A Boy & His Lunch {blog feature}

Train Bento

Sew Fierce Boutique has been so busy lately. I am thrilled to have the work and love creating all these wonderful custom orders but something has to suffer. The first thing that gets neglected is my blog. I love blogging and checking in on all my favorite but looks like until the holiday season is done, I will be not be able to post like normal. So until then, I have decided to feature some of my bento BFF's. If you liked my bento posts you will really like meeting my friends. I know you will love them and find so many inspiring fun food creations for your kids.

My first feature is A Boy & His Lunch, a beautiful family from Alabama. "What got you interested in bento? I've always believed that pretty food tastes better. I've worked in restaurants, and I always tried to make everyone's food the way I would want mine. Customers noticed! At the sandwich shop I worked at in high school, I had regular customers who would wait for me to be available to make their food because I went out of my way to make sure their food was made neatly and the toppings were spread evenly. Then I became friends with Kandice. She had this album full of cute, healthy lunches for her daughter on her Facebook. Foods I would have never THOUGHT about eating as a child. But it made sense: present healthy food in a way that makes it fun for the kid, and they're a lot more likely to eat it! "

1-2-3-4-5-6 Bento

Veterans Day MTM 

I hope you will stop by and visit A Boy & His Lunch and see all the super yummy lunches and muffin tins she creates :)

First Day Of School, Bentos & MTM

Today was to be C's First day of school in our new town. Friday we went for a meet and greet with her teacher and other classmates. She already made her first sidekick friend in that hour span. I was very happy for her and could tell she was going to be just fine.

Tropical storm Irene hit us Sunday...all day Sunday. We didn't take any damage, thank goodness but I noticed on the local news ticker that school would start 2 hours late. I was kind of relieved, we wouldn't have to rush and feel stressed getting ready for the first day. Then our TV went out for the rest of the night.

The dish guy came out first thing to get our tv back up and running. He finished just in time for us to leave for school. Wahoo, we are on our way, C was very excited. We pull into the school parking lot expecting to see kids and cars everywhere. Not so much, it was a ghost town. Oh no! Did school start on time and we are 2 hours late? I hurried the girls out of the car and up to the front doors. Just as I did I see the principal walk out in his shorts and a tee. "Yumm, apparently there is no school today", I asked him. He said no and proceeded to tell the girls how pretty they looked regardless of the shut down. He then told me the power went out late last night. He explained it was all over the local news this morning and then he realized my TV must have been out and that's why I didn't see it...exactly.

C was very sad when we got back into the car. She was really looking forward to her first day and seeing her new friend again. I explained it would (hopefully) be open tomorrow and that living where we do now, there is going to be several times during the winter that school will be closed, and that it was okay. So we came home, she ate the bento I had packed for school, I made Maddy a MTM and then we cut into that delicious first day of school cake. All is good, cake always makes it better....or maybe it's the sugar high...lol

C's bento lunch

Theme "new fishy in a new pond"

M's Muffin Tin Monday lunch

Muffin Tin Monday - Friends/Sharing

This tin shared by C and Muffin Tin Boy

Today is Muffin Tin Monday and it has been awhile since I have participated *hiding face in shame*, and as much as I would like to say I made the yummy tin shown above...I did not. However my awesome BFF Muffin Tin Mom did! That's right, my kiddos enjoyed MTM courtesy Muffin Tin Mom herself. So a big thank you to MTMom for not only being an amazing friend but for the wonderful handmade MTM for the kiddos.

M and Muffin Tin Girl dressed up and enjoying MTM.

Sick Day MTM and Bento

Thursday Muffin Tin Meal Lunch

C's Bento Lunch Friday

 M's Bento Lunch Friday

I have had a house full of sick kids since last weekend. Last Saturday M spiked a fever and was down for 48 hours. C was fine. Then C started spiking fevers Weds night and still is and M has some nasty chest congestion. Just love when they spread it around the house...lol However even with being sick they have had moments of clarity and feeling better, oddly around lunch time so they have made requests for lunch.

Yesterday we did Muffin Tin Meals. C reminded me that it has been a while since we have done Muffin Tin Monday so we had fun with it. Today they asked for bento's and as long as it made them feel better even for a minute I was game. As of tonight they are still yucky but hope we can resolve it soon because Sunday is the Super Bowl baby!!! Keeping fingers and toes crossed for us all...lol

Muffin Tin Monday - Holiday

The theme this week is Holiday, and since our family celebrates Christmas that is what we did today. We have hot dog and cheesy snowflake skewers, PB&Nutella "mitten" sami's, peanuts and cranberry mix, wheat thins (not sure what those have to do with Christmas but the girls love them...lol) and of course gingerbread men.

For more yummy mummy holiday inspired Muffin Tin Monday's, pop on over to the original home of serving food tin tins, Muffin Tin Mom! 

Muffin Tin Monday - Christmas Theme Lunch

Top to Bottom:

Veggie straws / hummus and celery sticks

Frozen grapes / peanut butter rice krispy treat tree

Stuffing frittata (recipe post later this afternoon) / cheesy trees

Today is Muffin Tin Monday! I have been out of the MTM loop the last few weeks but as always, I can not stay gone too long. Today is a "no theme" week so I decided for M since C got a Christmas bento (see previous post), she could have a Christmas theme tin. It was a hit as always.

To see more awesome and yummy tins made for kiddos by their mommies, stop by the original home of serving food in muffin tins...Muffin Tin Mom!

Muffin Tin Monday - After School Snack

Flower turkey sami's with cheesy Christmas tree's, apple butterfly's,

 gold fish and Halloween gummies.

C had her girlfriend over for a playdate on Thursday. As I asked the girls what they wanted for a snack C busts with "muffin tin monday"!! What a great idea I told her and perfect because this week is "no theme". The girls both enjoyed it and had a blast playing together as usual.

Stop by Muffin Tin Mom for more awesome mommy inspired tins!!

Muffin Tin Monday - Leaves, Tree's and Harvest

Cheesy Christmas tree's, maple leaf PB&J sami's, 

carrots and hummus, chocolate pudding with fall leaf sprinkles.

Today is the 1st which for us me means running around like a mad woman. Trader Joe's, Commissary, Costco, paying M's tuition, ect, ect, ect. All while C is in school and hopefully all done before I have to pick her up.

During on of the pit stops back home to drop off groceries M started saying how hungry she was. Well it is Monday and snack time, so here ya go. I stuck with the tree/leaf theme...it was the quickest thing I could come up with and like Michelle has said before, you do not need fancy tins, picks or cutters...use what you have, add a little mommy creativity and your kids will squeal for it! And isn't that what we love as moms  ^_^

Stop by the Home of Muffin Tin Monday and see other awesome tins from creative moms! 

Muffin Tin Monday - No Theme

Gummy bugs, salami & cheese skewers,

tomatoes or carrots & hummus,

raisins with gold fish pretzels,

veggie sticks and peanuts.

For this week there is no theme for Muffin In Monday which actually worked out to my advantage. I was so wicked tired today, my mind was like mush, so I left the idea's up to C. I asked her to decide what her and M were going to eat and I would help plate the tins. I think she did a great job choosing her her and her sister.

Stop by Muffin Tin Mom for more yummy tins or better yet, join us! It's so simple...yummy food, in a muffin tin! It doesn't get any more similar than that  :)

Muffin Tin Monday - Pumpkins

This weeks MTM theme is "Pumpkins". We have pumpkin & jack o' lantern peanut butter and apple pumpkin butter sami's. Pasta tossed in EVOO, garlic salt and topped with pumpkin shaped cheddar cheese, lil pumpkin candies, vanilla pudding with pumpkin shape sprinkles on top, carrot pumpkins with hummus and scary pumpkin gummies.

Did you notice my wicked awesome NEW muffin tin? My BFF Muffin Tin Mom and her family came over this weekend for a BBQ and to my surprise she hands me this awesome gift!!!!! It is the most gorgeous painted ceramic tin I have ever seen. I don't know if I want to bake with it or simply hang it on my wall for all to see....lol Thanks again for the amazing gift my friend!

For more awesome pumpkin tins stop by the home of MTM - Muffin Tin Mom!

Muffin Tin Monday - The Circus

Todays theme for Muffin Tin Monday is The Circus! I have yet to take the girls to the circus but from what I know of and remember about the circus this became today's lunch.

PB&J train sami's with elephants hanging out of the windows, peanuts and popcorn, tomato balloons, bear gummy's, cheese lion and crackers and strong man mini corn dogs.

From the conversations and ideas swirling around the Muffin Tin Meals Facebook page, there is going to be some amazing tins!! Stop by Muffin Tin Mom and join in or just blog hop around all the other awesome blogs that are participating.

P.S. The tray is from Tupperware. My girlfriend in VA Kathy is a rep and I was lucky enough to win 2 trays from her when she opened her Facebook page. If you need a super sweet Tupperware lady give her a shout. Right now there is a SALE on Cinderella Sami Keepers a set of 2 for only $8. I ordered mine yesterday :)

Fun Day With Muffin Tin Mom - Pick On Us

The awesome day I spent with Michelle (Muffin Tin Mom) was actually a two parter. After we had those delicious cupcakes (see post here) we headed over to a spot she has blogged about before... Pick On Us. They are an online catering supply company but more than that everything is made from bamboo! Since they are an online shop we decided to pop in in the hopes they would let us shop...and they did!

It was a wonderland of colors and designs. Picks with stars, hearts, diamonds, Christmas tree's, sports theme, ect...so many different styles to choose from. All I could think of was the wonderful possibility for my bentos and Muffin Tin Mondays. M ohhh'd and ahhh'd over all the colors and had a blast throwing bags of picks into my basket, she was a great helper.

The prices at Pick On Us are very reasonable. Depending on the pick you can get 50 for $2.50 or $5.00 for the more specialty ones. They have some packages of 100 picks for $5.00, what a deal!!

After our shopping spree we went back to Michelle's and like kids on Halloween we laid out all our picks on the dinning room table and started trading...lol It was awesome! So what did I walk away with?

Bamboo tasting cups and boats.....

Dozens of each of these picks....

These accents are acrylic beads and are so fab!

Plus the football picks that were used in yesterday's Football themed Muffin Tin Monday was from Pick On Us. Those football ones had just come in and are not even on the website yet. So yay for being the first to purchase the new items and show them off to you!

Muffin Tin Monday - Sunday Night Football

Another awesome week of Muffin Tin Monday is upon us. Today we decided to do "football" since it is Sunday and that is what we have been watching all day (thank god Dallas finally won one).

The girls have a football shaped turkey sami with cheese detail, goldfish pretzels, apple/caramel cake from the Whole Foods bakery (it's amazing), yellow carrots, salami and cheese on a football skewer, and small apple picked by us on Saturday (we went apple picking in Julian).

The ultra cool picks in the tins with week are from Pick On Us in Vista. Muffin Tin Mom and I went shopping after our yummy cupcake tasting. A post will follow soon about all the awesome stuff we bought!

To see more awesome Muffin Tin Monday's stop by Muffin Tin Mom, the home of MTM!!

Muffin Tin Monday - Shapes

Todays theme for Muffin Tin Monday is Shapes. Today we used our square muffin tin. It is a 12 tin pan but since it was just M today I only used half the pan. She has triangle pineapple, crescent clementines,  heart cream cheese and jelly sami's, rectangle carrot sticks, round salami and cheese and a square mini brownie. I kept it nice and simple today since we had so much running around to do this morning, it was a hit :)

To see more awesome tins stop by the original home for Muffin Tin Monday and take a peak!!

Wilton Products Giveaway!

Michelle at Muffin Tin Mom is giving away some awesome Wilton products! Perfect for the Muffin Tin Monday and or Bento enthusiast. The giveaway will end this coming Weds Sept 16th. Go to her Giveaway Post, watch her Vlog and find out what she is giving away and how to enter!! Good luck!

Muffin Tin Monday - Numbers

This weeks theme for Muffin Tin Monday is Numbers. I missed last week due to being on vacation and tried as I might to do a "makeup" tin but it has been just too busy. So yay for busting this one out today. I still have not gone grocery shopping, but I guess we had more in our freezer and pantry than I thought because we are surviving..lol

You'll notice our tin is not as uniformed as it normally is. What's a little chaos thrown into an otherwise predictable tin I would normally do? 

1 - Mac N Cheese with pepperoni 

2 - 2 baby carrots with tortilla

3 - C has snap peas with cheese while M has cookies...because she is 3.

4 - 4 chunks of fresh mango with fruit roll up

5 - C now gets her cookies and M has the snap peas (however I just noticed there is only 4..hmmm..I blame the dog)

6 - Yogurt with sprinkles

For more awesome MTM'ers and their tins stop by the Original Home of Muffin Tin Monday and see what all the fun is about!

Muffin Tin Monday - Breakfast

Today is Monday and that means it's Muffin Tin Monday time!! Every week Michelle at Muffin Tin Mom hosts this awesome, fun for your kids, meal. This weekend was so busy with my youngest daughter M's birthday! She turned 3 on Saturday so we made a whole weekend celebration out of it. Needless to say mommy was tired this morning and did not have the normal creative juices. Plus we were in a hurry to get out to Dog Beach with Sookie before it got too crowded...so I asked the girls to look around and tell me what they wanted. This is the tin they created. Mini toaster waffles, turkey sausage, Cheerios, syrup, watermelon flowers and strawberry yogurt with sprinkles. A perfect balanced meal to give them energy to play and slash in the surf.

A Happy Birthday Shout Out to my baby girl M.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

For more super yummy tins head over to the home of Muffin Tin Monday and check it out!

Muffin Tin Monday - Dessert

This week I thought it would be fun to do a dessert tin for Muffin Tin Monday. The girls seemed very thrilled about the idea and the endless possibilities of sugary concoctions that was sure to keep them awake all night.

* Left over birthday cake (Happy Birthday hubby)
* Vanilla/Cherry Ice Cream

* Fruit salad..strawberries, grapes and blueberries
* Cool Whip
* Oreo Cookies

* mini choc chips
* chopped nuts
* sprinkles

Looks delish right? Well my girls will never know since they decided to have a revolt of dinner and was put to bed immediately in the middle of their temper tantrums at around 1830 (that's 6:30pm to all my civi lovely's). So mama and papa sat down to watch the DVR of Tosh.0 and had a quiet (except for our hysterical out bursts of laughter) and very tasty dessert. Yummmmm.

So stop by Muffin Tin Mom for some more awesome MTM tins ....that kids probably actually got to eat.

Muffin Tin Monday - In The Fridge

Tin Times Two

Cantaloupe, grapes & broken glass Jello

Garlic Naan (cubed), hummus & carrot sticks

Since yesterday was a very busy which left no time to make a tin for Muffin Tin Monday we did our tin for lunch this afternoon. So we did what was available in from the fridge. I love doing these b/c you never know what you'll come up with. Today we have a dipper and dessert. Garlic Naan and carrot sticks for dipping into hummus and then cantaloupe, grapes and the broken glass Jello from yesterday for dessert. Quick, simple and was eaten up in a flash.


Stop by the home of Muffin Tin Monday...Muffin Tin Mom for more awesome Monday tins!