Muffin Tin Love.

Has anyone heard of Muffin Tin Mondays over at AnotherLunch.com?  (formerly MuffinTinMom)  It's a place where people link up pictures of meals served in muffin tins.  Each week there is a theme.  I don't know if its because I am half Asian and love that its a play on bentos.  I have always loved this idea for serving food to kids in this fun way and have found the things that people come up with so fascinating!

Here are some examples:

Pac-Man.  I love the little ghost!

This is one where all the fixins one needs to assemble a taco are provided!  

My kids would love to put their own toppings on!  (The mess they'd make would be worth it)!

Here is a pirate themed one that is based off a book. 

These ideas are not limited to actual muffin tins alone.  You can use actual bentos.

Look at this one!

Starwars!  Not only is this great for Jude, but the hubs would LOVE this!

And look at this one!  A light saber pic? Are you kidding me?

What a great Halloween one.

And what iPad playing kid wouldn't love this Angry Birds theme?

I not only love this idea because they are absolutely amazing but I think it is a great way to get kids excited about food and its a new way to offer them variety.  In many of these ideas all food groups are covered and most are very balanced meals.

Well, I have been dying to create my own combination and thought the best time to do it would be for Jude's snack day at Preschool.  Each session there is a sign up sheet where each student gets to pick a day to bring a snack.  Jude is all signed up for February 28th! 

I have not yet decided exactly what I want to do but have already bought some supplies.  There are fifteen kids to prep for so it needs to be easy to assemble but still amazing.  I had thought that i would get disposable metal tins but couldn't think of a cute way in which I would cover all of them.  Then a few weeks ago while driving some back roads to work I stumbled upon a cake supply store.  

That is where I bought these!

I also bought a bunch of bright colored cupcake liners to go in each space.  

I plan to also make labels to go on top.

I will certainly post afterwards what I came up with so be looking forward to it. 

In the meantime, if anyone could suggest some ideas I would greatly appreciate it.  I want it to be a gender neutral theme and I want there to be a protein, fruits and vegetables.  I also wouldn't mind crackers and a little something sweet.  

Whenever its our turn, one requirement I always have is that the majority has to be healthy and then there can be something not so healthy for a little sweetness. 

So please offer your ideas as I would love to hear them.  Not only would I love to hear food ideas but even theme ideas.  So go on a put on your thinking caps and suggest away!