Using Bento Boxes for lunches.

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  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    I got home way too late last night. To avoid having to buy my lunch I still made my Bento, but it was a quick one. And by that, I mean the vegetables and meat were done before the rice had defrosted in the microwave, and my normal fruit and yoghurt was done before the rice had cooled.

    Total time taken: about 6 minutes from rice out of the freezer to box in the fridge. Still colourful, still tasty, but could have done with more protein since it was a gym day for me.

    Diced (ok, torn) roast chicken with Nando's peri peri salt, some kind of bagged Asian salad, rice and an umeboshi. Total cal: 445
    weyd2u4h6lx2.jpg
    I was too tired to take a picture last night, but I'm sure you all appreciate my half eaten lunch ;)
  • Daiako
    Daiako Posts: 12,545 Member
    umagb4b56ow2.jpg


    Here's the total haul. Sending most of it to my younger sisters (They love cute things like this, they're thrilled). Now to teach them fun things to put into it/how to pack it.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    @LizN63 Did you say.... owls?

    These are the cups and bowl I have at work. The bowl holds my yoghurt (or miso soup in Winter), and the others, well, what ever I can put in them, I drink from them. Funnily enough, I haven't bought myself an owl bento box yet. I should get on to that.

    5v3555azdvyq.jpg
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  • ElliInJapan
    ElliInJapan Posts: 286 Member
    oh wow, these owl cups and bowls are so cute!

    I decided today to get more serious about planning my food, so here's today's bentos

    n6azgl5dboio.jpg


    - chicken stirfry with boiled broccoli, some leftover pea & potato stew and a few olives for lunch
    - half an apple and a piece of spanakopita for snack

    The pic is from this morning when I packed them, but when I got to work they were a mess. I learned my lesson, the bentos need to be packed tightly.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    ElliInJapan wrote: »
    oh wow, these owl cups and bowls are so cute!

    I decided today to get more serious about planning my food, so here's today's bentos

    - chicken stirfry with boiled broccoli, some leftover pea & potato stew and a few olives for lunch
    - half an apple and a piece of spanakopita for snack

    The pic is from this morning when I packed them, but when I got to work they were a mess. I learned my lesson, the bentos need to be packed tightly.

    Yeah, I learnt that the hard way a few times as well. I'm not sure how big your boxes are to suggest a smaller one (if that's your normal lunch 'volume' at least), but if you want to pack things tighter, cherry tomatoes and snow peas are my go-to suggestion. For fruit, strawberries actually travel quite well after they've been cut as fillers. Blueberries also make great fruit fillers.
  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
    Stop me! I keep ordering more Bento boxes. I'm outta control. . .
  • kramrn77
    kramrn77 Posts: 375 Member
    I think we may have reached bento critical mass! I was just thinking, I reeeallllly want those egg shapers. And some cute side boxes for snacks. And maybe a set of travel utensils. And.....

    And I just went to the Japanese market and two Korean markets last week!
  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
    They're all so damn cute! I bought tiny containers, utensils; I bought everything. I have to stop. I'm obsessed. Somebody talk me off the edge.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    trina1049 wrote: »
    They're all so damn cute! I bought tiny containers, utensils; I bought everything. I have to stop. I'm obsessed. Somebody talk me off the edge.

    *speaks from the water*

    Come in, it's nice and warm. It's only a short drop. Joinnnn uuuuussssss.........
  • Daiako
    Daiako Posts: 12,545 Member
    kramrn77 wrote: »
    I think we may have reached bento critical mass! I was just thinking, I reeeallllly want those egg shapers. And some cute side boxes for snacks. And maybe a set of travel utensils. And.....

    And I just went to the Japanese market and two Korean markets last week!

    I bought egg shapers. My husband is strangely not as excited about the future star and heart shaped eggs as I am.

    Crazy right?
  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
    Here I come; I'm jumping. . . Just one more box won't hurt. So what if my husband divorces me, I'll still have great lunches.
  • shannonbun
    shannonbun Posts: 168 Member
    I just got an Aladdin brand "sandwich" container, but it looks perfect for bento! I 'steal' my bento material from my college's dining hall, and it's the right size to slip into my purse ;D if you live near an Ollie's in the US (I know there's one in Metro Detroit and in Lynchburg, VA) they're only $3 and are great!
  • GoPerfectHealth
    GoPerfectHealth Posts: 254 Member
    Thanks for the great discussion. I have learned there is such a thing as a Bento Box, and that there is actually a whole culture and practice around its use. It seems I have been missing out on this tidy food beauty practice! :smile:
  • kramrn77
    kramrn77 Posts: 375 Member
    Daiako wrote: »
    kramrn77 wrote: »
    I think we may have reached bento critical mass! I was just thinking, I reeeallllly want those egg shapers. And some cute side boxes for snacks. And maybe a set of travel utensils. And.....

    And I just went to the Japanese market and two Korean markets last week!

    I bought egg shapers. My husband is strangely not as excited about the future star and heart shaped eggs as I am.

    Crazy right?
    Yeah- I showed my hubby the pig shaped sauce holder and told him I was going to buy him a manly size bento for when he starts work after his nursing certification test. For some weird reason he didn't squee. Weird.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    Heh, my husband is a practical thinker. He knows that if he complains about my bento boxes, he'll never get a packed lunch from me. He likes his onigiri too much ;)
  • satansees
    satansees Posts: 42 Member
    LizN63 wrote: »
    satansees wrote: »
    I actually like Le Rustique, which is just the default Brie here. Or a Cornish Brie. But I rarely see mini Brie at all (too much crust, not enough mooey goodness) I actually prefer Camberbert though, which is similar but smellier.

    Ooh here Le Rustique is a Camembert and I do actually like Camembert better as it lacks that 'edge' I find Brie has.

    Oh yeah! Told you I like Camembert hahahah
    (Apparently they do Brie too, I don't know what I eat)
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    If anyones significant other is worried about that one extra Bento box, refer them to this:
    91bdufadsr7h.jpg

    "Don't worry dear, I'll never turn out like the MFP crazy bento lady!"

    I think this is about 85% of my collection (some stuff was in use/dirty/borrowed), and doesn't include my Bento-applicable collection of normal gladware style containers.

    I'm sure some people have more, but I thought it would be a good reference :p
  • kramrn77
    kramrn77 Posts: 375 Member
    Holy bento boxes, Batman!



    Erm. Can I be you when I grow up?
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    kramrn77 wrote: »
    Holy bento boxes, Batman!



    Erm. Can I be you when I grow up?

    Sure, I'll let you know when I get there ;)
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    edited February 2015
    Friday's Bento! I decided to use as many matching containers as I could. I think I succeeded.
    ae1hq1sk6vrk.jpg
    The lunch portion of the Bento (the two long boxes + 1 onigiri box) is 425cal. A two egg tamagoyaki, roast chicken breast with peri peri salt, japanese pickle, blanched vegetables and a shiso onigiri with an umeboshi in the centre. The total including my breakfast, babybel, fruit and pre-night class snack: 720cal.

    For the exact breakdown of what's in my lunches, as normal, the diary is open
  • sarieth05
    sarieth05 Posts: 313 Member
    edited February 2015
    mangrothian, your bento collection is amazing and I'm jealous!

    I haven't made a lunch since my last post, but I did put together a little snack bento for an under 2 hour car trip tomorrow! >.> I love goldfish crackers, and do not judge me for taking up one whole box with them as I will be sharing this small amount of food with my hubby in the car. XD

    Goldfish crackers, strawberries, cucumber, and grapes. 224 calories total (140 cal. crackers, 84 for the fruit/veggie)
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  • Daiako
    Daiako Posts: 12,545 Member
    edited February 2015
    That bento collection is amazing! So jealous.

    sb4pg2phsdzc.jpg

    Lunch! Ramen noodles, sriracha soy chicken (I just trow stuff at stuff and pray) and mixed veggies tossed with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, splenda, and vinegar. Just shy of 400 calories. Then grapes, boiled egg, and pepperoni for snacking.
  • sarieth05
    sarieth05 Posts: 313 Member
    Daiako wrote: »
    That be to collection is amazing! So jealous.

    sb4pg2phsdzc.jpg

    Lunch! Ramen noodles, sriracha soy chicken (I just trow stuff at stuff and pray) and mixed veggies tossed with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, splenda, and vinegar. Just shy of 400 calories. Then grapes, boiled egg, and pepperoni for snacking.

    That ramen dish looks fantastic!
  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
    mangrothian wrote: »
    If anyones significant other is worried about that one extra Bento box, refer them to this:
    91bdufadsr7h.jpg

    "Don't worry dear, I'll never turn out like the MFP crazy bento lady!"

    I think this is about 85% of my collection (some stuff was in use/dirty/borrowed), and doesn't include my Bento-applicable collection of normal gladware style containers.

    I'm sure some people have more, but I thought it would be a good reference :p

    My marriage is saved! Thank you, "crazy bento lady!"

    PS You. Are. My. Hero.

  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    mangrothian wrote: »
    Malyndiajc wrote: »
    reesrachel00 wrote: »
    Shaped eggs? tell me more


    Long time stalker first time commenter :wink:

    Look up "egg molds" on amazon... there are so many nifty shapes

    I'm starting to get this feeling that we have quite a few people stalking this thread, lurking in the darkness.
    9aonqmyng6xl.jpg
    I'm starting to get scared....

    But isn't this a good thing for our plans of world bento domination?
  • liekewheeless
    liekewheeless Posts: 416 Member
    edited February 2015
    mangrothian wrote: »
    @LizN63 Did you say.... owls?

    These are the cups and bowl I have at work. The bowl holds my yoghurt (or miso soup in Winter), and the others, well, what ever I can put in them, I drink from them. Funnily enough, I haven't bought myself an owl bento box yet. I should get on to that.

    5v3555azdvyq.jpg


    I have that blue/gray owl cup with tea pot. My sister got it for me for my birthday!

    New at Bento, just using glad ware for now.
  • LizN63
    LizN63 Posts: 129 Member
    edited February 2015
    mangrothian wrote: »
    @LizN63 Did you say.... owls?

    :oB) (*)
    I am also wanting this from Amazon: 51gcVYGULwL.jpg
    but money is tight this month and I've already had so much other stuff... must.. not... click...
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    OMG I walk away for one minute and the thread explodes! Welcome to all newcomers, welcome to the dark side that is bento obsession >:)

    @sarieth05 I'd say husband is on his own, I'm not going to share my goldfish crackers!

    @mangrothian you scared my husband! He said there's more??? He hates cleaning all my tiny bento stuff as it is <3
  • Malyndiajc
    Malyndiajc Posts: 8 Member
    I promise I am not shifty... just didn't really have much to add until I noticed one comment I could actually be helpful and address. I am a fan of bento lunches, always have been, but don't really pack lunches for work (because I don't have a lunch time to enjoy them) so I don't have any nifty pictures to add :neutral_face:
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    No lunches this week to attempt to make :( But I am buying some boxes and other stuff, so that is happiness. I think when we go out to eat I might start packing my own bento box, since I have issues eating out (dairy). I did it the other day for just some side dishes and it worked well.

    mangrothian: Your collection is awesome!

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