Using Bento Boxes for lunches.

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Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    @SnuggleSmacks It is a donut pan. The thing is really small but cute. I can not read Japanese, so I am not sure what oven safe temperature it is.

    Can you take a close up picture of the care instructions? My Japanese isn't great, but I should be able to find out that much for you :)

    Was it the same one from the site you linked? If so, it can be baked and frozen per that website.
  • Daiako
    Daiako Posts: 12,545 Member
    @Daiako my hearts do that too sometimes if the yolk is large compared to the white. But those look awesome!

    Ah, that's good to know then. Not just me. :)

    Finally went shopping. Got some mini shrimp, so that I'm thinking shrimp udon and dumplings for tomorrow.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    @SnuggleSmacks It is a donut pan. The thing is really small but cute. I can not read Japanese, so I am not sure what oven safe temperature it is.

    Can you take a close up picture of the care instructions? My Japanese isn't great, but I should be able to find out that much for you :)

    Was it the same one from the site you linked? If so, it can be baked and frozen per that website.

    The website doesn't state to what temperature it's oven safe though. From my experience with silicone cupcake moulds, not all are equal :(
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    Hehe shrimp. I giggle every time I see that word. Us Aussies NEVER throw another shrimp on the barbie ;)

    With Lent, Mardis Gras and Chinese New year happening, I'm sure there's some weird lunches being made from leftovers right now.

    As a kid, that, Crocodile Dundee and kangaroos were about the extent of what I knew about Australia. Never understood the shrimp/barbie reference, I was glad to find out you call them prawns and tend to not throw them anywhere (thems good eatin').

  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    My amazon box fianally came today, i had ordered some vegetable cutters (to make flowers and such). Amazon lists them as 8pc stainless stell flower shape cake vegetable fruit cutter mold tool. The packaging says Kitchen thing. Not sure which is more descriptive :D
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    @SnuggleSmacks It is a donut pan. The thing is really small but cute. I can not read Japanese, so I am not sure what oven safe temperature it is.

    Can you take a close up picture of the care instructions? My Japanese isn't great, but I should be able to find out that much for you :)

    Was it the same one from the site you linked? If so, it can be baked and frozen per that website.

    The website doesn't state to what temperature it's oven safe though. From my experience with silicone cupcake moulds, not all are equal :(

    It does say:

    Silicone Small Donut Doughnut Mold - Sakura Flower Shape
    This silicone mold helps you to make small doughnut, sakura flower shapes. This silicone mold can be used to make doughnut shaped ice cubes, chocolates, cakes, brownies, cookies and more. This silicone tray is made from top of the line thick silicone for durability. The mold features a long stem in the middle to create a hole in the middle of your item so you can use the space to decorate or put a yummy item in. The mold is designed to be frozen and baked.

    This item includes 1 silicone tray.
    Overall size - 7 x 5.11 inches wide and 0.94 inch deep
    Each sakura shape - 2 inches wide
    Japanese baking tools
    Imported from Japan.
    Made in China
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    edited February 2015
    @rainbowbow if it's cheap siliconeware, it might only be oven safe to 120C/250F, or it might be bakeable up to 180/350. Can make a big difference to having goop in the bottom of your oven, which is what I'd be worried about (and have had experience with before :( ).

    If it was only to the lower temp, that just means I'd just cook with it in the microwave for ease.
    My amazon box fianally came today, i had ordered some vegetable cutters (to make flowers and such). Amazon lists them as 8pc stainless stell flower shape cake vegetable fruit cutter mold tool. The packaging says Kitchen thing. Not sure which is more descriptive :D

    I'm pretty sure 'kitchen thing' is a pretty broad description!
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    @mangrothian My husband is a music teacher, so I love music related items. And it looks like it also has a recipe on the back, I can try taking another photo if need be. It looks bake-able up to 180/350 at least but not 100% sure . I have zero Japanese language skills. c5d27e631da0d88c83b81dd57c6868a3.png

    @SpecialKitty7 love the "kitchen thing"
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    I have no bento for tomorrow, but here's my Kitchen Thing:
    h3tiet5dk5yu.jpg
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    edited February 2015
    It's oven safe to at least 180C, since that's what you preheat the oven at for the recipe.

    The recipe ingredients are:

    100g hot cake mix (this might be pancake mix, which I've seen in a lot of cookpad recipes, but don't know what that mix entails)
    Bowl A:
    - 1/2 an egg
    - 50ml milk
    - 15ml honey

    -10g butter (melted, I think - I can't make out the kanji symbol before it)

    -Mix the Bowl A ingredients together and then add the hot cake mix
    -Mix in the butter
    -Pour into the 8 moulds and cook for 13 minutes.

    I didn't bother translating the last step, but I bet my buttons it's to do with leaving them on a wire rack to cool once cooked ;)

    ETA - my Japanese skills are pretty basic, but that's why I take classes for it. Keeps my brain moving outside of work!
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    @SpecialKitty7 They look nice, I used mine for some of my vegetables during lunch. Sorry, my salad is messy. c77421712392638ac32f5aaf9b0da263.png

    All of my kids are wanting a bento now, lol. I love it! Might just ended up making them lunch tonight for tomorrow for the fun of it!

    @mangrothian Thank you, yeah I figured with that at least 180C. I saw a website on the package I am currently looking at to see if I get any better answers. I might just e-mail the place I bought it from and see if the have the high temperature for it before I use it.

    And tomorrows lunch for my husband. Top is taco chicken chili (200 cals per serving) and the bottom is some thin spaghetti, grated cheese, and green beans. 1d8adcd262ccb910334183eb4aa0ee07.png
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    Never quite understood what a snicker doodle is, but I'm sure it's delicious.
    It's basically a sugar cookie with cinnamon, usually (though not always) soft.
    http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/snickerdoodles
  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    I have no bento for tomorrow, but here's my Kitchen Thing:
    h3tiet5dk5yu.jpg

    I think I've ordered the exact same kitchen thing.
    (Sending the bf to pick it up today)
  • bio_fit
    bio_fit Posts: 307 Member
    edited February 2015
    It's oven safe to at least 180C, since that's what you preheat the oven at for the recipe.

    The recipe ingredients are:

    100g hot cake mix (this might be pancake mix, which I've seen in a lot of cookpad recipes, but don't know what that mix entails)
    Bowl A:
    - 1/2 an egg
    - 50ml milk
    - 15ml honey

    -10g butter (melted, I think - I can't make out the kanji symbol before it)

    -Mix the Bowl A ingredients together and then add the hot cake mix
    -Mix in the butter
    -Pour into the 8 moulds and cook for 13 minutes.

    I didn't bother translating the last step, but I bet my buttons it's to do with leaving them on a wire rack to cool once cooked ;)

    ETA - my Japanese skills are pretty basic, but that's why I take classes for it. Keeps my brain moving outside of work!


    Your Japanese is awesome, way better than mine - Kanji kills me every time. But I do know that ホットケーキ are basically like American breakfast pancakes (I buy them from the コンピニ more often than I should :o ) and yep, 溶かし (tokashi) バター is melted butter :)

    This thread has inspired me to go bento box shopping though... I've lived in Japan for nearly a year now, and I still just use tupperware boxes (slaps wrist). I think a trip to Daiso is in order!
  • bio_fit
    bio_fit Posts: 307 Member
    *コンビニ - still getting used to this keyboard...
  • ElliInJapan
    ElliInJapan Posts: 286 Member
    haha, @bio_fit, I also live in Japan for *gasp* almost 3 years now and my Japanese is horrible. And I have to confess that I went to buy a bento box a couple weeks ago, inspired by this thread :) Most of the time I use tupperware as well instead. To my defense, the local daiso had hardly any options! (I live in rural Japan)
  • bio_fit
    bio_fit Posts: 307 Member
    @ElliInJapan ahhhh that's awesome! I just had a nosy at your profile, I'm also here as a scientist (hence the 'bio' part of my name!) :smile: I keep thinking I should take proper Japanese lessons, but I just can't find the time :\ Are you in Japan on a permanent basis? Sadly I'm here on a temporary contract, though I'd love to stay longer!
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Today's bento is half a piece of leftover fried chicken, mixed veggies, and rice, with fresh veggies in the other tier.
    j9w4ug4fblbm.jpg

    Already packed the same large tier for tomorrow or Friday, just need to pack something else for the small tier.
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    @pixiegoddess that's a tastly looking box! I love the bunny bento, i wasn't sure if it would be too small for my meager skills, but it looks like you were able to pack quite a bit in there.
  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    Bits and pieces came! Long day tomorrow, so packed a bit more. The chopsticks are neat (though they fit in the lid), the cutters are adorable and the bf gets the flowery leftovers. And I used some spice mix for chicken wings, but the instructions were chinese and I made it up a bit.
    eamzqvja2jn6.jpg
  • mrron2u
    mrron2u Posts: 919 Member
    This is an amazing idea! I have to go get a box and start working on this one. Thanks for starting this thread OP!
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    @pixiegoddess that's a tastly looking box! I love the bunny bento, i wasn't sure if it would be too small for my meager skills, but it looks like you were able to pack quite a bit in there.

    It was right at 300 calories, so it's not as big as what I'd bring in a normal tupperware dish - but that's the point! :p
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    bio_fit wrote: »
    It's oven safe to at least 180C, since that's what you preheat the oven at for the recipe.

    The recipe ingredients are:

    100g hot cake mix (this might be pancake mix, which I've seen in a lot of cookpad recipes, but don't know what that mix entails)
    Bowl A:
    - 1/2 an egg
    - 50ml milk
    - 15ml honey

    -10g butter (melted, I think - I can't make out the kanji symbol before it)

    -Mix the Bowl A ingredients together and then add the hot cake mix
    -Mix in the butter
    -Pour into the 8 moulds and cook for 13 minutes.

    I didn't bother translating the last step, but I bet my buttons it's to do with leaving them on a wire rack to cool once cooked ;)

    ETA - my Japanese skills are pretty basic, but that's why I take classes for it. Keeps my brain moving outside of work!


    Your Japanese is awesome, way better than mine - Kanji kills me every time. But I do know that ホットケーキ are basically like American breakfast pancakes (I buy them from the コンピニ more often than I should :o ) and yep, 溶かし (tokashi) バター is melted butter :)

    This thread has inspired me to go bento box shopping though... I've lived in Japan for nearly a year now, and I still just use tupperware boxes (slaps wrist). I think a trip to Daiso is in order!

    My Kanji is horrible; but because it is, I use the "imiwa?" iOS app which is great for identifying them. I would advocate that my course start kanji early on, so that learning a few at a time is easier, but they don't :(
    mrron2u wrote: »
    This is an amazing idea! I have to go get a box and start working on this one. Thanks for starting this thread OP!

    lol, you're very welcome!

    There's no bento for me today. I was out at a workmates house for steamboat since it's Chinese New year (Gong Xi Fa Cai everyone! Or あけましておめでとうございますfor the Japanese speakers), and didn't get home until midnight. Bagged salad and tinned salmon for me today :(

    @PixieGoddess and @Satansees they both look yum. I'm doing my darndest to not give in to temptation and fork out for the exorbitant shipping on a Monbento box.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    @pixiegoddess that's a tastly looking box! I love the bunny bento, i wasn't sure if it would be too small for my meager skills, but it looks like you were able to pack quite a bit in there.

    The bunny bento is the same size as the majority of my boxes - it's amazing what you're able to fit into one if you try
  • Dragn77
    Dragn77 Posts: 810 Member
    edited February 2015
    So funny...I came across this post awhile ago, and it rekindled my interest in bento... I was off and running on google and since then, over the past 2 weeks, Ive been making bento for myself, kiddo on the weekends..and today she asked me if she can take bento for school lunches too.

    In the past two weeks, Ive learned to make tamagoyaki and onigiri and have included them in my bento most days...kiddo is already addicted to onigiri btw lol Anyway, just saw this thread again and had to post this time, since it really inspired me and I *love* making my bento for lunches now.

    ETA: Im not as official about it as you all lol I have bento boxes I found at Ross for $3 each (yay!!!) and besides the tamagoyaki and onigiri, I generally have steamed vegetables and a bit of whatever meat is left over from dinner the previous night.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    Dragn77 wrote: »
    So funny...I came across this post awhile ago, and it rekindled my interest in bento... I was off and running on google and since then, over the past 2 weeks, Ive been making bento for myself, kiddo on the weekends..and today she asked me if she can take bento for school lunches too.

    In the past two weeks, Ive learned to make tamagoyaki and onigiri and have included them in my bento most days...kiddo is already addicted to onigiri btw lol Anyway, just saw this thread again and had to post this time, since it really inspired me and I *love* making my bento for lunches now.

    ETA: Im not as official about it as you all lol I have bento boxes I found at Ross for $3 each (yay!!!) and besides the tamagoyaki and onigiri, I generally have steamed vegetables and a bit of whatever meat is left over from dinner the previous night.

    Heh, that's how a lot of us make our Bentos - I have a frozen protein stash, but whenever I can, my Bento will generally be rice (onigiri or not), steamed/blanched vegetables and meat leftover from dinner, with my breakfast and some kind of fruit snack included. Making a complicated lunch each night isn't worth my time, but a nutritionally balanced and pretty one is :)
  • Dragn77
    Dragn77 Posts: 810 Member
    edited February 2015

    Heh, that's how a lot of us make our Bentos - I have a frozen protein stash, but whenever I can, my Bento will generally be rice (onigiri or not), steamed/blanched vegetables and meat leftover from dinner, with my breakfast and some kind of fruit snack included. Making a complicated lunch each night isn't worth my time, but a nutritionally balanced and pretty one is :)

    Does that mean I don't have to call it my ghetto bento? LOL!!! Here's a pic kiddo took this weekend to snapchat to her friends... Hers had leftover meatloaf (yes, I make my meatloaf in muffin tins instead of a loaf pan lol) and mashed potatoes with fresh steamed carrots and squash. The onigiri was just for snack to have for later. Mine was slightly different...tamagoyaki and a small piece of grilled tilapia instead of potatoes and meatloaf.

    4ph96mptpw9e.jpg
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    That looks like a Bento to me - the word does literally mean 'lunch box'. When I was a kid, I would have been very happy with a lunch like that!

    If I heard the term 'ghetto bento', I'd more think of a poor persons lunch in Japan, which would be rice and dried nori sheets.
  • Using a Bentgo Box from Amazon. I like how I can use just the bottom portion and still use the upper's lid on top of the utensil cover. Still a good amount of food to help me watch the calories. I need to live longer than my dad!
  • Dragn77
    Dragn77 Posts: 810 Member
    edited February 2015
    That looks like a Bento to me - the word does literally mean 'lunch box'. When I was a kid, I would have been very happy with a lunch like that!

    If I heard the term 'ghetto bento', I'd more think of a poor persons lunch in Japan, which would be rice and dried nori sheets.

    hehehe! Yeah, kiddo was so happy with her bentos this weekend, that she decided she'd love to make it a daily thing for school. Why not :)

    Ohh, as for the ghetto thing LoL Its just my funky lil way of saying I rig something to be close, but not quite what its supposed to be. Im still very new to this and learning so I feel like I'm doing it a bit wonky, but I think you're right...I'll have more faith in my bento lol :smiley: