Pack a creative and colorful lunch box with my recipe for how to make cute bento. Watch my video to see how to decorate your mini sandwiches with animal characters like a frog, bunny rabbit, and baby chick!
Gather the ingredients for the characters: 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber, 1 slice cheddar cheese, 1 slice ham, 1 carrot, and 1 sheet nori (dried laver seaweed). Then, watch my video to see how to make character faces for a frog, chick, and bunny using cutters and punches. The trick is to make all the parts first and then create the faces after.
To Make the Sandwiches
Using a cookie cutter, cut out the bread of your choice to make a mini sandwich slices. I made enough for 3 sandwiches.
For the jam sandwich, spread 1 Tbsp strawberry jam on one mini bread slice and top with another bread slice. For the egg salad sandwich, spread 1 Tbsp egg salad on the sandwich bread and top with another bread slice.
For the ham and cheese sandwich, spread 1 tsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise on one slice of sandwich bread. Place 1 slice ham, 1 slice cheddar cheese, 1 slice tomato, and 1 slice Japanese or Persian cucumber on top. Top with another bread slice.
To Assemble the Bento
Place the lettuce and sandwiches carefully into the bento box. Place the character faces on the sandwich and secure with little pieces of uncooked spaghetti if you want to secure the character faces on the sandwich. Fill the empty space of the bento box with cherry tomatoes. You can also pack additional bento fillers such as octopus-shaped sausages, Japanese or Persian cucumbers, oranges, strawberries, and bunny-shaped apple.
Notes
Please read FOOD SAFETY TIPS.If you want to secure the character faces on the sandwich, secure with little pieces of uncooked spaghetti.Equipment you will need: