Decorate a block of baked tofu by cutting it with cookie cutters and adding details with food markers. Other items in this box include grapes, blueberries, a seasoned rice ball, and frozen veggies that will thaw out by lunch time.

Once you’ve mastered some of the basics of preparing cute bento boxes, it can be fun to expand your repertoire a bit and play around with some of the less common food decoration tools. If you’re looking to try something new, food markers are easy to work with and add a little extra zing to a lunch box.

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While they can be difficult to find in brick and mortar stores, food safe markers are easily found online. Amazon carries 5-6 brands in a wide range of colors that are priced in the $5-15 range (depending on how many markers are in the set). The ink in food markers is similar to the coloring one would use to tint icing for a cake, and is specifically designed to be consumed. I’m sure it goes without saying that you should never use regular ink pens on food.

Food markers write best on dry, smooth surfaces such as bread crusts and the outside of fruit, but I’ve found I can write on damp surfaces like eggs, tofu or cheese if I blot the surface with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture first. Because they come in direct contact with food, it’s a good idea to wipe the tips of your food markers with a piece of wet paper towel before and after use to discourage the growth of bacteria on the tips. Storing them in the refrigerator can also help to inhibit bacterial growth.

Here are a few ideas for using food markers in your child’s lunch box:

  • Really young toddlers probably won’t appreciate it (or even notice) if you unleash your inner Van Gogh on their lunch. Instead of getting fancy, try drawing a simple smiley face on a hard boiled egg or piece of cheese cut to look like an animal with a cookie cutter.
  • Older toddlers and preschoolers delight in finding drawings on crackers. Draw a series of simple shapes or the first letter of your child’s name when he begins to recognize it.
  • Tofu is an excellent canvas for drawing with food markers. Because it’s white and relatively smooth, you can write or draw just about anything on it.
  • When your child begins to read, write sight words or short messages on a banana peel or a dinner roll.

Are you a good artist? What would you draw with food markers?

Bento Tips, Tools & Accessories part 10 of 10

1. Bento Supplies by Guides
2. Getting Started with Bento Lunches: Basic Equipment by Wendy @ Wendolonia
3. Lunch Box Safety by Wendy @ Wendolonia
4. Bento Box Technique Spotlight: Arrange the Food Neatly by Wendy @ Wendolonia
5. Bento Packing Tips by Mrs. Bee
6. Bento Box Technique Spotlight: Cookie Cutters by Wendy @ Wendolonia
7. Bento Box Technique Spotlight: Decorative Picks by Wendy @ Wendolonia
8. Bento Technique Spotlight: Food Dividers (aka: Baran) by Wendy @ Wendolonia
9. Bento Box Technique Spotlight: Rice Molds by Wendy @ Wendolonia
10. Bento Box Technique Spotlight: Food Markers by Wendy @ Wendolonia