What she was offered vs. What she ate

Let's talk food.  It's a familiar topic of discussion for toddler mamas, isn't it?  Why?  Because, if you're like me, you are constantly wracking (or is it racking?) your brain to come up with meal ideas (and not just for the toddler, but for the whole family!).  I'm sure I've said it before here -- we don't prepare special or different meals for Eliza; she eats the same things we do.  

The one exception to this is lunchtime.  

Eliza eats after her nap and I eat lunch during her nap (eating by myself is a rare treat, so I take the opportunity when it arises!), so on the weekdays we sometimes eat different things for lunch.

Recently I've started having fun with what I prepare for Eliza.  I make what I call "Bento" lunches for her.  'Bento' is the Japenese word for 'convenient' or 'convenience'.  A Bento Box is a lunch box made up of several little boxes, each meant to hold a different food.  Like this:

I took this idea and decided to offer Eliza a "spread" for lunch.  It's fun for me, I think it's easier than coming up with a different main dish + veggie or fruit every day, and Eliza likes it too, I think!  AND, it will allow me a reason to someday buy a cute, eco-friendly lunch box like this one for Eliza. :)

I thought it would be interesting to do a series of "what she was offered" vs. "what she ate" with Eliza's lunches on the 'ol blog.  Maybe it will help someone out there to share a few new ideas for lunches, and it will inspire me to come up with new fun things to serve.  And, it will also help assure you that, no, your toddler isn't the only one who sometimes eats next to nothing! 

Here goes!

What she was offered:

clockwise from top:

{pretzels}

{mozzarella string cheese bites}

{half a banana}

{rainier cherries}

{annie's cheddar bunnies}

{full fat greek yogurt w/honey on top}

{in the center: garbanzo beans}

{not pictured: 2% cow's milk}

...

What she ate (or, didn't eat, as the case may be):

{and she asked for seconds on the garbanzo beans!}