If you are deep in the throes of picky toddler eating, this magical rainbow onigiri rice bear might just entice your kiddo to eat an entire bear! Can you even imagine? We eat with our eyes first, so making lunch look cute is worth a try. This Japanese inspired lunch trick is so adorable, you’ll want to make an extra for your own lunch.
What’s inside:
What The Heck Is Onigiri?
Oni-what? If you have no idea what onigiri is, don’t fret. I only know because I lived in China for 7 years and took some trips to Japan. Otherwise, this American girl would have no idea.
Onigiri is a traditional Japanese dish consisting of seasoned rice formed into triangular, cylindrical, or other shapes, often with a filling in the center and wrapped in nori seaweed.
Taking Inspo From The East
A Japanese Tradition
Onigiri holds a special place in Japanese cuisine and culture. Originating in Japan centuries ago, onigiri was initially created as a portable and convenient way to carry rice for travelers. These simple yet flavorful rice balls are typically made by shaping cooked rice into triangles or rounds, often with a filling or seasoning in the center. Over time, onigiri has evolved into a beloved comfort food enjoyed by people of all ages in Japan and around the world.
The Beloved Bento Box
In Japan, the practice of creating adorable and creative bento boxes, or lunchboxes, for children has become a cherished tradition. Japanese moms often take great care in preparing bento boxes that are not only nutritious but also visually appealing and fun to eat. Onigiri are a staple in these bento boxes, often shaped into cute characters or animals to entice picky eaters and make mealtime more enjoyable. By adding colorful and playful touches to their children’s lunches, Japanese moms encourage their little ones to try new foods and develop healthy eating habits from a young age.
Benefits Of Rice For Picky Eaters
Rice, the main ingredient in onigiri, is a versatile and mild-tasting food that serves as an excellent canvas for introducing picky eaters to new flavors and textures. The beauty of onigiri lies in its simplicity and adaptability – you can easily customize the filling to suit your child’s preferences while subtly incorporating nutritious ingredients like finely chopped vegetables or protein sources. By mixing these ingredients directly into the rice or hiding them in the center of the onigiri, you can introduce new flavors and nutrients without overwhelming your picky eater. Plus, the compact and handheld nature of onigiri makes them perfect for little hands to hold and enjoy, making mealtime a fun and interactive experience for them. It’s a perfect sensory packed meal.
Magical Rainbow Onigiri Rice Bear
Ingredients
You won’t need much to recreate this cute bear. My sweet little bear only required 3 ingredients. Rice, food dye, and a piece of pastrami. I can feel the Japanese mamas cringing because pastrami is definitely not common, but I also wanted to show you how versatile this creation can be.
Typically, however, you will have a rice base and then use seaweed, cheese, deli ham or egg to create all the features of the rice animal. I just happened to have some pastrami I needed to use, and thought, hey I’ll give it a whirl. It worked!
So, back to the ingredients. You’ll need the following items:
- Rice
- You want a good sticky rice. We love Calrose rice.
- Some sheets of seaweed, thin deli meat, thinly sliced cheese, or a thin layer of scrambled egg
- Food dye
- I used this option made from vegetable juices and spices: Watkins Food Dye
- Animal rice mold
- Unfortunately, I got my bear mold in a little shop in Australia, so I can’t link the same one, but there are plenty of good options on Amazon. I linked some for you to check out.
- Panda Rice Ball Maker
- Rabbit Rice Ball Maker
- THIS adorable set that has options for a frog, pig, tiger and bear
How To Assemble Onigiri Rice Bear
Now let’s assemble our adorable animals.
After you make the rice (I make mine in the Instantpot, and it’s perfectly sticky every time), divide the rice into small bowls. You’ll want one bowl for every color you plan to make. Add a bit of food dye to the rice and mix until you have the desired shade.
Take your rice animal mold and pack it full of rice in whatever color design you want. Really pack it in there so you get the full definition of the mold design. If the rice is too loose, you won’t really get a good defined look to the animal.
Put a plate on the the open side of the mold and flip the plate over. You may have to tap the mold a bit to release the rice.
Now it’s time to decorate! Your mold should have some stamps you can use to create different features of your animal. Simply press the stamp into the seaweed, deli ham, egg, cheese, etc so punch out the little facial features. And assemble!
That’s it! Easy peasy! It’s super simple but the end result is just ridiculously cute and will absolutely delight your child. They can help with the whole process by mixing the colors into the rice, putting the rice into the mold, etc.
They are gonna love it!
Conclusion
I hope you learned something new in this article. Lunch doesn’t have to be boring! Making fun food is, well, FUN.
If you have any questions about the process or find it didn’t quite work so great for you, let me know! I can help you work out what might be going wrong. We will ensure everyone has a cute lunch!
That’s all for now. Have the best day and happy onigiri rice bear creating!
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