Ultimate Turkey Cream Cheese Bento Box for Kids

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese Penguins:
• 10 slices of round carrots, approximately 1/4-inch thick
• 10 jumbo black olives, pitted
• 10 small black olives, pitted
• A portion (about half of an 8-ounce package) of softened cream cheese
• 10 toothpicks
• Party Vegetable Sandwich Spread:
• 2 tablespoons of finely shredded carrot
• 2 teaspoons of minced onion
• 2 teaspoons of chopped pimento peppers
• 2 teaspoons of chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon of mayonnaise
• A pinch of salt
• 1 green apple, thinly sliced
• 1 red apple, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 carrot, sliced into rounds
• 6 cucumber slices, cut lengthwise into wide ribbons
• 6 tomato slices, halved
• 6 toothpicks
• 8 round crackers
• 1/2 cup of grapes, divided
• 8 slices of deli turkey breast

Step 1

Create these adorable cream cheese penguins by carefully slicing a jumbo olive from top to bottom and gently filling it with a dollop of cream cheese to make a cute belly. For the penguin's beak, carve out small triangle-shaped notches from carrot rounds and attach them to small olives.

Step 2

Skewer the assembled penguins onto toothpicks lengthwise, securing them with carrot slices to form the feet and adding a small olive on top for the beak. Chill the penguins on a plate until ready to serve.

Step 3

For a tasty accompaniment, prepare a delightful cream cheese spread by combining shredded carrot, onion, pimento peppers, and celery with a creamy mixture of softened cream cheese, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and salt. Let it chill for at least an hour to develop the flavors.

Step 4

In a separate bowl, toss together green apple slices, red apple slices, and lemon juice for a refreshing fruit salad. Get creative by cutting carrot rounds into decorative shapes and storing them in the fridge until needed.

Step 5

To make cucumber-tomato rolls, pat dry cucumber slices, place a half-slice of tomato at one end, and roll them up before securing with a toothpick. Assemble a colorful bento box with the carrot shapes, sandwich spread, crackers, apple slices, grapes, cream cheese penguins, turkey slices, and cucumber-tomato rolls. Repeat the process for a second bento box and refrigerate until mealtime.