Using Bento Boxes for lunches.
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ScreamingInside wrote: »
Thank you for sharing and I'm wondering what the gem wraps are. I've never heard of them. Also you might want to consider checking your dollar stores for small containers to hold your dressings/sauces so they don't spill and make things soggy. I've found leak proof plastic containers (have 4 locking flaps and gasket in lid) for $4 a piece about a year ago at Save-A-Lot and at Big Lots some small plastic shot glass type things with lids that don't spill for $1-2 around the same time and still see them there periodically. Bento = box in Japanese. I take that to mean I should use what I find works that's within my budget.
That's spot on. There's been a few comments in this thread with people thinking they can't make a bento because they don't have the special boxes or the cutters that some of us have. A container of some kind, leakproof if you'll use saucy/soupy foods (I usually recommend them to be about 500mL in volume), a couple of small sauce containers and a small cooler/thermal bag for them are pretty much all you need. As an addition, maybe some plastic cutlery (if needed) and a small snack container. Everything else is optional (or an addiction).
I pretty much started this thread to see if anyone was using the same principles for packing their lunches in a 'bento-ish' way to control their portion sizes, pre-planning of meals and lunchbox staples to help make bring your lunch with you to school/work easier and more practical, and to have something that can actually look as good as it tastes after a commute or after sitting in a bag all day. That and new recipes are always welcome (I'm sad that I haven't been able to find those gem wraps in Australia
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ScreamingInside wrote: »I've been making bentos for over 6 years for my daughter. Started after she met a girl in school who's mom is from Okinawa and she (my girl) became interested and we found we liked the foods. The problem I find are side dishes and having rice everyday. 1 cup steamed rice is 204 calories and rice is supposed to be 1/3-1/2 of the bento (traditionally) so the calories add up. Without it I get hungry very fast so I balance the calories with veggies but these tend be mostly the same color....green. Ideas on how to fix it with minimal use of tomatoes? Tummy can't take the acid.
Red, orange and yellow peppers. I love the mini sweet bell peppers that have recently shown up in bags at stores around me. Carrots are good. Fruit is also colorful.
Also, I almost never use rice in my daughter's lunches. If fact, none of her lunches are Asian food. You can make anything in bento boxes.0 -
Red, orange and yellow peppers. I love the mini sweet bell peppers that have recently shown up in bags at stores around me. Carrots are good. Fruit is also colorful.
Also, I almost never use rice in my daughter's lunches. If fact, none of her lunches are Asian food. You can make anything in bento boxes.
Second this! Fruit makes lunch look so colourful and tasty! Strawberries, blueberries, banana, kiwi fruit, apple and oranges! Now I'm hungry...0 -
Yep, that was me! You are right, I am Paleo, but I have to be gluten free. So really, just no grains either they all bother me now.SpecialKitty7 wrote: »ScreamingInside wrote: »SpecialKitty7 wrote: »I gave it a go! Here's turkey, havarti & avocado wrapped in a carrot gem wrap, bolthouse farms yogurt ranch dressing, a salad cucumber and a raspberry fig bar. It's actually pretty good, i was a bit worried when i made the rolls, as the wrap was really like a fruit roll up, but overnight they softened and just kind of molded to my roll.
I made a lazy gal's snack box too, but haven't been hungry for it yet.
Thank you for sharing and I'm wondering what the gem wraps are. I've never heard of them. Also you might want to consider checking your dollar stores for small containers to hold your dressings/sauces so they don't spill and make things soggy. I've found leak proof plastic containers (have 4 locking flaps and gasket in lid) for $4 a piece about a year ago at Save-A-Lot and at Big Lots some small plastic shot glass type things with lids that don't spill for $1-2 around the same time and still see them there periodically. Bento = box in Japanese. I take that to mean I should use what I find works that's within my budget.
One of the girls in the thread here is a paleo eater (I think that's what she is, or maybe it was gluten free, I forget) she had mentioned them and I purchased them on amazon. They are basically a vegetable fruit roll up that you use in place of flour tortilla shells.
I have a ton of small containers, just nothing that fit in that space, so i took a risk on the ranch spilling.
Most of my bento are Japanese style, I just like trying out new things.
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mangrothian wrote: »ScreamingInside wrote: »
Thank you for sharing and I'm wondering what the gem wraps are. I've never heard of them. Also you might want to consider checking your dollar stores for small containers to hold your dressings/sauces so they don't spill and make things soggy. I've found leak proof plastic containers (have 4 locking flaps and gasket in lid) for $4 a piece about a year ago at Save-A-Lot and at Big Lots some small plastic shot glass type things with lids that don't spill for $1-2 around the same time and still see them there periodically. Bento = box in Japanese. I take that to mean I should use what I find works that's within my budget.
That's spot on. There's been a few comments in this thread with people thinking they can't make a bento because they don't have the special boxes or the cutters that some of us have. A container of some kind, leakproof if you'll use saucy/soupy foods (I usually recommend them to be about 500mL in volume), a couple of small sauce containers and a small cooler/thermal bag for them are pretty much all you need. As an addition, maybe some plastic cutlery (if needed) and a small snack container. Everything else is optional (or an addiction).
I pretty much started this thread to see if anyone was using the same principles for packing their lunches in a 'bento-ish' way to control their portion sizes, pre-planning of meals and lunchbox staples to help make bring your lunch with you to school/work easier and more practical, and to have something that can actually look as good as it tastes after a commute or after sitting in a bag all day. That and new recipes are always welcome (I'm sad that I haven't been able to find those gem wraps in Australia )
The addiction part has set in! I now have $100 of containers and accessories in my Amazon cart!! LOL0 -
mangrothian wrote: »ScreamingInside wrote: »
Thank you for sharing and I'm wondering what the gem wraps are. I've never heard of them. Also you might want to consider checking your dollar stores for small containers to hold your dressings/sauces so they don't spill and make things soggy. I've found leak proof plastic containers (have 4 locking flaps and gasket in lid) for $4 a piece about a year ago at Save-A-Lot and at Big Lots some small plastic shot glass type things with lids that don't spill for $1-2 around the same time and still see them there periodically. Bento = box in Japanese. I take that to mean I should use what I find works that's within my budget.
That's spot on. There's been a few comments in this thread with people thinking they can't make a bento because they don't have the special boxes or the cutters that some of us have. A container of some kind, leakproof if you'll use saucy/soupy foods (I usually recommend them to be about 500mL in volume), a couple of small sauce containers and a small cooler/thermal bag for them are pretty much all you need. As an addition, maybe some plastic cutlery (if needed) and a small snack container. Everything else is optional (or an addiction).
I pretty much started this thread to see if anyone was using the same principles for packing their lunches in a 'bento-ish' way to control their portion sizes, pre-planning of meals and lunchbox staples to help make bring your lunch with you to school/work easier and more practical, and to have something that can actually look as good as it tastes after a commute or after sitting in a bag all day. That and new recipes are always welcome (I'm sad that I haven't been able to find those gem wraps in Australia )
The addiction part has set in! I now have $100 of containers and accessories in my Amazon cart!! LOL
Just wait... soon you'll get like this (the picture was posted originally in early Feb, so I have a few more to add to the collection now)
In a way, it's probably a good thing that Amazon shipping costs an arm and a leg to get here. It means I need to go out of my way to search for my boxes.0 -
@mangrothian, I have Amazon Prime so I get free 2-day all the time, plus I have the credit card!! Dangerous!! I do order a lot on there besides this, so the annual fee is well worthwhile for me.
Where did you get the cute dividers?0 -
@cindytw I bought the dividers from Daiso. You can get the silicone teddy bear/frog ones from allthingsforsale. The love heart ones are disposable plastic ones, but I just wipe them down, dry them off and use them again. The rest of my dividers are just different pieces of silicone bakeware that I've found at a few different places.
Australia's Amazon site is only for kindle unfortunately, so there's no Amazon prime for us and the shipping is pretty exorbitant (especially after currency conversion), which is the main thing that stops me from going even further cray cray with my Bento collection. 0 -
I just recently purchased a super cute bento box and I really want to start packing bento lunches. Definitely need some ideas to get me started, though. There seem to be tons of options and it's a tad overwhelming.0
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Bento today: chicken fajitas, wild rice, apple slices, and an egg in the shape of an earless bear
(that you can't even see in the picture anyways)
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Fill your bento with meat.0
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I just recently purchased a super cute bento box and I really want to start packing bento lunches. Definitely need some ideas to get me started, though. There seem to be tons of options and it's a tad overwhelming.
If you want options on where to start, I always suggest JustBento & JustOneCookbook. Makiko Itoh who runs the JustHungry/JustBento websites has some great basic info ideas on the more traditional bento, and you can just have a look through the pages in this thread. The first 10 pages would probably have the most recipe links, but every picture someone posts has something different ^_^0 -
I just recently purchased a super cute bento box and I really want to start packing bento lunches. Definitely need some ideas to get me started, though. There seem to be tons of options and it's a tad overwhelming.
You can also start with what you know. Many of us started out with "leftover" bentos. Really, bento is just about packing a lunch, so start out with what you feel comfortable. Due to this being my busy season, I've been behind on my bento making, but most of my stuff is kind of heat and pack.
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PixieGoddess wrote: »Bento today: chicken fajitas, wild rice, apple slices, and an egg in the shape of an earless bear (that you can't even see in the picture anyways)
I know! Even when you can get an egg mold to come out well, it never really photgraphs well, there's got to be a trick to it.
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Tomorrows bento. Rice, hambaagu, marinated egg, veg, umeboshi. About 580Cal. After two 15+ hour days at work and being too tired to make my bento when I get home, I'm soooooo looking forward to my normal lunch.
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PixieGoddess wrote: »Bento today: chicken fajitas, wild rice, apple slices, and an egg in the shape of an earless bear (that you can't even see in the picture anyways)
I have yet to get a bear with ears. I've gotten great bunnies, fish, and cars but a good bear egg just hasn't happened. There must be a trick I don't know.0 -
A question for the umeboshi eaters,
do you mix it with something before eating? do you swallow the pit?
I got some and it is very very sour, is there anything I can do to tone the punch a little.0 -
So I have done a few plain lunches here and there but have not been up to making my husband lunch at all lately Here is a lunch/dinner I made yesterday when going out due to my youngest being sick so we where on the go. It was 637 cals, chili with hot dogs, rice, and raw carrot and while not pretty at all, it was yummy.
And just for fun, a lunch I had a few weeks ago, my egg mold came out well here.
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mangrothian wrote: »I just recently purchased a super cute bento box and I really want to start packing bento lunches. Definitely need some ideas to get me started, though. There seem to be tons of options and it's a tad overwhelming.
If you want options on where to start, I always suggest JustBento & JustOneCookbook. Makiko Itoh who runs the JustHungry/JustBento websites has some great basic info ideas on the more traditional bento, and you can just have a look through the pages in this thread. The first 10 pages would probably have the most recipe links, but every picture someone posts has something different ^_^
Awesome! Thanks
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HanamiDango wrote: »And just for fun, a lunch I had a few weeks ago, my egg mold came out well here.
YOUR BEARS HAVE EARS!!!! HOW did you DO THAT?!?0 -
A question for the umeboshi eaters,
do you mix it with something before eating? do you swallow the pit?
I got some and it is very very sour, is there anything I can do to tone the punch a little.
Honestly, I eat them as is, and spit out the pit because I love sour foods. Sometimes I take the pit out, and put it in the centre an umeshu seasoned onigiri. The basis behind having an umeboshi placed with the rice is to help keep the rice fresh (I don't think it truly works though), so I don't know if everyone eats it anyway.
The other thing I've seen is pitting it, mushing it up with some kewpie mayonnaise and mixing it through the rice.0 -
PixieGoddess wrote: »YOUR BEARS HAVE EARS!!!! HOW did you DO THAT?!?
I use this mold with large eggs. I steam my eggs, peel them while hot, put them in the egg mold, let them sit for about 5 mins, and so far, all of them have worked out to looking just like the molds.
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HanamiDango wrote: »PixieGoddess wrote: »YOUR BEARS HAVE EARS!!!! HOW did you DO THAT?!?
I use this mold with large eggs. I steam my eggs, peel them while hot, put them in the egg mold, let them sit for about 5 mins, and so far, all of them have worked out to looking just like the molds.
I have that exact mold, same color even! I boil my eggs, peel them while hot, put them in the egg mold, and let them sit in cold water for...well, I don't time it but a while! I go do something else while they sit there.
It's not fair! T_T
In other news, today's bento is homemade chicken nuggets, quinoa, and fresh veggies with ranch dressing! Yay for going grocery shopping!!
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I got my JList order, so a bunch of cute new bento boxes! Now for busy season to get over so I can go back to making lunches...
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Today's bento is just about the same as yesterday's but I got a pretty good picture of my bunny egg
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Quick small lunch. Cabbage rolls stuffed with ground turkey and X marks the homemade avocado sushi.
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Swiftlet66 wrote: »Quick small lunch. Cabbage rolls stuffed with ground turkey and X marks the homemade avocado sushi.
Looks delish. I love cabbage rolls. I usually avoid taking in home-made sushi because I don't like how the nori goes chewy what did you mark the x's with? looks like chili sauce, but it could be anything.
Since today is Good Friday (Happy Easter everyone!), no boxes bento for me today. I slept in (sleep is glorious, and I haven't had enough recently), right past breakfast and into lunchtime territory, so I decided a plated bento was good enough for today.
It's a chicken steamed bun, rice with shiso furikake (which I spilled about 3 times too much into >.< ) and umeboshi, steamed carrots, capsicum and shelled edamame. Came to about 550cals. I was going to eat two of the steamed buns, but relented and gave one to my husband instead. I'm such a pushover....
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PixieGoddess wrote: »I have that exact mold, same color even! I boil my eggs, peel them while hot, put them in the egg mold, and let them sit in cold water for...well, I don't time it but a while! I go do something else while they sit there.
It's not fair! T_T I don't know why they work, maybe the size of the egg or because I steam them? Maybe the bear ear goddess needs to visit you? I will try to send her your way! ^_^
Everyone's lunches look so yummy. I need to stop being lazy and step up my game a bit. Also need to take a trip to the Asian market and I might pick up some umeboshi too.
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That was a rush job! Ham, lettuce, tomato, green onion, mayo and dijon mustard Barbecue Gem wrap, eggs, grape tomatoes, cucumber, cashews and homemade tahini-lemon vinagrette for cucumbers.
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mangrothian wrote: »Swiftlet66 wrote: »Quick small lunch. Cabbage rolls stuffed with ground turkey and X marks the homemade avocado sushi.
Looks delish. I love cabbage rolls. I usually avoid taking in home-made sushi because I don't like how the nori goes chewy what did you mark the x's with? looks like chili sauce, but it could be anything.
Sriracha sauce. It adds extra ZING to my rolls. Hmm mine doesn't get very chewy. Must be different type of nori!
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