Lunch Menu Monday - Cream Cheese Bagel Snowman

I've had this idea of a "Lunch Menu Monday" weekly post for a while and finally got with it! The idea is for me to post a fun lunch plate every Monday so other moms can be just as inspired, or help me out with fun lunch plate ideas! My little pirate doesn't really need much of a push to eat, but I know there are several moms out there who have a tough time with that. Perhaps this will be something that will get the kiddos to eat more, and eat healthy! Who knows...please feel free to give your input along the way as to how this weekly post works out!

Inspired by the fun my little pirate and I had making a snowman...and with all the snow still coming down all over the country, this week's Lunch Menu Monday is a cream cheese bagel snowman!

Ingredients:
- 1 mini wheat bagel
- cream cheese spread
- 1/2 peeled carrot (or a baby carrot)
- raisins
- apple
- shredded coconut

Directions:
1. Make mini bagel into two halves. (Toast if desired.)
2. Spread cream cheese over the whole top of the bagel halves (including center bagel hole). Place one above the other on a lunch plate.
3. Place raisins on cream cheese bagel halves for snowman buttons, eyes, and mouth.
4. Stick 1/2 peeled carrot (or baby carrot) through top bagel half's center hole for the snowman's nose.
5. Slice of one half of an apple (not including core), and cut out "corners" in order for the shape of a hat to be left. Place above top bagel half as a hat.
6. Cut slivers of apple and place around snowman's "neck" to be a scarf.
7. Sprinkle shredded coconut under snowman so he looks to be standing in the snow...and sprinkle a little around and onto the bagel halves for a snowy effect.
8. Serve and let your child know what everything is and that he/she can have fun eating it. (It's okay if it's lunchtime in February and your child is still in his/her pajamas...and that those pajamas are Christmas...it really is okay!)

Variations: We didn't have any lunch meat on hand, but if I did have it on hand, I would have cut slivers out of lunch meat to use as a scarf. Also, chocolate chips could be used instead of raisins. And the hat doesn't have to be made out of an apple...perhaps you have a way to use an orange as a hat, or pineapple...or get crazy and use a bell pepper! Really...any creative variations will do.

I would LOVE to see your spin on this Lunch Menu! Please share!