4.8 from 10 votes
How To Make Cute Bento
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!
Prep Time
30 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings:
1
Bento
Calories:
416 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Japanese
Ingredients
For the Characters
- 1 cucumber 2 x 2-inch peel from a 2-inch section of cucumber, Japanese or Persian varieties
- 1 lice cheddar cheese
- 1 lice ham
- 1 carrot
- 1 heet nori dried laver seaweed
For the Sandwiches
- bread for 3 mini sandwiches, of your choice
- 1 Tbsp strawberry jam
- 1 Tbsp egg see my recipe for how to make Japanese egg salad, prepared as salad
- 1 tsp mayonnaise you can make homemade Kewpie mayo, Japanese Kewpie
- 1 lice ham
- 1 lice cheddar cheese
- 1 lice tomato
- 1 lice cucumber Japanese or Persian varieties
For the Bento Box
- lettuce
- cherry tomato
- sausage learn how to make octopus sausages, shaped like octopus
- cucumber Japanese or Persian varieties
- orange
- strawberries
- apple see how to make an apple bunny, shaped like bunny
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
Cup of Yum
To Make the Characters
- 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:
- Plastic straw
- A bear shape cookie cutter
- A bunny shape cookie cutter
- A round cookie cutter
- A square sandwich cutter
- Small scissors
- Nori punchers
- Tweezers
- Bento Box (To buy this bento box, click here.)
- Plastic straw
- A bear shape cookie cutter
- A bunny shape cookie cutter
- A round cookie cutter
- A square sandwich cutter
- Small scissors
- Nori punchers
- Tweezers
Nutrition Information
Calories
416kcal
(21%)
Carbohydrates
23g
(8%)
Protein
18g
(36%)
Fat
28g
(43%)
Saturated Fat
11g
(55%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
7g
(41%)
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
114mg
(38%)
Sodium
706mg
(29%)
Potassium
504mg
(11%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
15g
(30%)
Vitamin A
11035IU
(221%)
Vitamin C
12mg
(13%)
Calcium
294mg
(29%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1 Bento
Amount Per Serving
Calories 416
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 416kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 23g | 8% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 7g | 41% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 114mg | 38% |
| Sodium | 706mg | 29% |
| Potassium | 504mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 15g | 30% |
| Vitamin A | 11035IU | 221% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 294mg | 29% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.