Using Bento Boxes for lunches.

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  • cindytw
    cindytw Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited April 2015
    Can i just say I LOVE Sirracha!? Our local store makes a green Sirracha which I think is better than the red even!
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    Well the week starts tomorrow so hubby's lunch has been made. Hot dogs and left over fried rice. 6219550308d0f6746184cfe99e19dae5.png
  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    So I haven't posted here in a while. But I bought a rice cooker and it is the best thing ever! I seem to be eating rice for all my meals, and can easily cook enough for lunch too. Without cooking rice for eight people, or burning the bottom. Sushi rice seems to work too, which is taking most of the effort out.
    I don't read Korean, but it's supposed to reheat and do stews and stuff too?
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    satansees wrote: »
    So I haven't posted here in a while. But I bought a rice cooker and it is the best thing ever! I seem to be eating rice for all my meals, and can easily cook enough for lunch too. Without cooking rice for eight people, or burning the bottom. Sushi rice seems to work too, which is taking most of the effort out.
    I don't read Korean, but it's supposed to reheat and do stews and stuff too?

    Quite a few of the more 'fancy' (ie, not a $15 one from a dept store) cookers can do congee/rice porridge, stews, and even cakes. I'd love to get one of the zojirushi or tiger brand cookers; they're meant to be fantastic.

    Bento for tomorrow: Ginger beef (based off this recipe from justonecookbook, I just used some sukiyaki beef that was getting freezer burn instead of pork), nori wrapped tamagoyaki, pickled ginger, rice, umeboshi and veg. I was given more garden vegetables from my parents over the easter break, so I'm looking forward to eating it ^_^ Totals around 620Cal
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  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    It's a cuckoo. It does do congee, but I can't stand it. It's like wallpaper paste, flem and disappointment.
    All the rice cookers here are pressure or slow cookers with a rice setting, and very ...meh.
    I found some ume shisho today too. But no edamame.
  • cindytw
    cindytw Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Buffalo Chicken salad over iceberg lettuce, purple cabbage, peppers. Grapes and cashews. For the hubby tomorrow.
  • cindytw
    cindytw Posts: 1,027 Member
    @mangrothian, that looks beautiful and delicious!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    @mangrothian I have a zojirushi. And yes, fantastic, worth the money 1000x over.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    @mangrothian I have a zojirushi. And yes, fantastic, worth the money 1000x over.

    I drool over even the thought of having one. Unfortunately they don't stock in Australia, so the cost of buying one, shipping it over and having the plug changed over is more than I can afford :( I'll just have to stick to my good old wash, dry and soak in my saucepan.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    satansees wrote: »
    It's a cuckoo. It does do congee, but I can't stand it. It's like wallpaper paste, flem and disappointment.
    All the rice cookers here are pressure or slow cookers with a rice setting, and very ...meh.
    I found some ume shisho today too. But no edamame.

    Congee is very hit and miss with me. If there isn't the right amount of seasoning and extras to go with, I agree, it's like paste soup. If it's done right though, I find it just as comforting as a chicken noodle soup on an Winter's day.
    cindytw wrote: »
    @mangrothian, that looks beautiful and delicious!

    I'm very happy that it tasted just as good as it looked (nothing from a store beats home grown vegetables!)
  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    I can't stand Rice pudding either, I don't know what I was expecting :pensive:
    Back to work today! Mine on the left, mans on the right. He has bread, ham, cheese, rice, omelette, spring onion, samphire and tuna. I have that kickass giant corn. f9amkr6h5o8e.jpg

  • jlohcook
    jlohcook Posts: 228 Member
    I bento my lunch as well. Usually leftover dinners and it's usually 1 portion of rice, 1 portion of meat, and lots of vegetables. I put them into the brand glassware from Lock Lock, very tight, won't leak, heat them up in microwave and there I have a good balanced lunch. It's glass, easy to wash.

    If no overnight dinners leftover, usually potato salad works, or just steamed sweet potato, purple sweet potato or yam and hard boiled eggs. With this type of lunch, I will load up on vege at night.

    And I usually pack a separate container of fruits for my morning or afternoon snack.

    Luv those justbento but like what many said, truly expensive and my artwork will not be as nice as what they have there.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    jlohcook wrote: »
    I bento my lunch as well. Usually leftover dinners and it's usually 1 portion of rice, 1 portion of meat, and lots of vegetables. I put them into the brand glassware from Lock Lock, very tight, won't leak, heat them up in microwave and there I have a good balanced lunch. It's glass, easy to wash.

    If no overnight dinners leftover, usually potato salad works, or just steamed sweet potato, purple sweet potato or yam and hard boiled eggs. With this type of lunch, I will load up on vege at night.

    And I usually pack a separate container of fruits for my morning or afternoon snack.

    Luv those justbento but like what many said, truly expensive and my artwork will not be as nice as what they have there.

    You really think that about JustBento? I find that a small few of the bento recipes on JustBento to have expensive ingredients, but not that many (Maki makes a point of simple foods in many of her bentos, but the more popular ones are always going to be the fancy ones that do have the few PITA ingredients to buy). For her recipes it's more that there are ingredients that aren't overly accessible to some people who don't have a well stocked asian grocery nearby. Some of the boxes she recommends on the other hand can be quite pricey. She doesn't make charaben (the cutsie kids lunches with cartoon characters on them), so there's no artwork involved.

    If I sound defensive of her, it's because the JustBento and JustHungry websites are what had me trying out bento lunches in the first place (and my scale and jeans are thankful for it!)

    Tomorrow's (Wednesday already!) bento. I made sushi sandwiches! They don't actually look that good since the ginger/chilli/sour cream/chicken mix I used kind of blends into the rice colour-wise, but meh, I think they'll be tasty. The veg is chinese broccoli stir fried in ponzu sauce and sesame seeds. Approx. 500Cal
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  • jlohcook
    jlohcook Posts: 228 Member
    @Mangrothian. Kudos to your bento! Yours looks fabulous. ...
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Forgot to post yesterday's bento: rice (that you can't really see) with chicken and edamame, then the rest of the pre-portioned amount of edamame went into the small tier with apple slices
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  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    Today's lunch was leftover mac and cheese with chili, sadly no picture. However, I made him one, so there is a plus.

    jlohcook wrote: »
    Luv those justbento but like what many said, truly expensive and my artwork will not be as nice as what they have there.

    I also love JustHungry and JuntBento website. I make Maki's strawberry jam, steamed buns, miso, and learn just so much from her site and it has not cost me anything. As far as cooking, lunch is about what suits your taste. I love Asian food, hubby does not. :(

    @Mangrothian I am a sad panda for you about not being able to get a Zojirushi there :( I had a Tiger one for a while that worked great, until I broke the lid >.< And your sandwiches look great!
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    I also love JustHungry and JuntBento website. I make Maki's strawberry jam, steamed buns, miso, and learn just so much from her site and it has not cost me anything. As far as cooking, lunch is about what suits your taste. I love Asian food, hubby does not. :(

    Ah to be a bit otaku and not have a hubby who doesn't prefer your food preferences. I feel you, I really do. I'm just glad one of my gf's is as obsessed with ramen as I am :p
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    edited April 2015
    My second last bento for a while :( I fly interstate for a medical congress for the week, then I visit family for 3 days, then a week training 7 new staff members. Every day will have lunch provided. I'm just hoping that I don't have to end up eating horrible sandwiches every day. I'm sure I'll be dreaming about umeboshi and Shian onigiri before I get back.

    Tomorrows bento is the standard rice and veggies, with smoked salmon and a couple of mini chicken dim sims. Just under 500cal.
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    ETA: I just realised that you can see my brekky for tmw to the left of my bento. Can't say you don't have time for a cooked breakfast if literally everything's laid out ready for you to cook in the morning ^_^

  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Today's bento!! Easter ham, sweet potatoes, edamame, and apple slices!! It was soooo gooooood!!!!
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  • jnmrie
    jnmrie Posts: 145 Member
    The thread has inspired me!

    Tomorrow's lunch is teriyaki chicken, vegetable gyoza, roasted carrots and leeks, jasmine rice and an egg!

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  • mariannehgv
    mariannehgv Posts: 34 Member
    Hello! I've been drooling over all those pretty lunches as well. I used to make bentos about 4 years ago when I was losing weight and in one of my Japanese cooking phases, and it worked brilliantly, so I've picked it up again. Sadly the lid of my bento box melted a bit due to being too close to a hot frying pan, but if I keep only dry things in the large container that shouldn't matter.

    Today's lunch: leftover couscous with yellow moong dall, raisins, courgette and tomato. Other container: boiled egg, tropical fruit and nut mix, sunflower seeds and a mandarin. Total kcal around 550.

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  • kramrn77
    kramrn77 Posts: 375 Member
    Proud new owner of an insulated lunch bag, so about to see how things withstand being in a car in the warm spring weather. I figure I'll toss in a frozen water bottle and hope for the best!glz1zpmqi6c6.jpg
    Lettuce wraps, one with chicken and guacamole and the other with chicken, roast beef and avocado dressing (trying to see which hold up the best. Raspberries and blackberries, carrots and hummus in the container. For my morning snack: whipped BP on celery with two strawberries for color. And as a yummy, Mexican caramels. Grand total: 571 for lunch and snack.
  • mariannehgv
    mariannehgv Posts: 34 Member
    Ooh, very clever idea of the frozen water bottle! I'm going to make an insulated lunch tote soon, because my boyfriend has some clothes to get rid of. I'll make sure to leave room for a frozen water bottle as well :-)
  • xesixb
    xesixb Posts: 165 Member
    My mouth is watering! It looks so delicious. I think you're doing a great job bento-ing. It really helps with keeping portions under control.
  • chesves
    chesves Posts: 224 Member
    I needed to revisit this thread .... so inspiring .... hadn't been on here in forever- thanks for the renewed inspiration!
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    So lunch is still leftovers and no photos however yesterday was leftover pasta from Skinny Taste which I add a good amount of vegetables to and today's was homemade tortillas with cheese and leftover pork taco meat from last night. Both meals are under 500 cals. I think for tomorrows lunch I might do chicken chili or something like that since tonight is chicken tenders and mac/cheese which the kids will eat all up.
  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    Rice, kale (I don't know if I like kale) and steamed haddock with sauce and random vegetables. Plus seaweed rice crackers. Under 500 calories. As much as I like my monbento, this round thing is a bit of a better size. 1eqa5lo9gc14.jpg
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Dijon chicken, rice, and cooked veggies in the big tier; broccoli and cauliflower in the small tier with some Ranch dressing (not pictured, it was in the fridge)
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  • cindytw
    cindytw Posts: 1,027 Member
    @kramrn77 you do't have re-usable ice packs? They are cheap and I thought a staple for taking lunch!
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    cheap thin kitchen sponge + water for it (enough that it's not dripping) + ziploc bag + freezer = cooler success!