Our precious twins

Lilypie Kids birthday PicLilypie Kids birthday Ticker

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Bento week # 20

Some asked if i no longer doing bento
Some commented so long never see my bento updates

i'm drowning in guiltiness !!!

The answer is of course i'm still doing bento but it has obviously gone a different direction now with the transition the boys faced from attending kindy to the primary school since beginning of the year. Time was also trying very hard on me lately bcoz i had a super paranoid huby that 'forced' me into spending more time on the boys' homework & studies!! As much as he was happy with my blogging & bento life, he has no choice but to pressure me in foregoing my precious time spent on these 2 hobbies, as his boys' education is above anything !!! To a certain extend, i even felt 'stress' from the pressure he enforced albeit in an indirect mode!!!

I wasn't sure if it was officially a 'problem' but Scot has been reluctant to eat in school, for reason i've yet to ascertain despite much effort!! The same problem was not heard during his time in the kindy. His teacher as well as the 'cook' aunty used to tell me & my mom how many bowls of noodles/porridge both my boys ate. So meal time was never a worry.

Now that in their primary school, we enrolled the boys in the school meal for RM40 per month. With the school preparing meals to them (same way like in their kindy), apart from not wanting them to face much different from their life in kindy, i also do not want the boys to feel left out if they see their friends eating school foods & they are not.

At the same time, i would also prepared a light bento (mostly snack) :

- just as "add-on" should the school meal is too light or;

- serve as an "option" should the food on that particular day is rejected by their taste bud or;

- serve as "tummy-filler" during the 30-45mins after school
(with the traffic congestion during dismissal time, plus extra time spent searching for the boys who would run around & the journey travelling back home, my mom said it could easily takes this long to reach home before the lunch is serve) By then, it could already be 2pm or later.

I thought in that way, i need not have to worry about their meal. However, my recent discoveries proved me wrong. For the past whole month, everyday after work without fail, i would diligently question my boys separately what was the food served on that day. When both boys told the same answer, it means there was no lie. Next, i would asked if they finish the canteen food. Luckily my boys were franked in this regards (much to my surprise), they would tell how they disliked the food hence, did not eat them. Sometimes, there were also other excuses/answers provided. Then obviously i expected them to have eaten their bento instead but to my SHOCK, Scot DID NOT also touch his bento !!! It means this fella has been starving his little tummy from 7 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon, a time when he would whacked a whole big plate of rice !!!

I'm fine if the bento came back intact but they finished the canteen food. But it was not so in my little Scot's case!! My heart really broke into pieces when again & again i came home to receive the same news. Sometimes i would rather he be not so frank....sigh!!! Kakak has been assigned the critical task of checking their lunch box first thing upon reaching home. Anyway, his big brother Sean would there to protest should he hears any lies from his little brother!!

Usually i would check Sean's comment & most of the time he would says:
" Neh Scot lar, he said he is full so he push his plate of food to me " and Sean whalloped them at times, slaphead!!

I felt extremely bad with what Scot has been enduring, i wonder if the food by the canteen COOK was really that SUCKS !! I wonder if Scot was not feeling easy with the adjustments he has to endure!! See the poor fella is getting more & more skinny as compare to that MEATY Sean !!!
I need not have to tell who has rounder face, do I??

Anyway, with the restrictions faced in the current situation, i don't have many choices in the selection of food for the boys' bento!! Anything too cheesy, too milky would not be tolerable. Anything is to be consumed fresh is totally out. Time endurance is an important factor. That maybe why my bento also sucks in taste lately.....

To combat his recent problem, during bedtime, i would even threaten them & began telling 'liar stories' on how his stomach would be visited by all the worms & insects if there are no nutrients, and how his stomach would started to break if there are no food for it to work which leads to gastric and such....LOL LOL, terrible liar mom !!!

Anyhow, as a mother, i can only try, try & try again....giving him a simple bento to encourage Scot to eat. I'm going to show a whole list of the simple bento for the boys & you tell me if they r really such dampening to the appetite !!??

Chocolate bread slice alternating with butterscotch bread tied up in a gift with cheese slice, with quill eggs & baby mandarin oranges!! **too bad untouched too **
Btw, i bought these 2 TOMICA lunch boxes recently from NST's booth at Desa park city Waterfront....that was a lovely place to stay man ....!!

================================================



Fried rice la

===================================================


Sweet French toast, gummy sweets, almond chocolate & baby mandarin orange!!

=============================================


The above green box was obviously for SCOT as i've purposely slipped in 2 bbq driedmeat sandwiches for him with loads of other tummy fillers!!

Unlike the below blue box which was meant for SEAN, i didn't gave him the sandwich as i knew he eats canteen food, just some 'extras' !!!


==============================================

more snacks here

sausage, kiwis, fried fillet & car shaped rice

dipping biscuit sticks, seaweed rice crackers & edamame

yoghurt drink, grapes, fried fillet & macademia nuts

============================================

At one point, i felt so unmotivated until i had to resort to making SUPER MINI SANDWICHES like the below.....it was only a triangle sushi mould (now....am sure u know how small it is)

===============================================

Even, yummillicious cakes like the below also were not appreciated. A customer bought them to our office last Thursday & each of us had 3 pieces. I only dare to take a bite of each, can die if i eat them all. So i cute them into smaller pieces for the boys but also untouched. They were only whacked after their piano & drama _ speech class which ended at 9:15 on Friday night. The class started at 7:30 pm, a time their stomachs said too early for dinner so they went to the class empty stomach too (as they ate their lunch quite late)


=================================================

That's THE END of the snack bentos for the boys !!!

=================================================




I'm sorry if i had already blurred your vision with the bento marathon above!!
But i'm not about to finish yet. As i really dunno when i would have time & energy to post these if i don't skali do it now.....continue posting more bentos photos for you to drool.....

I'm way far out from calling myself a bentoist as i don't follow the rules at all.
No recipes, no instructions .....no tutorials!!
All i mind was to make FUN with bento then post them up here (lest there are ppl who appreciate them)

Again, these are ADULTS BENTO (not for my kids, ok!!!)


Easy peasy LYCHEE Fried rice with "Ah Pek" & "Ah Moi" (fishballs & taufu skin) sitting on a pool of ladies fingers


**************************************************************



Yam rice with sweet & sour meat ball, some filamen sticks & flower egg sheets!!
Some macademia nuts (thks unc.Bob for this) & raisins as appetizer!!



*********************************************************

Sweet potatoe rice, weiners with brocollis!!
a buffalo wings & some curry potatoes on a pool of stir fried cabbage!!

*************************************************************


Macademia nuts + raisins + lettuce = GREAT SALAD
Bitterguard chickens to go with the moulded rice
I was clearly seen clearing off my DENBU (the pinkish thingy on the pooh cheeks)


************************************************************



On days i needed more GREENS .....


This time, i'm really ending this super long bento post !!!
Hope i've contributed some ideas there.....

Happy Bentoing !!!

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw these bentos at Facebook, and I was wondering if I missed your blog. :) Now only you post them up.
I like that triangular bento with bee, very cute!

Chinneeq said...

wah...wah...nice ler all your bento ideas!!

allthingspurple said...

huahh.adult bento also got kyaraben wan, ar !! Lucky adults *grin*.

Hey, u should drop by their school lunchtime and check on their food leh. I do that all the time. So far Kimberly dare not come home with a full box yet. Although she would leave out something. But when she wants to buy from the canteen, I dont pack bento for her. Anyhow I dont bento daily like before, so I guess she gets the best (or is it really? haha) out of both world. ie. to buy with her friends and to have some homecook food sometimes.

Your snack bento being an option for lunch is a good idea.I thinkk maybe they nibble a bit and it kept them going till 2 pm? Not to worry, Jaclyn, Kimberly used to be like that from 8 to 3.30pm when she get home before I start to bento for her. They do nibble a bit of the school's lunch even if they dont like it.

Vivianz said...

Nice yam rice... looks really pretty!

hey, where did u get the DENBU?

LittleLamb said...

u r really good la. i thought u made nice bento for ur kids only... (to attract them to eat)... then then..u also spend a lot of time to bento for urself...wah...*salute*..

anyway keep up the good work. dont worry about scot too much. when he is hungry, he will know to eat..

LHS said...

love your bento designs, you're really talented and patient. how good if i had 20% like you!!

Anggie's Journal said...

looking at those bento.. already make me hungry !!! o.O

slavemom said...

So this is why Sean's expanding while Scot's shrinking. I know when the kiddo doesn't eat like usual, it's vy worrying. We can imagine how bad it is to their lil stomach, to go w/o food for such a long time.
I hope it's jes a temp thing. And Scot will cont. to eat his snacks in sch (be in canteen food or bento u prep). I'm really wondering how bad the canteen food can be. Coz usually they'll make it more tasty (n less healthy) coz it's rather difficult to please lil children, rite.
Btw, I particularly like ur bread wrapped like a gift. Of coz, it's vy appetizing looking at ALL ur pretty n creative bentos. ;)

Anonymous said...

Wah, how can kids refuse such a snack! Just go slow and at your pace. No need to hurry-hurry just to catch up with the other. have fun.

Anonymous said...

Wow...I felt so, so, so hungry after looking at all your yummy-looking bentos!

I agree with what allthingspurple suggested - go check out what's in school first?

As a Mum to a REALLY fussy eater, I've come to know what he likes, will eat and dislike.

For every meal, I'll be sure to include a bit of the above!

Or you can ask him yourself what he'll eat and won't eat and why? You may find out more :)

Btw, you may wanna cut down those sweets & chocs for the one who eats LOL Later, got a "big" problem pula...

Good luck and don't worry too much, ya.

Health Freak Mommy said...

Wow, I am really impressed with your creation and creativity! Am surprised why Scott doesn't get turned on with such attractive food.
My gals are like that too sometimes. Maybe it's because too much food all cramped into one small lunch box and by the time they eat them in a few hours' time, the food gets all messed up and doesn't taste nice anymore? It had happened many times with my gals' lunchboxes when the cookies went over to the fruits section and all became like dunno what and my gals didn't want to eat them. So now I put all their food in separate tiny lunch boxes, i.e. one for fruits, one for cookies, one for bread, etc. Though doesn't look as good as a complete bento lunch box, but the food taste better.

Sasha Tan said...

adoi my eyes....now very blur edi after looking at so many bentos! esp yr ahpek and ah moi hahahahhahahaah

JK said...

Jacss, there must be a reason why Scott refused to eat in school. It may be anything from short recess time to environment to friends, not just food. Talk to him and find out indirectly.

Does he take his breakfast? Is it heavy? If it is, it may be that he is still full. Does he take his lunch and does he eat well at home? If yes, you don't have to worry too much. Maybe you can buy something light for him to bring to school, those that he likes eating.

Karl only eats a piece of bread or two in school, sometimes it's a few pieces of biscuits and when he comes home, he finishes his lunch. For breakfast, I make sure he eats and has enough.

So sorry to write so much here. Hopefully you can find the reason and solve the problem.

Anonymous said...

wah your bento so cantik oso Scot dun wan ah...maybe going thru a phase only leh....

Annie Q said...

WAH! So many bento's in one go!! Don't worry, your bento still look so so good and yuummy and nice!!

No wonder when i see your boys during chinese new year picnic, i can see the different between them (i mean size):)Hmmm...my Cruz also don't have much appetite lately, teacher told me, last time Cruz can eat and finish the food in no time, now the other way round, Fearles finish the food faster than Cruz. Cruz always keep the food in the mouth, or will tell teacher he don't wan to eat or he already full. Teacher did ask me is he eating too much junk food during chinese new year, i think this is one of the reason too. Compare to Fearles, Cruz eat a lot of junk, now i try to stop him eating so much junk. Hope Scot get his appetite back soon. :)

I love butterscotch a lot too! Easy to slip in bento too. :P Lazy and easy way to prepare bento.

I love the tomica lunch box.:)

Anonymous said...

I think you did more bento than I do! Btw, I like all your adult bentos!

I really salute you to be able to do so many even you're working full time (even for yourself)!

Btw, I heard a lot about you from Amah and Christene. :) Also, thanks for checking out my blogs :)

slavemom said...

Hey Ma'am, here's a tag for u.

cre8tone said...

Your bento r so creative and looks so yummy!~

Anonymous said...

got a tag for u!

http://thotsntales.com/?p=1416

JK said...

How's Scott?

1+2mom said...

Love to see your bento again :) Nice bento you make to your boys.

Jacss said...

chris, yes i agree that drop'g by their school lunchtime would be a great idea...but that would mean sacrificing a day leave for me!! so wait lar...one day!!

vivianz: i also see denbu in isetan.

rachel: i do bento also to satisfy a hobby so only with adults food, u can do more bento arts!!

ginie: u just read my mind & say the words from my heart!!

yea jessie, i also thot how can a kid resists such cutie food...sigh! maybe it's true i shd not compare betw the brothers!!

yes kittycat: i've started to discuss with scot abt the menu of his food...thk god he's cooperating! oh ya..noted on the junks for the other fella, haha

somehow...i do agree with u, healthfreakmum!! i believe it's good to separate the type of foods in the lunch box, thanks!

JO, thanks for yr warm words!! unfortunately, both d boys didn't take breakfast before going to school bcoz time was just too short in the morning & the appetite hasn't opened yet!!
anyhow, by now i sort of discovered the reasons why scot refused to eat canteen food!!
apparently, he doesn't like to be confined sitting at the allocated seat for his meal & prefers to join his group of friends that brought their home food, where this group of kids were normally be asked to go to the assembly area to eat their food. and i think the kids would be having a picnic there & i can imagine my monkey scot would be running around playing...at time might hv forgotten to eat, it would be lucky if he remembers to eat!! LOL

yes annie, my boys love butterscoth bread too!! u know what, sean lost his tomica lunch box, i really wana cry man!!

thks for yr comment angeleyes, u had lovely bentos too!! one day, u must tell me what that 2 women told abt me, ok??