Have you seen these adorable bento box critters? If you’d like to create something similar, we’ll show you how to make these cute guys in 6 easy steps. They’re the perfect addition to your bento box!
Bento Box Rice Panda | Step By Step Tutorial
Anyone who’s ever told you not to play with your food has clearly never put together a bento box. In Japan, they don’t just play with their food, they make art out of it! Japanese moms make their children’s school lunch and arrange them in fun shapes, decorations and more! Making rice critters is easy and fun, and half of it is rummaging through the fridge to see what you can use for them. With a little practice and time, you can start making mosaics out of dried seaweed and sculptures out of rice, but, for now, let’s start with these adorable rice pandas!
Here are what you’ll need for these bento box critters:
- panda rice mold
- nori stencil
- cooked rice
- seaweed (Nori)
- asparagus
- rice seasoning of your choice
Step 1: Mold Your Panda Rice
To prepare your panda rice, get some cooked rice and season it with rice seasoning of your choice. Then, scoop the rice and place it in your panda rice molder. Press the rice with the cover, making sure the rice is packed well. Pull the cover off the molder and get your panda rice out. Set aside.
Step 2: Cut Nori Sheets
The rice molder usually comes with a nori stencil or a nori punch. Cut out the shapes with a nori stencil and use these shapes for the arms, legs, eyes, and ears of your panda rice.
Step 3: Attach The Cut Outs
Get your panda rice and attach the cut outs to their designated parts.
Step 4: Assemble Your Bento Box
Get your bento box. Use lettuce, cabbage, or any fresh greens as a bed for the pandas. Place your prepared panda rice in your bento box and add more details to make them more nutritious, mouthwatering, and extra appealing.
315 calories snack boxes!!! Starbucks PB&J bistro box copycat right here. Make them at home for the entire week! https://t.co/wLS7TouH2j pic.twitter.com/Zl7NtlHoQW
— Chungah (@damn_delicious) May 31, 2017
Step 5: Add Sides
Make your bento box more appealing by adding sides such as fresh veggies. To complete these adorable panda rice, blanch asparagus and cut them in half diagonally. Place them beside your rice panda to make them look like bamboo shoots.
Step 6: Garnish and Enjoy!
To finish it off, get some wheatgrass (or you can also use chives) and place them beside your panda rice to make them look like bamboo leaves. Voila! You got yourself the cutest rice panda bento ever!
You can also watch the video tutorial for this rice panda bento from My Cute Attack below:
Bento box is a fun way to make the kids enjoy healthy school lunches. You can create different rice critters and put them in your bento box. It takes effort but it’s totally worth it. Bento box is also a great way to stop your picky eaters from hating veggies and other nutritious food. Try this super adorable rice panda bento and let it melt your heart!
What do you think of these bento box critters? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
Up Next: 17 Homemade Healthy Snack Ideas | Homemade Recipes
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Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on June 2015 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
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