Valentine’s Day calls for a little extra love in your child’s lunch box. Fairy sandwiches, strawberry hearts and red pepper kisses are all easy ways to fill a bento box with love.

ADVERTISEMENT
Ingredients:

  • Sandwich bread
  • peanut butter or jam
  • Valentine sprinkles
  • Strawberries
  • Red bell pepper

Equipment:

Technique:

  1. Fairy sandwiches are an Australian treat that are traditionally made by buttering bread and topping with sprinkles. I made these sandwiches a little more substantial and gave them a hit of protein by filling them with peanut butter.
  2. Begin by cutting the bread for the fairy sandwiches. You’ll need two medium sized hearts per sandwich. Cut a smaller heart from the middle of one of the pieces.

  1. Spread the solid piece of bread with a layer of peanut butter. Top with the cut slice of bread.
  2. Completely cover the exposed peanut butter in the center of the sandwich with sprinkles. Dump off any excess so they don’t fly all over the lunch box while it’s being transported.
  3. Create another fairy sandwich and add them both to the box.

  1. Most strawberries are naturally heart shaped, but a few extra cuts can emphasize their shape. Begin by hulling a strawberry and cutting it in half vertically. Cut a V-shaped notch at the wide end of the berry.
  2. If necessary, round the edges of the berry by trimming it with a knife.

  1. An even faster way to create a perfect heart shape is to cut the strawberry half with a small heart cutter. The downside of this method is that it creates fruit scraps that are difficult to pack. (I just eat the edges while I’m packing the lunch to keep them from going to waste. Shhhh!)
  2. Put the strawberry hearts in the silicone cup and add it to the box.
  3. Cut a wide, flat piece from the side of the bell pepper.
  4. Cut out X and O shapes from it. Cut the remaining bits of pepper into strips.
  5. Layer the scraps of pepper in the remaining space in the bento box. Top with the X and O shapes.

Are you planning to pack your child a special lunch for Valentine’s day?