Using Bento Boxes for lunches.

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Replies

  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Finally got some sides to add to my bento! (I've had 3 half-finished ones in the fridge for almost a week!) Leftover fajitas, rice, and 2 kinds of beans, with a side salad. I forgot dressing (yet again) but it was actually still good without it (although I made sure to eat it first so I was really hungry, and then ate the other tier)
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  • crunnerwv
    crunnerwv Posts: 32 Member
    First bento lunch! Have been a lurker for a while!1ghdv0xiiuob.jpg
  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
    Yay for more bentos! I'm moving and things will be rocky food wise at first until we find a bigger place (moving at first to sister's studio apartment and will go from there). Transferred with work but hope to get back to bento action this summer.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    I have just got into the bento habit!

    I'm not sure if I should even call them bentos, mind you, as there's nothing very Japanese about them, but there's something about the Japanese approach to packed lunches that's inspiring - the idea that you can pack *anything* in your lunch, not just "portable" food, and that you should arrange it in an appealing way.

    So I'm really just making pretty packed lunches that are "outside the box"! Even my box isn't Japanese, it's a lunch cube from Poundland with an integral spork, but it's doing great for me. And I love the phrase "integral spork" quite a lot.

    I'll try and upload some photos. I find these lunches brilliant because they're fun to make, they're so appealing that I don't find myself tempted to buy extra snacks, and they let me tweak the ratios. A sandwich lunch is mostly carbs - there's only so much filling you can put in there before it collapses - and while I'm not a low-carber by any definition, it is much easier to eat well and lose weight if you can tweak the carbs down a bit and up the protein and veg - especially veg, I genuinely enjoy it when it's laid out in a compartment, all cut up nicely, rather than being squashed and wilty in a sandwich.

    It's much easier to play with ratios when you can include any food you like in any arrangement you fancy. And I can have any kind of carb. I love bread, but you can have too much of a good thing. Potatoes in particular I enjoy in my lunch box.

    Hooray for bentos!

  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    Here's today's lunch, a hearty salad with boiled honey ham, boiled egg, potato salad, little bits of 5 Counties cheese and some peppers and tomatoes. Pudding is a kiwi and a bit of baklava (the biscuits are to share with mini-me on our long journey home).

    The spork is not fully integrated as I decided to lay out the salad in the big single compartment, so the spork has to go in the other side to stop it being covered in mayo (it usually clips into the divider on the big side).

    I love this lunchbox. They're still selling them if anyone wants one.

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    This looks amazing! I think you definitely nailed it, and I also love "integral spork".
  • crunnerwv
    crunnerwv Posts: 32 Member
    Leftover salmon, sweet potatoes, and a salad.bzeb67p4v24y.jpg
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    Ooh, that's pretty and sounds yummy. I think salmon is great for this because it's oily so it doesn't dry out when it cools down , it stays juicy. I got some hot smoked salmon last week and that was lovely in the lunch box. Mackerel would be good, too.
  • Livingdeadgirl44
    Livingdeadgirl44 Posts: 264 Member
    So, its been a while :)

    Tomorrows tasty lunch is lemon chicken nuggets with blanched veg and spicy ketchup in the bottom layer. The top layer has a baby plum tomato, cucumber, and spring onion salad with an egg. The little sauce tub has my sweetcorn and red pepper relish in it which I use to dress the salad.

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  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    Back on the bento wagon! Today's lunch is leftover sesame chicken from last night's dinner, jasmine rice, tri-color carrots and some kind of mochi thing (packaging is in Japanese :lol: ) Calories are kinda unknown as I did not make the sesame chicken. My guess is around 560 cals.
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  • Ginny218
    Ginny218 Posts: 194 Member
    p1s6ibq54x4e.jpg
    Wonderful Pistachios - Pistaschios- Roasted & Salted, 1 oz with shells 80
    Starkist - Tuna Creations Ranch, 74 g 80
    Nectarine - Necterine - Medium, 1 Nectarine 59
    Sunmaid - Raisins Mini Box, 1 mini box 45
    Great Value (Tm) - Banana Chips, 0.33 cup - 30g 160
    Sunny Meadow - Jumbo Egg, 1 egg 90
    total 514
  • crunnerwv
    crunnerwv Posts: 32 Member
    Veggies and dip, nectarine, Turkey, roast beef, cheese, and some crackers.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    I had a bento yesterday, and even got a picture, but I didn't upload it and left my phone at home V.V I'll post it tomorrow.
  • brrrrito
    brrrrito Posts: 39 Member
    Is a PlanetBox considered Bento? I love mine!! I always post my lunches to my instagram - Brrrrito



  • raelynnsmama52512
    raelynnsmama52512 Posts: 1,184 Member
    So, random question, would you guys recommend bento-ing even for us now SAHM's (aka stay at home moms)? I'm really big on planning, especially with meals, since we're on a really tight budget, but I don't know if it would work to do bentos for a week at a time. Would they go bad before we got around to eating them, or do y'all have any tips to prevent that?
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    Today's lunch is brought to you by "oh *kitten*, I forgot to make my lunch, what's in the freezer". Shrimp, tri-color carrots, rice & edamame. Simple but tasty.

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  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    edited June 2016
    So, random question, would you guys recommend bento-ing even for us now SAHM's (aka stay at home moms)? I'm really big on planning, especially with meals, since we're on a really tight budget, but I don't know if it would work to do bentos for a week at a time. Would they go bad before we got around to eating them, or do y'all have any tips to prevent that?

    Depends on what's in them. Today's lunch for example was frozen this morning, but I put it my box frozen and by lunch it was thawed. I wouldn't keep shrimp hanging out in the fridge for multiple days. But I also make one out of chicken, rice & black beans that would easily hold for a week (I've done it!). Most of your veggies if raw should make it a week, but cooked ones won't. I'd recommend grabbing some tupperware/gladware and giving it a go. It's what I started with since I originally felt the need to microwave my food.

    There's no reason a SAHM shouldn't get to have a pretty, organized lunch too. The kiddos would probably enjoy it as well.
    brrrrito wrote: »
    Is a PlanetBox considered Bento? I love mine!! I always post my lunches to my instagram - Brrrrito

    Absolutely! Bento is simply a home packed lunch. @mangrothian can explain it better than I can. Awesome cats on your IG btw.
  • Amerane
    Amerane Posts: 136 Member
    edited June 2016
    So, random question, would you guys recommend bento-ing even for us now SAHM's (aka stay at home moms)? I'm really big on planning, especially with meals, since we're on a really tight budget, but I don't know if it would work to do bentos for a week at a time. Would they go bad before we got around to eating them, or do y'all have any tips to prevent that?

    If you have room in your freezer, you could always prep your bentos, freeze the ones you won't be using within a day or so, and take them out as you need. Then you could use them like the premade frozen lunches everybody eats. That is assuming the containers you're using can handle the freezer.

    I always divide my food into individual servings so that I just grab a bag of frozen rice, bag of protein, and bag or two of veggies and pack it in the morning. All in all it takes about 5-10 minutes per bento if you're not worried about making super-complicated pretty ones.

    Edit: To prevent spoiling make sure you have clean hands, clean surfaces, and clean utensils when cooking and packing your bento. Things with a lot of salt, vinegar, or sugar can stay good longer than unseasoned foods, and watch out for very moist things. Those can spoil rather quickly.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    My bento from the other day, finally! Leftover Chinese (shrimp, rice, veggies) and a salad. No bentos yesterday or today.
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  • heatherdawson010
    heatherdawson010 Posts: 1 Member
    After seeings all of the posts, I'm going to jump on the Bento Train.
  • Ginny218
    Ginny218 Posts: 194 Member
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    Sunmaid - Raisins Mini Box, 1 mini box 45
    Sunny Meadow - Jumbo Egg, 1 egg 90
    Tomatoes - Cherry Tomatoes - Heritage, 12 tomatoes 36
    Chop't - Chicken, 92 g 150
    Prunes - Prunes, 0.25 cup or 5 pieces 100
    Cranberries - Dried, sweetened, 1 tbsp(s) 23
    total 444
  • Ginny218
    Ginny218 Posts: 194 Member
    my teddy bear crack - made him sunday left in mold. frozen chicken, tomatoes new, rest things to keep around the house for bento's - like the lunch thing - see some of my others.
  • Ginny218
    Ginny218 Posts: 194 Member
    brrrrito
    what are those round cracker things and how many calories?
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    Ginny218 wrote: »
    my teddy bear crack - made him sunday left in mold. frozen chicken, tomatoes new, rest things to keep around the house for bento's - like the lunch thing - see some of my others.

    I leave my eggs in the mold all the time. The trick is to put the mold in a sealed container. Sometimes if the egg feels like it's going to be tough to get out, I open it underwater.
  • Ginny218
    Ginny218 Posts: 194 Member
    thanks
  • raelynnsmama52512
    raelynnsmama52512 Posts: 1,184 Member
    Thanks for the tips, y'all! I'm going to try it out!
  • Ginny218
    Ginny218 Posts: 194 Member
    pgx8lo9xydk1.jpg
    Natural peanut butter Great Value - Peanut Butter, 1 tbsp 95
    Nature's Best - Apricots, Dried, 6 pieces 100
    Naturipe - Strawberries, 65 gram 15
    sun maid raisins - Mini Raisins, 1 box 45
    Kraft - Macaroni & Cheese Deluxe, 0.5 cup 155 2
    Nature's Own - Bread - 100% Whole Wheat, 2 Slice (26g/0.9oz) 120
    Tomatoes - Cherry Tomatoes - Heritage, 9 tomatoes 27
    total 557
  • Ginny218
    Ginny218 Posts: 194 Member
    yellow and red- need more variety in color...
  • melissamarie414
    melissamarie414 Posts: 5 Member
    i've been inspired by this thread to do some bento-ing :) I want to get this one: https://en.bentoandco.com/collections/bento-boxes-newest-oldest/products/kotoritachi-bento?variant=1166800441

    will it hold enough food? my lunches typically stay around 500 calories. if anyone has the same type of box, could you post pics with food in them? thanks!