Using Bento Boxes for lunches.
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I use a Bentgo box to pack my food in for work days. It holds my breakfast, lunch, and a couple small snacks when healthy snacks aren't available at work. I usually pack leftovers and things that don't need to be reheated in a microwave.0
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SpecialKitty7 wrote: »raelynnsmama52512 wrote: »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.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.
l have things that are in freezer , in pkg pre measured, leftover night before, veg and fruit cut up ... or steamed vegnight before, eggs - i can do about 4 days in advance, rice molded 2 or 3 days some freeze that- i usually make the bento night before few minutes with stuff on hand kinda preplan how much is in the house...0 -
melissamarie414 wrote: »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!
some says #of ml - is number of calories - my glass is 750ml - but i use about 550 calories - mines not stuffed1 -
Nature's Best - Apricots, Dried, 6 pieces 100
Sunmaid - Raisins Mini Box, 1 mini box 45
Black Cherries - Fresh, 5 cherry 25
Turkey Deli Meat(Gv) - Turkey, 2 oz 50
Tortillas - Ole High Fiber Low Carb Tortillas, 1 Tortilla 50
Laughing Cow - Lite Creamy Swiss Cheese Wedge, 1 wedge (21g) 35
Helva Good! - Sharp Cheedar Cheese, 19 gram 74
Great Value - Banana Chips, 1/2 cup - 34g 170
Driscoll's - Raspberries (Fresh, Raw), 57 gram 24
total calories 573
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if i need to microwave mine - use a silicone cup and take out and microwave0
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Today's bento:
Octopus rice, stir fried choi sum with garlic and buna shimeji, ginger salmon, and carrot and daikon pickles.
Bentos from earlier this year:
Bbq eel, rice, daikon pickle, celery, grape tomatoes, and daikon and carrot pickles.
Miso chicken, rice, asparagus, bell pepper, and the flower is made of pickled ginger
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@Amerane I recently discovered I love the taste of miso, that chicken looks super good.
Here's today's bento in my new super-cute kitty bento. Jasmine rice and shrimp soaked in the leftover broth from my absurdly tasty sesame ramen from the other day, carrots and broccoli. For the poster that asked about letting a bento sit around for a day or so, I made this Monday night for Tuesday's bento, but then it sat in the fridge until today as we had an unexpected celebration lunch yesterday. Still tastes as good as it looks.
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melissamarie414 wrote: »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!
I have quite a few that are around that size and smaller that I can get a 500Cal lunch in to - and I've found that depending on the food, you could get 500Cal into a 200ml container if you really wanted to, so yes, it would be big enough.
If you have a 500/550ml container (or two smaller ones) that are gladware/tupperware around the house, test it that way first
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Oh, and I am around, sneakily 'liking' and 'awesoming' posts, but as to bentoing, life has put a lot of my food prep time on hold, so hence my lack of pictures. Seeing everyone else's pictures keeps me all warm, fuzzy, and bento'd up inside
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I think bentos are adorable, but you'd have to pry my microwavable vented soup mug from my cold, dead hands. Hot soups get me through the winter. Also, how does one eat high volume veggies with a bento box? I do a lot of meal prep, but I think I would find the bentos limiting. I use rubbermaid tupperware and ziplock bags, plus some pre-packaged items like granola bars.
I instagram is covered with bento ideas. Check out #bento and #bentobox for ideas galore.
What is your specific mug? I like hot soup in the winter too! :-)0 -
Sort of on topic... kinda... hopefully...
Any of you willing to share what sort of things you keep on hand or make ahead of time for your bentos? I think that is where a lot of my failing has been. I need more easy stuff on hand that doesn't require a big production to put together for lunches.0 -
Tortillas - Ole High Fiber Low Carb Tortillas, 1 Tortilla 50
Turkey Deli Meat(Gv) - Turkey, 2 oz 50
Nature's Best - Apricots, Dried, 6 pieces 100
Black Cherries - Fresh, 7 cherry 35
Sabre - Hummus (Greek Olive), 2 Tbsp. 80
Provalone Cheese - Sargento Reduced Fat , 2 slice 100
Family Gourmet - Toffee Peanuts, 20 gram 99
Hass - Avocado - Avocado, 75 g (1 whole avocado) 136
total calories 650
add 40 calorie halo2 -
meatballs, fruit, wraps, dry apricots,dates, laughing cow wedges, babybel cheese, cheese sticks, molded eggs , raisin boxes , rice,frozen shredded chicken(make slow cooker), frozen chicken chunks, tuna pouches,vegetables,veggie straws, wholly gaucamole mini, leftovers, banana chips, - these are some i like
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ps i rubbed lime juice on the avocado and it stayed good after being cut for 8 hrs in the fridge and 4 in my locker before lunch0
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This sounds like an advertisement to me since you can buy cheaper containers the same size for a lot cheeper but if you want to know what to put in them I have a few suggestions.
- leftovers from the previous nights dinner. Salads, vegetables, quinoa, stir-fry etc.
- spiralised vegetable noodles with homemade dressing. Zucchini, cucumbers and carrots are great and can be cooked or raw depending on your preferences. Add in some tomatoes, beetroot of other ingredients. Make your own pesto or buy a low fat mayonnaise to use as a dressing.
- nuts are perfect for the small containers.
- Wraps are excellent.
- Yogurt
- Apple slices and berries
- Homemade sushi
- Dip (hummus and crackers)
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Beautyinthemoonlight wrote: »This sounds like an advertisement to me since you can buy cheaper containers the same size for a lot cheeper but if you want to know what to put in them I have a few suggestions.
I kind of feel insulted that you thought this was an advertisement. You make Kyoko chan cry.
Every time someone asks about the fancy containers, I say they're not a necessity, but a luxury. As to cheaper, most of mine cost less than AU$3 per container. The purpose of this thread and the concept of 'bentoing' (at least the original intention; it has evolved into somewhat more), is the prime concept of using smaller portions, and packing your food in a way that's pleasing to look at, so you can 'eat with your eyes' as well as your mouth. It's also a concept of a packed lunch that can withstand being left at room temperature for half the day before being eaten, since not everyone has access to a fridge. That also requires it to be packed in a way that everything doesn't get tossed around in the container if you have to run for the bus/train/tram. Most of my traditional boxes are designed to fit along the bottom of my narrow handbag without the need to have them on their side. Most gladware style containers aren't shaped this way.
If you had two meals, cooked exactly the same, but one was presented wonderfully out on a plate, at a set table with cutlery, and the other was in one of those clear takeout containers and a plastic spoon, which would you enjoy more (don't take company into account. There's some people who I would never enjoy eating with, regardless of what was served in front of me ) 6 -
Sort of on topic... kinda... hopefully...
Any of you willing to share what sort of things you keep on hand or make ahead of time for your bentos? I think that is where a lot of my failing has been. I need more easy stuff on hand that doesn't require a big production to put together for lunches.
Most definitely on topic.
I pre-prep and freeze single serves of carbs (these days, mostly rice and cornbread) and proteins (marinated chicken/pork/beef pieces, meatballs, chicken wings, dumplings) and my veg I prepare nightly. if you're having blanched/steamed veg, I guess you could cut up and store everything you cook with through the week raw, and then just grab a handful to cook with each night/morning.
Stuff I don't generally pre prep: salads with dressing, egg based products (except marinated eggs which keep longer in the fridge), noodles (they stick together), and fruit that browns.0 -
The only thing I make ahead is boiled eggs, but I may get more organised in the future.
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SpecialKitty7 wrote: »Here's today's bento in my new super-cute kitty bento.
Where did you get that bento box? I need it in my collection!!0 -
Today I had an omelette with some oyster mushrooms I grew from a kit. I've never had oyster mushrooms before, they're really delicious, and the omelette made a great cold lunch! I really enjoyed it.
Next to the omelette is a sort of Waldorf salad, but the only dressing was the squiggle of mayo you can see - when a flavour combo works as well as that, it doesn't need much help!
In the other side are 4 poppy and sesame thins (a type of cracker), half a banana and a bit of Victoria sponge cake. There are also two custard cream biscuits and an oatcake, but they were emergency snacks which came back home as I wasn't hungry enough for them. I'm finding this is happening more as I settle back into eating less.1 -
I made bentos last week to take to Denver Comic Con this weekend! I didn't take pics at con, but they were similar to the ones I'll have this week.
AUUGGGHHH!!! And of course, my phone apparently didn't ACTUALLY take the picture of today's bento. =_= So I'll try to get pictures later this week. All very similar - but the fish-shaped egg today was so great! T^T1 -
Oh noo! I am sad for your undocumented fish-shaped egg, lost to the merciless onward march of time.0
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CattOfTheGarage wrote: »Oh noo! I am sad for your undocumented fish-shaped egg, lost to the merciless onward march of time.
And also to my tummy 0 -
ivygirl1937 wrote: »SpecialKitty7 wrote: »Here's today's bento in my new super-cute kitty bento.
Where did you get that bento box? I need it in my collection!!
Got it here! There's a rabbit & bear one too.0 -
Today, a slightly more restrained lunch in calorie terms - half a round of peanut butter sandwiches, a salad (apples, grapes and celery with toasted seeds), cherry tomatoes, a banana and some dark chocolate and raisins. These are the same custard creams again, this is day 3! I will probably share them with mini me on the way home.
This is more like a conventional UK packed lunch, but taking inspiration from the bento packing style, with everything cut in pieces and packed neatly. The difference is subtle, but I find it takes the emphasis off the sandwiches in a way that allows me to pack a smaller amount of sandwiches and a larger amount of fruit and veg, which really helps portion control.
Just as well this was restrained, as there was a corporate meeting of some kind at work today, and evidently the bigwigs were not hungry enough to finish their treats, so suddenly - free cake!
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a couple more of mine:
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I have wanted to do this for ages and I'm just getting into it.
I've done a bit of research but wondered if people wouldn't mind just clarifying a few things.
Do you tend to freeze rice or cook it in the morning?
If you freeze the rice do you just reheat it in the microwave in the morning?
Do you store your bento in the fridge at work or at room temperature (in regards to rice) and then do you eat it at room temperature or fridge cold (since I assume if you reheated frozen rice you can't reheat it again at lunch?
I'm sure these are silly questions but I just wanted some clarity.0 -
I vary on whether I refrigerate at work or not, depending on what's in it and how warm a day it is. If there's rice, I refrigerate it. I know traditional bentos were not refrigerated, but I'm a bit cautious about rice.0
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