How to make a fun and easy zoo themed lunch for kids. This post has been sponsored by Kleenex, Danimals, and NABISCO. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Zoo Animals Bento Lunch for Kids
This year, our middle daughter starts kindergarten. So I wanted to do something to make the transition go as smoothly as possible. Our oldest daughter loved special themed lunch boxes and lunch box notes when she was in elementary school, so I’ve been brainstorming ideas for our 5-year-old.
This zoo-themed lunch is both easy to make (a must for busy mornings) and it’s something you’ll feel good about serving your kids. Plus, it will be such a fun surprise when they open their lunchbox!
For our zoo-themed bento box, we incorporated fresh fruits and veggies as well as some of our favorite ready-to-go items like BARNUM’S Animals® Crackers and Danimals® Smoothie Drinks Strawberry Explosion. On busy mornings, it helps to have foods that provide both variety and convenience for your children’s lunches. Check out www.backtolunch.com for more lunch-packing inspiration this back-to-school season!
If you’re a huge Target fan like me, you’ll be happy to know that all of the ingredients used in this zoo-themed lunchbox are available there! Any time I have a good reason to head to Target, I’m a happy gal!
“Lion” Mediterranean Flatbread Ingredients
- Mini naan or pita (we used ancient grains)
- Roasted red pepper hummus
- Red pepper, chopped
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Cucumber, chopped
- Pineapple, diced
Zoo Themed Lunch Supplies
- BARNUM’S Animals® Crackers
- Danimals® Smoothie Drinks Strawberry Explosion
- Kleenex® Wet Wipes Gentle Clean
How to Make a Lion-Shaped Flatbread
First, watch our quick video demo to see how we made our zoo animal themed lunch for kids. Then keep reading for full step-by-step instructions and a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Click video to play:
First be sure to keep Kleenex® Wet Wipes nearby to clean hands before and after lunch box prep! Spread your mini naan or pita with roasted red pepper hummus. This keeps all of your other ingredients in place and adds a delicious flavor.
- Next, spread chopped red bell peppers and chopped pineapple around the perimeter of the bread to make the lion’s mane.
- Place cucumber pieces for the nose and ears.
- Shredded cheese makes the perfect whiskers!
- Finally, we used little pieces of red pepper and cheese to make the lion’s eyes.
More Zoo Themed Lunch Ideas for Kids
For our zoo-themed lunch, we of course used BARNUM’S Animals® Crackers because there are a variety of different animal shapes in each package.
I cut a cucumber peel to make “grass” for our animal crackers.
TIP: I recommend facing the outer edge of the cucumber towards the crackers because it is dry.
My girls love Danimals® Smoothie Drinks Strawberry Explosion, and the packaging fits with our zoo theme. I love that each serving provides 10% of their daily calcium and 20% of their daily vitamin D. Plus, there are no colors from artificial sources and no artificial preservatives.
I also made a caterpillar/snake out of orange slices and a cucumber slice.
More fun lunch ideas for kids:
- Star-shaped Mini Ham Sandwiches
- Healthy Soccer Themed Kids Lunch
- Halloween Bento Lunch for Kids
- Gluten Free Cornbread Lunchbox Muffins
Do you make any fun themed lunches for your kids? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below!
Zoo Bento Lunch Recipe (Printable Copy)
Easy Zoo Themed Lunch for Kids
Ingredients
Lion Flatbread Ingredients
- 1 Mini naan or pita we used ancient grains
- 2 Tablespoons Roasted red pepper hummus
- Red pepper chopped
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Cucumber chopped
- Pineapple diced
Instructions
How to Make Lion Flatbread
- Spread to coat your mini naan or pita with roasted red pepper hummus.
- Next, place chopped red bell peppers and chopped pineapple around the perimeter of the bread to make the lion's mane.
- Place cucumber pieces for the nose and ears.
- Shredded cheese makes the perfect whiskers!
- Finally, we used little pieces of red pepper and cheese to make the lion's eyes.
Video
Nutrition
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Healthy Soccer Themed Lunch for Kids
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