldest, and I may or may not for my 2 yr old, but I figured it was best to buy enough for all 4, just in case.  Especially since things at the Dollar Tree come and go and you never know what they will have on stock.

I'm starting to get really excited about this!

Bento, or not to Bento...

That is the question.


Bento looks really fun, and cute...but is it something I would have the extra time to do?  Is it something my kids would eat?  Well, I am sure Jaidan would eat it, Riley is my main concern because he is so picky.

Bento, for those who don't know, is a meal, usually served in a 'Bento Box'.  It's usually finger foods, you can make fun designs, or themes with them.  Sandwiches, cheese, and other items cut into fun shapes, fun picks used to eat the food, and sometimes people even do fun themes with their bento boxes.

Here's 1 website I found that shares tips, ideas, and even items you can buy for your bento boxes JUST BENTO.

If you go to Pinterest and search Bento you will find a TON of cool, and also some over the top Bento ideas.  One of the blogs I follow is doing a Bento on a Budget section, and you can find a lot of the cool fun things to use for it at the Dollar Tree, my favorite dollar store.

Bento meals have a lot more fruits and veggies in them, so they are much healthier for your kids to eat too.

I am thinking maybe I will try it...It's a bit more work, but if I try it and decide it's not for me, at least I can say I tried it...plus I can start off with cheap things from the Dollar Tree, so if it doesn't work out, at least I'm not out of a lot of money...right?

What do you think of Bento?  Is it something you would consider trying?  Do you already Bento?