Bento!
Posted by Catski on Jul 26, 2008 · Member since Jun 2007 · 1431 posts
Guys, I've been thinking about bento boxes for a long time. I go back to uni in my final year and I'll be having long days in classes and the library, actually working this year! Obviously I need a packed lunch to sustain me. I was doing some research and had already promised myself some chopsticks at some point. Picked up a box, some little pots for dips and a pair of chopsticks on eBay today and I'm eagerly awaiting their arrival!
Do any of you guys do this? Any pictures, hints, tips, ideas or recipes you want to share? I like the idea of silicone cupcake liners to put things in but I'm sure there are other genius things that clever people do.
My daughter has this one and it is most definitely worth the $$$. I dare not tell her there is a Hello Kitty one or she'll want to trade up!
That's the one I was looking at a few days ago. What makes it worth the $$$. I need to be talked into it. Background: I do fieldwork and my food sits in a hot vehicle.
This is the same one DH has. His sits on his desk all day. It keeps hot stuff hot and cold stuff cold without leaking.
Exactly. My daughter takes hers to school and it sits in her locker for almost 5 hours and the food is still hot.
i think they are awesome and cute too... but i really do not have the time to make it happen. i just eat leftovers out of tupperware for lunch ::)
me too! i actually purposefully make just a little bit extra food each night to have for lunch the next day. the difficult part is to not eat that little last bit and to try and keep michael from eating the little last bit. haha. its so tempting!
me three! Even though I think the bento are cute most likely I won't be getting one. Tupperware works just fine and you can always find some at thrift stores.
My daughter has this one and it is most definitely worth the $$$. I dare not tell her there is a Hello Kitty one or she'll want to trade up!
That's the one I was looking at a few days ago. What makes it worth the $$$. I need to be talked into it. Background: I do fieldwork and my food sits in a hot vehicle.
This is the same one DH has. His sits on his desk all day. It keeps hot stuff hot and cold stuff cold without leaking.
I got one of these for Christmas from my parents. I think they found it online somewhere for like $40? Maybe Amazon.com? I love that thing, though. It holds a lot of food (I like big lunches) and a variety (I like variety). I think it's great and worth the $$$. You'll save that much in a few weeks of not eating out for lunch or grabbing snacks because you're still hungry from the measly sandwich that was all you could fit in your bag ;)b
I really like the Zojirushi Mr. Bento Stainless-Steel lined Lunch Jar--I really want to get one, but haven't found an excuse to justify the cost :(
http://www.zojirushi.com/ourproducts/lunchjars/sl_jae.html
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w202/Capture79/Food/MrBento.jpg
I was just looking at this photo and thinking something is wrong with it--apparently the Mr. Bento is either floating or sitting on an invisible table ;D
Mr. Bento is obviously 'above it all'....... ;D :)>>> I totally didn't know there were vertical-stacking bento thingies until now. ;)b
Looking at all of these makes me want to get one even more. Over the summer I teach art to kids learning English, and all of the little Japanese kids have the cutest lunches in their cute little bento boxes. I was admiring them one day and one girl offered me a cherry in a foil holder, which I declined at first but ate after she insisted. Not only do they have cute lunches, they are also so sweet! I need to aim to be more like them :) Too bad I usually eat lunch at home! That makes it much harder to justify getting a bento box.
I couldn't figure out how to post a photo here (help?), but if anyone's interested I put photos of my Most Favorite Bento Lunch Ever on my profile.
The top tier is chili-rice in the shape of a fish with nori scales and green peas.
The bottom tier is a little tofu man with nori swimming trunks and a black sesame seed belly button, being eaten by a veggiedog-squid (note the ketchup blood!), with more peas and two carrot-fish.
I think I would like to try a self-portrait bento for fun sometime... mashed potato face and such.
I love my bento box, but I think if I buy another one I will get one that is microwaveable, even though I guess traditionally a bento lunch is supposed to be ok without reheating or refrigeration. For the food choices, I keep tons of different colorful frozen/veggies on hand-- great for filling in "blank spaces"-- edamame, broccoli, baby carrots, etc. I make a huge batch of rice at a time, mold it into different fun shapes, wrap in saran and freeze. When you pack one in your lunch in the morning, it should be fully thawed by lunchtime and not get chewy as long as it's not refrigerated.
I work at home and have absolutely no reason to be packing myself a lunch, but dammit, I like cute food.
I have the Laptop Lunch one (www.laptoplunch.com). I absolutely love it - it goes to work with me everyday, flights, etc...I took it to Sweden and back too!
i have one of these too and really like it! i posted a review in the products section, but can't find it right now. is there still a product review section?
I couldn't figure out how to post a photo here (help?), but if anyone's interested I put photos of my Most Favorite Bento Lunch Ever on my profile.
The top tier is chili-rice in the shape of a fish with nori scales and green peas.
The bottom tier is a little tofu man with nori swimming trunks and a black sesame seed belly button, being eaten by a veggiedog-squid (note the ketchup blood!), with more peas and two carrot-fish.
wow that is really creative!
I work at home and have absolutely no reason to be packing myself a lunch, but dammit, I like cute food.
haha, niiiiiiice!
I sorta created my own bento box a couple of years ago (and I think I posted about it somewhere here way back) using an old Coleman hard-sided lunch box and those plastic containers in three sized with blue lids that are all corralled on a spinner. Works like a charm. Doesn't keep things hot/cold but I have access to a fridge and microwave at work. It's primarily just for getting my stuff to work. I can get a number of the small containers or a combination of small and medium-sized ones in the box at the same time. And I can get my utensils and a cloth napkin in there, too. Even though, strictly speaking, it's not really a bento, I call it one--and I love it.
:)>>>
i just got mine today, it has a crack in the top, but it was only 12$ and was sent from japan annnd its just the chopstick storage. so other than the crack, its way cute. we'll see how well it stores food.
I made my first bento yesterday, guys! It's only a half-sized one but I don't like taking loads of food into work with me anyway. Nothing fell out or moved around in transit so I must be doing something right...
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/Catski/bento002.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/Catski/bento003.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/Catski/bento005.jpg
That's one small carrot, a serving of cucumber, some Moroccan-style couscous, mixed nuts and raisins and a little packet of instant miso soup in the lid.
That looks good Catski and it's the perfect amount of food. ;)b
awesome catski! im glad there wasnt any leaking! hopefully the same will be true with mine.... we shall see.
Hey-bumping this thread. I am looking at the laptop bento...I could be persuaded to get a different one too. I just can't tell from the pictures whether the fork and spoon it comes with actually fits in the box. Does anyone have one? I need help picking! Oh, and do the little boxes all have lids??
I don't have one but my understanding was that the folk and spoon do fit in the box but don't quote me on that.
I also have my own question, has anyone come across a bento box that is not made out of plastic and reasonably priced ? The only ones I have seen are in the 50-60$ range
Hey-bumping this thread. I am looking at the laptop bento...I could be persuaded to get a different one too. I just can't tell from the pictures whether the fork and spoon it comes with actually fits in the box. Does anyone have one? I need help picking! Oh, and do the little boxes all have lids??
yep, the fork and spoon fit in the box. just a note that both of mine (fork & spoon) broke after about 1 1/2 years of use.
only one of the containers has a lid. actually the little sauce container does too. on their website, laptoplunches.com i think they talk about that.
my xmas wish list look like this:
1. bento
2. bento
3. world peace
4. bento
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