Bird's Nest Lunch Box (w/pics)

This lunch box is a prime example of how to make a fast(er) bento-style lunch. We had spaghetti & meatballs with salad last night for dinner so I made sure to make enough for leftovers for lunch today. The nests are easy to twirl up, put a little sauce and a meatball 'baby bird' on top. You don't need to bake them but if you have a bit of extra time it will help them hold their shape. So easy and quick to duplicate for multiple lunch boxes without adding much more time too.

And if you're wondering why pepperoni on the salad? Well it actually is rather tasty and I have a few slices in the fridge I'm trying to use up so I've been tossing them into random things! You can certainly leave them out if it's just too weird for ya.



2 Servings (1 pictured) | 470 Calories ea

6 Turkey Meatballs (mine are homemade- turkey meat, oatmeal, seasonings)
4 oz Spaghetti Noodles, cooked
6 Tbl Spaghetti Sauce, no sugar added
1 Medium-small Carrot
1/4 cup Cucumber, peeled, diced
4 Slices Pepperoni
2 Tbl Italian Dressing
1 Medium Gala Apple
16 Wheat Thin Crackers, reduced fat
2 Wedges Laughing Cow Cheese, Herb & Garlic Flavor

Preheat oven to 450° F. Divide the spagehtti noodles into 6 greased muffin tins. Twirl them with a fork to make the noodles look more like nests. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop romaine, baby spinach and carrots. Cut pepperoni into star shapes if desired. Toss salad together with dressing and place in boxes.

Peel and dice apple. Let soak in salted water for 30 sec to 1 minute to prevent browning. Divide and place in separate cups in boxes.

Cook meatballs if necessary then let cool completely. Cut tiny triangles from a piece of carrot and press them into the meatballs to form beaks. Use nori or cheese or olives to form eyes if wanted. When spaghetti nests are done, gently scoop out and let cool completely. Place nests in boxes, add 1 Tbl of sauce to each then add meatballs on top.

Divide crackers between the boxes, carefull to keep them separate from moist foods to keep them from getting soggy. Add a laughing cow cheese wedge to each box.