Mummy Buzz

Oct
20
2014

Mom Stages Revolt Against Bento Box Lunches

Saying Phooey to Pinterest

If Pinterest only leaves a massive dent in your self-esteem, then you'll want to join forces with Kim Bauer. The mom who blogs at One Classy Motha! staged a revolt against the overachieving Bento Box trend—in which parents with too much time on their hands take to making mini masterpieces out of little Jayden's lunch to show just how much she is loved.

Well, phooey to that shit, I say. Pinterest is my sworn enemy. I honestly don't need the exercise in inadequacy and self-loathing. I know my strengths. After the panic attacks brought on by critter cupcakes on my son's first birthday, I threw in the towel and in the years following handed over the glory to Metro's fine bakery staff. A cupcake's a cupcake and besides, my son will like me better without the panic attacks.

But back to Bento. Bauer daringly put herself out on the ledge after her daughter came home from school one day lamenting the ordinariness of her lunch box contents:

"...Wednesday’s lunchtime was spent watching little Hayden nibble on Elsa’s certified organic noodle braid, while Ana despondently ate from a zip-lock bag filled with pretzels and an enormous amount of apathy," writes Bauer. "Her tale of woe was really quite heartbreaking."

To combat the lunch perfection of the other kids in her daughter's class, Bauer created the “I ain’t got time for that. Here’s some lunch money” Bento Box, which consists of neatly folded triangle dollars, carefully arranged coins, basic drawings and a sense of humour.

But in Bauer's attempt at rejecting the Pinterest phenomenon, is she actually producing something as time-consuming as that which she is rejecting?

Whether it is more work or not she has at least made her kids (and many jaded moms) belly-laugh in the process.

You tell me: Do you leave creative notes in your kids' lunches, or do you take the 'ain't got time for that' approach?

This dad took lunchbox notes to a new level with these designs.