Using Bento Boxes for lunches.

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  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    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
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    edited January 2015
    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
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    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
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    @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
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    @mangrothian not sticky at all! Nothing like the cheese. Just soggy.
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    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
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    edited January 2015
    @ 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)
    zq7657m6cvbt.jpg

    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
    aSearch4Me Posts: 397 Member
    @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)

    810u5m2mi8du.jpg




  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    I like the sound of the seasoning you're using in your rice. Might have to give it a go methinks :)
  • Lissa_Kaye
    Lissa_Kaye Posts: 214 Member
    OMG make me lunch please! :wink: 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.
  • LizN63
    LizN63 Posts: 129 Member
    edited January 2015
    Those look awesome! I had a bit of a leftovers one today, my rice (still rock hard, no idea why! I packed when hot, didn't pierce the film when reheating... :( ), prawns just with a chilli dipping sauce, some grapes, babybel and a veg gratin cup I found on Just Bento (http://justbento.com/handbook/recipes-sides-and-fillers/bento-filler-cherry-tomato-and-leftover-vegetable-gratin), that looked nice on the website but not in my bento! Tasted nice though.
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    @mangrothian Hope those dango turn out yummy. I have yet to try making any yet. ^_^

    Now you guys just had to post that sale and I am tempted to buy a box at monbento. Shopping is fun.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    edited January 2015
    mangrothian wrote: »
    @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....
    Yeah, it's a freshwater fish and one of the cheapest to get here.

    My bento today: onigiri, shrimp, edamame, and an apple. I think I need bigger bento boxes! :/ Or maybe pack it when I'm not so tired. I probably should've only done half as much apple and added something else in the top tier, but I was finishing packing a few bentos after dinner (and after margs!) and was just ready to go sit down.
    zqvvgjf16fmy.jpg
  • aSearch4Me
    aSearch4Me Posts: 397 Member
    mangrothian wrote: »
    I like the sound of the seasoning you're using in your rice. Might have to give it a go methinks :)

    Thanks @mangrothian . I'm a big fan of it. I guess I should say that there is also some seasoned rice wine vinegar in there, too. But it's very tasty with some wasabi & soy sauced tossed on it.

    (of note: my last comment re: your post-gym bento box should have said "That looks great!" not "That looks heart!"...stupid autocorrect on my phone.)
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    I've been very envious looking at these beautiful boxes, so I finally found the time to make one up for dinner at work. I don't know much about Japanese cooking, but I do know Mediterranean food, so that's the direction I took.

    Lamb meatballs, spring green salad, quinoa, feta avocado, and blueberries for dessert.

    1512410_953235671355739_3847398322915256841_n.jpg?oh=810185609abff6c3468cfb491f220cb5&oe=555218C2&__gda__=1433162684_079a1cf1b7cf3aa576b59022c60d6924
  • aSearch4Me
    aSearch4Me Posts: 397 Member
    @snugglesmacks I love the idea of a Mediterranean themed bento box. Looks great!
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    edited January 2015
    @snugglesmacks I think bento is a style of food prep/packing rather than japanese food specifically. Feel free to make whatever flavors you like! I'm hoping to do a mexican themed one this week. Yay Taco Tuesday leftovers!
  • barbiegirlie2
    barbiegirlie2 Posts: 26 Member
    Man, now I want tacos...
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    @barbiegirlie2 don't get too excited, the chicken went bad, so no tacos today :'( but pizza :D , don't think i can bento-fy that.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    SpecialKitty7 wrote: »
    @barbiegirlie2 don't get too excited, the chicken went bad, so no tacos today :'( but pizza :D , don't think i can bento-fy that.

    I smell a challenge....
  • aSearch4Me
    aSearch4Me Posts: 397 Member
    Mmmm... Deconstructed pizza bento? Or cold pizza cut into cute little shapes....Hmmmm. Lol

  • aSearch4Me
    aSearch4Me Posts: 397 Member
    Wednesday's bento: krab, carrot chips, sliced mushroom, snow peas, blueberries, & peanut butter filled pretzels.

    373 calories (59g carb, 10g fiber, 17g protein, 10g fat)

    3y46mtr8rt3f.jpg
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    aSearch4Me wrote: »
    Mmmm... Deconstructed pizza bento? Or cold pizza cut into cute little shapes....Hmmmm. Lol

    I'm more thinking round dumpling pastry with cherry tomatoes (or just some passata), bacon, basil, garlic, and a small amount of a light cheese of some kind.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    mangrothian wrote: »
    aSearch4Me wrote: »
    Mmmm... Deconstructed pizza bento? Or cold pizza cut into cute little shapes....Hmmmm. Lol

    I'm more thinking round dumpling pastry with cherry tomatoes (or just some passata), bacon, basil, garlic, and a small amount of a light cheese of some kind.

    You could use pita, or eggplant slices, as the base. Or you could make pizza muffins with bits of biscuit dough in a muffin tin.
  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    I'm thinking of those pizza puff wheels. Yum.
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    didn't attempt to bento-fy the leftovers. it was cheap, good only when it's hot pizza, so the dogs got the leftover slices. instead today, i have rice, sugar snap peas, edamame, shrimp and blueberries. forgot to get a picture before i closed it up, but it's not really different than the bentos i've been eating.

    @snugglesmacks hadn't considered trying that! pizza muffins should bento easily :D
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Today's bento: onigiri, edamame, boiled egg in the shape of an adorable bunny, halo orange, broccoli, cherry tomato, and mushrooms
    8x1rje4bnxnu.jpg

    And I ordered some bigger bentos on Amazon yesterday. I think I'd rather have more volume of healthy foods than pack higher-calorie foods into the smaller bentos. So look for some cute new bentos (with bunnies!) next week!
  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    I wish I could see your bunny better, it's very white. I love shaped eggs!

    Nothing tremendously exciting today, but I made said pizza wheels! (Not as small as expected, puff pastry puffs, who knew!). Raisins, cucumber, little rice cracker things, mango dip. Haven't done the maths yet, and I didn't use all the ingredients I'd weighed out, but I'm guessing for <400kcals?mm43l0cnnrur.jpg
  • aSearch4Me
    aSearch4Me Posts: 397 Member
    @satansees do you have a weblink for the recipe for those pizza puffs? It looks great!
  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    @aSearch4Me‌ sort of this http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1463/pizza-puff-pinwheels
    But no ham, less cheese, and too much sauce so half of its on the worktop hahahah. I cooked it a bit longer too. Green pesto ones are better imo. Also pastry is pretty calorie heavy, even the 'light' version, just be aware.

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