If you eat Facebook and Instagram for breakfast, you would certainly see a number of Bento Box posts. Often, you would want to try but sadly, your very pessimistic self would remind you do not have the luxury of time to do as much. So you would end up serving the same packed lunch for your kids. They are happy, I guess, with the packed lunch. But they could even be happier if food on those lunch boxes is perfectly portioned, creatively executed, and beaming with colors and flavors.
With this in mind, joining the first ever Frabelle Foods Bento Workshop is an easy decision. I am confident that after the workshop, I could replicate some of those adorable feasts and even invent some.
From my readings, I have learned that Bento Box originated from Japan and is often referred to as a home-packed meal, traditionally containing rice, meat or fish, steamed vegetables, and some sweets or fruits all put together in a box-shaped container.
Chef Donnie of Frabelle Foods patiently shares a few of his kid-friendly Bento ideas. The amiable chef likewise gamely checks on the mom-kid participants and gives encouraging words or smile. He makes everybody comfortable. Well, all the Frabelle Foods staff present on the workshop are accommodating.
The ever amiable Chef Donnie of Frabelle Foods.
Cuteness is the name of the game. Food is shaped into cartoon characters or animals or anything one fancies. It may look too time-consuming to prepare but I believe, we moms always spend time preparing our kids’ everyday baon so a little more time added wouldn’t hurt.
As for the young man I spend the day with learning Bento boxes, he also shares some of his learnings:
PATIENCE
We are cutting cheese to complete the eyes of our Captain’s Catch Cheezy Tuna Nuggets. But he would eat some in the process. And this mother would tell her son, “Patience.” He understands then the word and experiences it himself. So I am confident that as he devours his baon, he would often be reminded of what patience is.
That waiting for the right time is much better than getting temporary instant gratification.
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- My boy patiently listening to Chef Donnie’s instructions.
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- My son’s Captain’s Catch Cheezt Tuna Nuggets.
SAVING
I am pretty impressed when he shares he now understands the meaning of saving.
Oftentimes, he would change pencil if it becomes too small to fit his hands or would throw his old notebook. Through the Bento Workshop, he understands that keeping those still usable is a great way to help save 1) money and 2) the environment of waste pollution. From our Bento-making, we have some ham leftovers and he realizes that the ham can still be kept for later use.
Saving leftover for later use is a great way to save money and also avoid overeating.
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- Our Lady Bug in Paradise Bento Box
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- Making sure that everything is done right is one of the many positive traits of my 10year old son.
APPRECIATION
Making Bento box is not an easy task. Perhaps what makes it easy is that it is enjoyable to do especially if you have someone special by your side helping you. As each preparation requires utmost patience and creativity, one could see the love exerted to finish the product. My 10-year-old son learns of appreciation.
While doing the Piggy in a Bun Bento Box, he utters these words,
“So much love was put into this work of art. Any child who would eat these should finish everything. Everything, after all, is edible.”
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- Piggy in a Bun Bento Box
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- Momi Berlin and her 10-year old boy enjoying their time as they bento together.
Now, this momi is grateful she joined the Frabelle Bento Workshop. And she made the right decision to bring along her son. As each ingredient had been tediously cut and shaped, new learnings were realized and taught.
My thank you to Frabelle Foods and Mommy Bloggers Philippines for this wonderful collaboration. More than teaching us moms how to create beautiful Bento Boxes for our kids, you also taught our little ones new virtues that would guide them to be better individuals.
Momi Berlin’s Directory
Frabelle Foods Facebook
About Frabelle Corporations
Frabelle Group of Companies is a fishing company established in the 1960’s and the name was coined after its founder Francisco and his wife Bella. In 2011, the company entered the meat processing business under Frabelle Corporation (FBC). FBC manufacture and distributes branded processed meat products in key wet markets and major supermarkets.
This is a great way to improve diet and also to create bonds with the family. I wanna learn how to create my own bento box too! It’s much more economical that way
Beautiful experience, once again, Momi Berlin, you and your little one. Looks like he had loads of fun and of course, you got new ideas to prepare food with a little more creativity on aesthetics. How did your boy love the food?
He loves them as usual. But my adobo is still his favorite 🙂
The food preparations are really cute. Perfect for kids and keep them interested in their lunch boxes
Yes , indeed. Keeps them interested on what’s inside their lunch kits. Even the classmates are looking forward to my boys’ lunch.
This is a great workshop held by Frabelle. Not only you learned about the art of bento making, but you also got to have some quality time with your son too. What makes it further great is you were able to impart life lessons to him. Truly, everyone will have a healthier diet with those cute bento box. -Me-An of http://yogoandcream.com
Thank you. We also appreciate Frabelle for thinking of this kind of workshop. I hope there will be more of this kind.
This workshop is an amazing idea. I think it’s really important for little ones to have packed lunch because that way they eat healthy. Amd if lunches are served cute and creatively, it’s a perfect combination. Seems like you had a great time 🙂
We really had a great day. And kids love their food all creative and colorful so I am always thinking of ways to make one. Good thing there are workshops like this.
Win win workshop! Learning food preparation and life lessons as well, isn’t that amazing? I enjoy making bento box. It looks good and helps me save in lots of things.
Happy making bento boxes to us then. Please share some of your creations.
“That waiting for the right time is much better than getting temporary instant gratification.” I love this quote so much! And the workshop seems amazing. I’ve never realized that there is actually a workshop for creating bento box!
http://beautyandcherries.com
Yes, temporary satisfaction can be real tempting but the gratification from long wait is more fruitful.
Those lessons are very vital to us not just in cooking but on our daily activities . I wanted to learn how to make bento box as well. It is a great treat to kids and practice of creativity as well
Practice of creativity and also i agree, a great treat for kids. They always want everything colorful and appealing.
If my daughter were in preschool I would have joined this workshop. I love the art that goes in Bento. I think it’s wonderful that we have this to make baon more appetizing and even express creativity.
Yes to that. Make their baon appealing, too. Sometimes even if the food is masarap, of it isnt appealing they tend not to even touch it. Darating din tayo dyan, Mommy Madz, magkaka preschool ka na sa susunod.
Woah. I’ve dreamed of attending something like this with my mom way back. However, we weren’t fortunate enough to do so. You’re lucky to be spending time with your kids in exploring and learning as well. 🙂
I also dreamt of my mom and I doing some bonding together. She was so busy with work thus wasnt able to do anything like this. Glad my husband let me be with the kids while he works for the family.
Being a mother is indeed the toughest job of all. I remember my mom despite her busy schedule try to prepare us a decent baon for school but end up having our house help doing it eventually.
But in your case Momy Berlin you really excreted effort for this. Also, as I saw it in your photos, you and your son had a great bonding there!
cheers! http://www.masterryo.wordpress.com
Yea, we had fun doing the bento boxes. And hurray to your mom even if she asked for help. She really love taking care of her family n
Bento boxes are so adorable and I admire moms who are able to create these lovely lunches on a regular basis. I think it’s nice to attend lessons/workshops like this!
There are also lessons readily available online. My kid just showed something on YouTube the other day.
What a great lesson for the kids I bet they will enjoying this.
Surely any kid would enjoy the activity.
Seems like a really great experience. You two looks so cute in those pictures!
Thank you. Indeed a nice experience and yes, we had fun.
wow, I love the lunches you made. My fav is the little piggy sandwich. great job.
Hahaha. The little pigggy is adorable. Thank you.
Oh wow! A bento workshop sounds like so much fun 🙂 My kids would love this!
Surely they would love preparing bento boxes
This looked like a great day for kids. I think preparing a Bento box is a great idea and a ton of fun
Indeed fun and you wont even think of the time.
My kids would love something like this! A workshop is such a fun idea.
Those fun shaped foods are awesome. Taking my kids to a Bento workshop is something that they would really like.
When you can enjoy time with your child doing something together and they learn from it, that’s perfect.
Bento boxes look like so much fun! We haven’t tried them, but I think I would like to sometime!
Try it. It is fun making one.
These are some really sensible and practical suggestions that you make. Especially about patience, the fruits of patience are indeed very sweet.
Very sweet indeed. Thank you for dropping by.
Bento dishes will really require a lot of time and the skills to do it. But, the rewarding part is when your kids will finish up all those bento boxes made for them. 🙂
My son told me he was able to consume everything and he was excited to open his lunch kit to see the new bento. Even his classmates were eager to see. Ihihi
How fun to attend a Bento workshop. This is something I would love to do too!
Enroll now! I guess there are a number of companies offering such workshops.
I never would have thought those lessons would come of a workshop like that. I am loving the value in it that way!
More than that, I believe the bento workshop helped us be more close to each other.
Bento boxes are such a great way to encourage “littles” to actively be involved in their food choices. I love the concept behind it and that it really does help us eat better!
I couldnt agree more!
I love bento! When my son was little I made his lunches like this every day. He loved it.
Wow! Everyday. You really must have love bento and of course, you son. Lucky pal there!
My son loves to attend workshops like this. And I’m happy he is enjoying his childhood with these kind of activities.
I have not really paid much attention to the Bento thing. Your post helped me to understand it a little more and now I ma eager to do it.
Your kid is an intelligent chef! By the way, patience, saving, and appreciation are the keys to show good lessons for the kids 🙂 Bento box is perfectly organizied for the lunch 🙂
I don’t have kids yet but this sounds like a great idea for those who have children. Looks like you both had lots of fun 🙂