Japanese bento with cute octopus-shaped sausages, broccoli, grape, tomato, and rice, popular with children.
The weather has been really nice in the Bay Area and my children want to play outside in the park and go biking. My already-busy life has turned into super-hectic life and I find myself struggling to find time to do everything.
When I am too busy to make a full bento for my son’s lunch, I sometimes make this Cute Octopus Sausage Bento because it’s super quick and fun!
Okay…it’s not really “octopus sausage”, but these sausages are cut to shape like an octopus. Did you think they are really made of an octopus? 🙂
In Japan, moms try to feed their children nutritious food that is sometimes not popular with children by making the food look more interesting and fun. You have probably seen cute Japanese bento like these with animal shapes and character shapes. Octopus-shaped sausages are one of the easiest things you can make.
To learn how to make quick and easy Octopus-shaped Sausages, click HERE for the step by step pictures. I hope this easy octopus sausage dish will be helpful when you are busy. Have a nice weekend!
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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- Onigiri (Rice Ball)
- Octopus Sausages
- Grape tomatoes
- Grapes
- Broccoli (pre-blanched, see Notes)
- Make Onigiri and let it cool before packing into the bento box.
- Make Octopus Sausages and set aside to let it cool before packing in the bento box. I used two sesame seeds for octopus eyes. 🙂
Pack tomatoes, grapes and pre-blanched broccoli in the bento box.
- Make sure all the foods cool down completely before closing the bento box.
[Please read FOOD SAFETY TIPS].
Broccoli: How to Freeze food for bento, click here.
* This lunch is for my 6-year-old son.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
I’m thinking about making some of these for Children’s Day (Kodomo no Hi) this Sunday for my kids’ お子様ランチ！Thanks for the simple recipe!
These are so cute!! Kids would have a field day with these!
I was wondering how you got eyes on those octopuses (octopi?)! Very clever idea, and so cute too. And it’s not just kids who like fun shapes in their food… =) Thanks for sharing!
Ha ha, Nami, actually I did think the sausages were made with octopus! That’s a cute way to dress up lunch and I bet your kids enjoyed them. Wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day early — hope you take the whole day to sit down and relax! xo
That is such a darling bento box Nami. Love the octopus sausages! Any kid would be happy to find this in their lunch box. I know I would. 😀 Great post!
Oh Nami, you fooled me. I actually thought those were octopus sausage. Very cute for kids. Hope you get to take some rest.
These sausage octopus look so cute…very creative…I am sure any kid will be happy seeing this
This are soooooo cute!! Will you make one for me please??
I would love to eat a Bento every day Nami – always such lovely flavours and combinations you put together.
🙂 Mandy xo
What a fun lunch! Glad to hear you’re having nice weather, our spring has left us but hopefully it will be back soon.:)
What an adorable idea 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
These are great – my youngest will think they are the best!
Thanks Nami.
Hi Nami!! Today I was just thinking of you..it’s nice to find you did the same…your ideas for kids are great..children are the same all over the world, italian’s use to ” fare i capricci” (to have a tantrum) about healthy food just like japanese..
Bye!!
Oh my, the sausages are so cute! If I am the one that having this bento, and when I open the cover, my eyes and mouth will be widely opened up looking at this cute “octopus”. You are a wonderful mum!
Glad the weather is getting nicer!! Those sausages are adorable.
Love the sausage octopus. The first time I ever saw them was in a Japanese tv series Sissi recommended to me. If only I could remember the title.
I’m sure you must be super busy! Two young children is quite demanding and then there’s everything else you do. How cute! I have never seen sausages prepared like this. I think my little guy would think these very wonderful if I put them in his lunch box xx
Nami, this is the cutest bento! Your kids are so lucky to have a Mom creating these for them! I love the octopus sausages. I have to try making them for my grandchildren! You’re so creative!
This bento is truly cute! You make the best lunches, Nami! I’m sure your kids are envied by their classmates :).
I love your bentos Nami! This one is adorable. I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to Cute Food and this one must be Pinned!
That’s it Nami! I’m coming to live with you! I would love to open my lunchbox and find these cute sausages! Actually, everything in this bento box is perfect for my lunch! You are such a good mom. Thanks for sharing these fun treats!
These “octopus” bentos would brighten any student’s school day! I am sure your son enjoyed it. Allen.
These are octopus sausages are adorable!! How very clever… something any child would love to show off at lunch to their friends. 🙂
I love making octopuses out of the hot-dogs, and honestly I didn’t even thought of adding it to my kids lunch boxes…thanks for the inspiration. This is very well balanced bento! Enjoy sunny weather with your fam!
The octopus sausages are so cute! Love the way you dress up your lunch box. Very creative and impressive!!
Nami, the octopus are so lovely…!!! Tha’s a wonderful idea…!!!
Yummy; my favorite!
This is so great! Love the idea of octopus sausage. Heck, I’m no kid but I think I’ll make some for myself! Another terrific bento post – thanks so much.
Oh, just too cute! Well done – another inspiring lunchbox!!!! Keep it up – I look forward to more of your lunchboxes.
Thank you so much for your kind feedback, Sandra! 🙂
Hi nami. Yes I must say they are terribly cute. Too cute to be eaten. I’m not sure if you’ll remember me but I used to keep up a blog but got busy and stopped. Well, I’m giving blogging another shot. Hope to stick around for a while.
These are SO cute! Your kids must be the envy of their friends with their amazing lunches!
PS…thank you for the kind words of sympathy, my friend. xo
Too stinkin’ cute!! Makes me want to have nothing but hot dogs!
You are so clever and what a great mom! My mom never made little animals from sausages. 🙂 What a fun bento! I’m sure your son loved it.
Very cute! My children would be thrilled to have such a fun lunch box.
Yes, Nami, I thought I was going to be presented with a recipe for an octopus sausage too 🙂 ! Am certain tho’ that at lunchtime your son’s friends will be most envious of the way his bento box looks 😀 !
Haha, I think some people thought the same. 🙂 Thanks Eha!
So cute! The bento box made me smile 🙂
I wouldn’t have minded octopus flavoured sausage. 😛 But yes, this is incredibly cute! Keeping this idea for when I have kids. Broccoli would be edible little trees and noodles would be monster snake. haha… We used to imagine we’re giants eating a town of a ramen. 😀
I hear you gal…. my life has become more crazy with summer being here… sometime i doubt that if I am a human anymore or a machine..LOL
YOu kow you always make me so happy with your bentos… and also make me feel guilty for packing boring lunch for my kids… One day hopefully I will pack such pretty lunch too!
That’s a really cute bento! Am sure all the kids would love it!
We love making octopus sausages even if we’re not going to put them in a bento! The kids love their hotdogs this way.
lol, this takes me back… my ex-girlfriend used to call me “tako” :p.
I love the cute little sausages Nami – they serve sausages like this in Sweden too for Christmas (they take a miniature sausage and make a cross at each end, so each end flares out). So cute to make it into a little octopus 🙂
They even have eyes!!! You are amazing, Nami. I think you can make your children eat absolutely anything with such a cute presentation. With your gorgeus bentos I have started to look through websites and plan buying a real nice bento box (until now I have been carrying a very good quality but not so beautiful transparent lunch boxes, without separations etc.; eating from them is not a real pleasure…).
I have first learnt about octopus-shaped sausages in Shinya Shokudo (film), I think it was the first episode, with a yakuza story… I once made these for my husband who likes Vienna sausages a lot and he found it amusing too.
tako weiner 🙂
those sausages are too cute! Maybe my kids would actually eat all their lunch if I did this.You are so creative and how lucky your kids are to have you as their mom!
Looks so cute indeed! I love your Bento Box ideas. I think I will make me one just for fun 🙂
I soooo love these! You don’t have to be a kid to eat these incredibly cute sausages, do you?!?! 😀
oh my gosh this is sooooo cute!! totally doing this for my kiddo!
I made my nieces hot dogs like that over Christmas and they loved them!
These are adorable, Nami! I’m so impressed with the care and detail you give to your children’s lunches. They always look so appealing and creative! Wish I had a bento box for lunch today. 🙂
I’d eat my lunch every time if it was this cute. The kids are so lucky you take so much care in fixing their lunch. Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend.
-Gina-
I should make these for our nieces and nephews for next family gathering. They would love it!
How cute! Can you pack my lunch for work?
No, really, I think I’ll have to make this for my niece and nephews. They’ll like it so much!
Those are the cutest things ever. Kids must go nuts over your son’s lunch! 🙂 There’s love in every box.
cute lil bento…
btw, i like to stab ta angel hair pasta in the tip of the sausage..
simply boiled and voila… hairy octopus….
They are so cute. I thought at first they were really tiny octupus. I’m sure it’s always nice weather up north and here is very hot and fire season. Have a nice weekend, Nami. 🙂
This is so crazy adorable, Nami! I wish my lunches were this cute!
looks amazing and so delicious but I want to ask one thing after viewing your food photography
May I know your photography kit. your pics looks amazing
cheers
You can check my photography kit here:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/food-photography-resource/
Thank you so much for your kind compliment. 🙂
Nami, what a fun way to create a different kind of bento box for your kids – they must be truly pleased and amazed at the different ideas you come up with to make their food not only adorable but also always different, never ever boring!
Do take good care of yourself, Nami and have a lovely weekend with the family!
Love the idea, will be my kids favorite lunch box, thanks Nami.
that is just too cute, Nami!
These are just too cute. I should make this bento for my little niece and nephew next time I visit them. They’ll think I’m a rock star! Love this Nami. 🙂
How cute and creative!!!
Dear Nami,
Your kids are very lucky with such delicious bento lunches and such a clever idea with the octopus sausage!
They are very cute! Though I will have to have at least 2-3 of those bento boxes to fill me up. 🙂
your kids are so lucky! ive tired a few of your ideas at picnics before, they were a big hit!
Looks like a very cute and appealing bento box lunch for the kids.
That sausages looks so cute, even I will be amazed if thats placed in my lunchbox
Very cute, I could do this with a vegetarian hot dog too :-).
Ciao
Alessandra
Such a cute idea!
My daughter loves the cute animal shaped bento boxes and I can’t wait to show her this one when she comes home from school
Oh my gosh these are sooo cute Nami and what an awesome idea for a bento!
子供じゃないけれども食べても良いでしょうか＝）
河合たこちゃんソーセージとおにぎりは美味しそう！
you have really inspired me with bento boxes Nami.My daughter, the cute fussy eater will certainly love this octopus! ( And I did think it was real octopus, haha, silly me:P)
Good morning dear Nami!
Your bento boxes so much fun-)) Nami, you will be so proud of me, I made the dumplings yesterday, the dough and everything. My daughter helped me and my son finished them in no time! I am not ready to post my creation yet, need more practice, but I am getting there.
I am wishing you a happy and beautiful day today,
Hugs,
Yelena
I love the look of this bento! I am going to make some cute octopus for myself lol! my sons are too big for cute stuff:D
So cute! Also you could spear them with dry spaghetti, boil, and have “squids”! Hehe…
Thank you for sharing this tutorial, I’ll make this sausages a’la octopuses for my hubby, he will be very happy 🙂
My 12-year old asked me, “Are those made out of octopus??” When he realized they were just hot dogs he laughed and thought it was great!
Brilliant ideas Nami 🙂
Playful and fun food for kids…
Awww these are super cute! I know I’ve said this again and again but really would love to grow up eating these bento boxes! But nope didn’t have that luxury hehe but may be one day… I might make it for my own children 🙂 Or actually I might make it for my next party hehe I don’t think anyone will complain if I serve that octopus sausages hehe
Adorable! I can imagine the kids squealing with delight when they open the bento box…
LL
Oh, those sausage octopus are sooooo cute!
Your bento boxes never disappoint! Those little octopus sausages are the cutest. My kids would be so excited about lunch if I packed this in their backpacks! Hope you and the family are doing well! Take care, Terris
OMG! This is too cute. I can’t wait to give it a try – what a perfect way to surprise my nephew.
These are just too super cute for sure. Kids would gobble it up. Enjoy the weather!
Right now Tiffany is staying home all day, but in the future, when we’ll decide to take her to school I’ll have to come back and take lunch lessons from you.
You have the most delicious ideas. I bet your kids lunch boxes are the talk of the day.
Thanks for sharing and thank you for the lovely comment left on my guest post (dulce de leche bars) left on Liz’s blog
Oh my! How adorable are these!!! My kids would go crazy for them! Sweet idea, Nami!
Every kid will eat non stop of this cute octopus sausage .
Those octopus sausages are so cute! I’ve been getting really interested in bento lately and this would be such a fun idea to try!
I always save a whole bunch of bento links so that I can be creative and create cute things for little kids to eat. I feel silly making cute bentos for myself, you know?
Hello Mrs. Nami, if i dont have japanese rice how do i make onigiri? btw i use the thailand rice. im from Malaysia 😀
Hi wawa! I headed some readers used basmati rice or jasmine rice to make onigiri so it’s possible. However when Japanese rice is cooked, each grain sticks to others. It is easier to make onigiri with Japanese rice but if you prefer other kinds that’s totally okay. 🙂
I love the spoon case with the Eiffel Tower on it, where did you get it?
Hi Rin! Check the link above the recipe area for more information (or here: http://www.lunchaporter.com/products/Eiffel-Tower-Fork-.html).
I’m not sure if 15% off coupon code is still available but you could give it a try? Email the owner of the site if it doesn’t work. She might give you discount coming from my site. 🙂 Hope that helps!