Using Bento Boxes for lunches.

Sacha3071

I have a slick black double decker bento box that I use, it's perfect portion wise and gorgeous. I adore it!

chesves

I'm going to start with items that I'd cook anyway, filling from the fridge, etc. I'm going to add the goal of learning to cook more for it (the rice molds, etc.) .....

I've gotta start somewhere! I'm looking forward to a prettier lunch than plastic baggies! My bento boxes will hopefully be delivered today!

PixieGoddess

I made onigiri with tilapia filling last night. I didn't get a picture of my bento this morning but will try to remember to take one at lunch.

ElliInJapan

I've been craving greek food, so my bento for tomorrow has greek lentil stew, boiled cauliflower with olive oil and lemon, rusk, olives and a few slices of radish
(sorry for the crappy pic)

SpecialKitty7

For the US Monbento fans out there, they are having a clearance and a few of their original boxes are on sale. If you're not too picky about the color, they are as cheap as $14.

http://us.monbento.com/en/shop/sales.html

satansees

That's a deal! Considering they're French, the EU sale is the same number of dollars, which is a bit of a ripoff. I asked for a monbento for my birthday though, so we'll see!

This is tomorrow's lunch. The rice was the first fail in months! A disaster from the start there (I burnt it!).

aSearch4Me

Eeek @specialkitty7 ....I've had my eyes on the Red Panda monbento for awhile, and that's one of the ones on sale. Must. Resist...Must. Resist...

Thanks for the heads-up on the sale, I think .

SpecialKitty7

Ah, i had that one in my cart, twice. I got the plain orange one (hoping to get husband to try bento) and the one with the digital fruit on it. With 9.50 shipping it was still pricy, but hey, it's half price!

On a side note, i've got to get up to speed on using chopsticks. My fork doesn't fit well in my new bento

SpecialKitty7

That's a deal! Considering they're French, the EU sale is the same number of dollars, which is a bit of a ripoff. I asked for a monbento for my birthday though, so we'll see!

This is tomorrow's lunch. The rice was the first fail in months! A disaster from the start there (I burnt it!).

That is a ripoff! The $ should have been adjusted so we all pay the same price. I suppose they don't care though. Your lunch looks super tasty, and your box is adorable!

satansees

I thought so too Shipping it half way across the world is cheaper than leaving it in France? $20 is about £13 (the euro died today, it's probably up to €20 now)
The EU store has got a customise option though. I want to get a fancy black/grey/green combo to go with my sauce pots and leaf divider whatsits.

SpecialKitty7

satansees wrote: »

The EU store has got a customise option though. I want to get a fancy black/grey/green combo to go with my sauce pots and leaf divider whatsits.

Oh gosh, good thing the US store does not have a customize (or at least I haven't found it)! Although....might get husband to do bento then...hmmm.

dubird

I used to a lot, but haven't in a while. For me, lunches are a reason to leave the building at work. Not that I hate my current job (not like the last one), but it helps me de-stress to sit elsewhere and read while I eat. There's not really any place near my work indoors where I can do that.

I have made them for HSpoon on occasion. He learned the hard way to not just stick the whole thing in the microwave without checking for fruit first! XD

PixieGoddess

Well, as expected, I forgot to get a picture before diving in. Which is too bad, b/c it was a pretty awesome bento and the first one I've put together (this week) that was designed to NOT be reheated. I had an onigiri with tilapia filling, a Halo orange, some broccoli and cherry tomatoes, shrimp, and edamame. It was very good! But I either need to pack higher calorie foods or bring extra snacks outside the bento (I usually bring a yogurt and cheese stick but had neither today) or possibly buy a bigger bento box, b/c it was only about 300 calories and I was hungry again before too long.

mangrothian

@pixiegoddess I'm assuming tilapia is a kind of fish? It's something I've never heard of. Then again, some of our fish here is probably odd to the rest of the world as well....

For me, the monbento sale is through their Hong Kong website, so I pay in HKD, which is odd. But to get one of their sale Bentos, a bag, chopsticks (all three on sale), plus a set of inserts is AU$110 (about US$85). I think I'll be holding off for a while, It's the price of one of the new tyres I'm getting for my car today, so don't think I can justify it yet. Maybe a birthday present later....

@satansees I love that you've made the sushi sandwiches. I keep meaning to do that and forgetting. Did the nori go sticky on the outside? It's probably the main thing that would put me off.

satansees

@mangrothian not sticky at all! Nothing like the cheese. Just soggy.

SpecialKitty7

mangrothian wrote: »

For me, the monbento sale is through their Hong Kong website, so I pay in HKD, which is odd. But to get one of their sale Bentos, a bag, chopsticks (all three on sale), plus a set of inserts is AU$110 (about US$85).

Wow! Who'd think the pricing would be so different. I got the "original" monbento for $14 USD and the digital fruit one also for $14, and shipping of $9.50 or $37.50 total. Pretty reasonable, I think, that's about $47 AU. Certainly bought cheaper, but everyone talks about Monbento, so I had to have one (or two...)

mangrothian

@ SpecialKitty7 It's 290HKD for low priority shipping alone, which is about 47AUD/37USD. If I didn't have Daiso in Melbourne, I don't know what I'd do for my cutsie boxes.

Here's my post-gym Bento for today (if I even make it to the gym that is; the automotive gods have not been shining on me recently)


It's the standard Bento that I make, but today I made (and actually remembered to take a photo of) a 2 egg tamagoyaki. My parents didn't have that 'perfect size' pan that I use at home, so it was messy on the ends. The ends may have gone into my mouth straight away rather than into the Bento

I always eat straight after the gym - usually eating back about half of my calories. If I don't, I'll gnaw my own arm off within about 40 minutes and anything else in sight, calories be damned. I've learned this the hard way, so a 365 calorie bento it is.

aSearch4Me

@mangrothian ~ your post-gym bento looks heart!

My Tuesday lunch bento: Onigiri (seasoned inside with orange zest, cayenne, & sesame seeds), krab, carrot chips, sliced mushroom, snow peas, blueberries, wasabi & tamari sauce.

309 calories (60g carb, 5g fiber, 13g protein, 3g fat)

mangrothian

I like the sound of the seasoning you're using in your rice. Might have to give it a go methinks

Lissa_Kaye

OMG make me lunch please! That looks so tasty. I found I love chickpeas, (buy dried and boil yourself) and spray with a little bit of Bragg's or drizzle a little soy sauce for a nice snack.