I was once cursed with the world’s pickiest eater. Every day, we would fight the same battle. I would serve the food and she would turn her nose up at it. I would resort to force feeding her (or at least attempting to), and she would throw her hands up as a barricade (we called it the “force field”). At times, I’d been known to threaten that if she didn’t eat it now, that meal would be the next thing that she ate…whether it be for breakfast the next day or even lunch (or sometimes even dinner! She was very stubborn). Mealtime quickly went from pickiness to power struggle…and it was a battle that I was certainly losing! Feeding her was agony and something had to happen.
So I started analyzing how and what I was feeding her. I noticed that I wasn’t giving her variety within a meal. It was one dish (ie. chicken and rice placed together in a big bowl) and to her, it seemed overwhelming. So I started giving her smaller portions of more items. I also sectioned off her plate so that visually, it seemed easier to manage. I realized that not only was she eating better, but it was forcing me to feed her a more balanced meal.
That’s when I started researching Bento. I adopted the principles of Bento in a way that worked for me. Mostly, I just use compartmentalized plates to offer my children a healthier, more balanced meal. These plates force me to offer them items from several food groups at every meal! Since doing this, I notice that they are eating fruits and vegetables more frequently and with less complaints. Mealtime has become fun and enjoyable, which is something I never thought I’d be able to say.
I have to admit, if you are searching for a place to find super creative bentos that basically look like food art, then this is NOT your site. I commend those moms for their awesome creativity…I would LOVE to do that, but I just don’t have the time or the vision. I simply take the idea of bento for the sake of expanding my children’s food palate, feeding them a more balanced meal, and teaching them about food groups.
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