Using Bento Boxes for lunches.
Replies
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fasheesha16 wrote: »I have never heard to bento lunch box
It's fun and not as tough to do as it looks. Grab a tupperware or a gladware and give it a try
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my bento for today (total 775 cal):
briyani basmati rice,
aubergine with guilin chilli,
roasted chicken breast
and under the seaweed rolled egg is stir fry cabbage with carrots,
for snacks:
longan,
grapes,
chocolate pejoy stick
i tried to make the bunny to look like it is sleeping, but it turn out to look like it was trying very hard to sleep.. (somehow, i have a bunny with insomnia in my bento box)
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For bunny to sleep, try - - as eyes, and ^ as mouth. n___n Or A works, too, open-mouthed sleeping. /draws adorable lil chibi stuff all day0
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mangrothian wrote: »
And that's why I believe in eating with my eyes. If it looks good, and was fun to make, it'll always taste betterbunnyxhime wrote: »
Oh wow, everything is so cute! Cute accessories make bento more fun.DawnEmbers wrote: »
I've always been an owl fan. Most of my coffee cups and stuff have owls on them. The only worry I have about this box is that it's a lot bigger than my others, and I don't want to have the compulsion to fill it when it'll be too much food.bunnyxhime wrote: »
I ordered a pink one and a yellow one >__< why are these owl bentos soooo kawaii?mangrothian wrote: »I think I have the same owl on the way teehee.
I was so tired when I got home last night that I completely forgot to make my bento. I also forgot to post the pic from yesterdays, so here it is. My go-to quick bento, the smoked salmon flower bento
Sooooo lovely. Your smoked salmon flowers are so intricate!0 -
my bento for today (total 775 cal):
briyani basmati rice,
aubergine with guilin chilli,
roasted chicken breast
and under the seaweed rolled egg is stir fry cabbage with carrots,
for snacks:
longan,
grapes,
chocolate pejoy stick
i tried to make the bunny to look like it is sleeping, but it turn out to look like it was trying very hard to sleep.. (somehow, i have a bunny with insomnia in my bento box)
I love the pejoy sticks! The red wine chocolate one is my fav.0 -
First bento with Penguin. It's cute and definitely helps with portion control. Could only use half the microwave minute rice. The sauce bins are too small for the panda cooks so I just tried using the separators and hopeful that works out well, or I'll have soggy cookies, but oh well. Lunch for at work on freight day is: minute jasmine rice, lentil and potato curry with curry seasoned chicken, a babybel gouda and 4 hello panda cookies. Also have a rockstar protein drink as I wanted to try it and am having a day where I eat some dairy. Not counting rockstar it comes to just over 450.
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Today I have a great example of how the idea of a 'prepped stash' of food for Bento's makes some days easier. Having your pre-made 'stash' of goodies should be a necessity for any bento-er. It might mean 1 or 2 hours pottering about in the kitchen every second weekend, but it's worth it. I cook a batch of rice each week (which really doesn't need that much of my attention), pre-weigh it and freeze it in clingfilm or ziplock bags, and usually pick up one or two proteins on sale, cook them and freeze them.
On Sunday this week I decided for the first time to pre-cut a whole heap of veg for the week and pop them in a large tupperware box ready for use during the week for my Bento's. Last night after coming home grumpy and hungry, I stuffed my face, fell into a food coma and went to bed early. There's no bento making in last night's list of activities there.
In the morning I grabbed a frozen packet of rice and beef soboro, piled some veg into my microwavable sistema cup, threw everything in my freezer bag and headed out the door. 3 minutes of steaming veg in the microwave at work, with the last minute including the rice and soboro and my lunch was done. I knew I had 160g of veg, and the soboro and rice is pre-portioned, so I knew exactly how much was in there. Not as neat as my normal ones, but still tasty, bright and pretty:
If most of my normal boxes were microwavable, I could have used those and know that without even thinking bhat everything will fit in the box, and what the cals will be so I can I log without difficulty. Even without a microwave, the rice and soboro had defrosted to room temp, and I would have had fresh raw veg for lunch.
Also, this way I won't be tempted to walk down the street and grab some fish & chips
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Nice tip. I tend to make mine the day of instead of night before but that's because I work afternoon/evening and rarely ever have a morning shift. But it does help to have stuff made ahead of time, for sure. Showed my coworker's my bento box today, that was fun. One asked about bento and then turns out she'd never heard of Hello Panda cookies, so I showed her the ones I'd packed. I may get her a box next time I'm in the store. I may shop tomorrow and try to pick out a rice.
Also, cause it was fun. I took a picture of one of my Hello Panda cookies. They had sports images printed on them. This one is lifting weights (dumbbells).
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mangrothian wrote: »Today I have a great example of how the idea of a 'prepped stash' of food for Bento's makes some days easier. Having your pre-made 'stash' of goodies should be a necessity for any bento-er. It might mean 1 or 2 hours pottering about in the kitchen every second weekend, but it's worth it. I cook a batch of rice each week (which really doesn't need that much of my attention), pre-weigh it and freeze it in clingfilm or ziplock bags, and usually pick up one or two proteins on sale, cook them and freeze them.
On Sunday this week I decided for the first time to pre-cut a whole heap of veg for the week and pop them in a large tupperware box ready for use during the week for my Bento's. Last night after coming home grumpy and hungry, I stuffed my face, fell into a food coma and went to bed early. There's no bento making in last night's list of activities there.
In the morning I grabbed a frozen packet of rice and beef soboro, piled some veg into my microwavable sistema cup, threw everything in my freezer bag and headed out the door. 3 minutes of steaming veg in the microwave at work, with the last minute including the rice and soboro and my lunch was done. I knew I had 160g of veg, and the soboro and rice is pre-portioned, so I knew exactly how much was in there. Not as neat as my normal ones, but still tasty, bright and pretty:
If most of my normal boxes were microwavable, I could have used those and know that without even thinking bhat everything will fit in the box, and what the cals will be so I can I log without difficulty. Even without a microwave, the rice and soboro had defrosted to room temp, and I would have had fresh raw veg for lunch.
Also, this way I won't be tempted to walk down the street and grab some fish & chips
This is the best tip ever. Making my rice stash helped tremendously, and I was able to stop buying the pre-made microwave rice. Pre-measured means I don't have to think about it, just nuke and pack. I haven't got up to making the meat and veg stash yet, but I hope to someday get that organized. Husband mentioned he hadn't seen me make bento in a while and when i told him that our schedules were too messed up for it right now, he said he's going to figure something out so I can make my "cute" lunches again. And I think he wants bento again too...
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I needed a comfort food bento today. I didn't bother counting calories. I'm just feeling kind of bummed and just generally down today.
Champagne grapes, baba ganoush, pretzel crisps, babybel cheese, leftover stir fried veggies, mac and cheese.0 -
Narcissora wrote: »I needed a comfort food bento today. I didn't bother counting calories. I'm just feeling kind of bummed and just generally down today.
Champagne grapes, baba ganoush, pretzel crisps, babybel cheese, leftover stir fried veggies, mac and cheese.
Sorry to hear you are feeling down today ): Your bento looks so colorful and delicious however!!0 -
Yay, just caught up!! So school starts again, well has started, we moved, and things are starting to settle down for us. So back to bento boxes! I need to buy more, so I can make some for kids and myself at night (we all stay at home). Might make the days easier, plus low low calories for me for a while. Love all the wonderful lunches/breakfast!0
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HNarcissora wrote: »I needed a comfort food bento today. I didn't bother counting calories. I'm just feeling kind of bummed and just generally down today.
Champagne grapes, baba ganoush, pretzel crisps, babybel cheese, leftover stir fried veggies, mac and cheese.
Hope you feel better soon. You have made me fancy mac and cheese now
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I'm a lurker, I think this might even be my first post. But I just had to tell you guys... It took a week to read the entire thread, but thats OK, because today my Bento boxes and the Just Bento Cookbook arrived and I'm very much inspired to start bento-ing Monday.
So thank you everyone, for the inspiration, the recipes and the fun I'm already having!
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I'm a lurker, I think this might even be my first post. But I just had to tell you guys... It took a week to read the entire thread, but thats OK, because today my Bento boxes and the Just Bento Cookbook arrived and I'm very much inspired to start bento-ing Monday.
So thank you everyone, for the inspiration, the recipes and the fun I'm already having!
I used a recipe from Just Bento for the mini burgers I made for my bentos last week. They were super good! I recommend trying them out! Just make sure to mince up the onion into pretty small chunks. I left mine a little too large, and it was rough getting the tiny burgers all shaped right with big chunks of onion everywhere.0 -
More leftover curry, but no chicken this time. Just the lentils, potato and onion curry on the leftover half bit of rice from last time. Also have kiwi slices and two strawberry mochi. Though after taking the picture I switched which was in the middle and bottom containers. The head has more room cause of the way the top is, so the curry fits better there. Just over 400 calories today.
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I'm a lurker, I think this might even be my first post. But I just had to tell you guys... It took a week to read the entire thread, but thats OK, because today my Bento boxes and the Just Bento Cookbook arrived and I'm very much inspired to start bento-ing Monday.
So thank you everyone, for the inspiration, the recipes and the fun I'm already having!
Another one comes out into the bento kitchen instead of hiding in the weird rustling bush by the window0 -
mangrothian wrote: »Another one comes out into the bento kitchen instead of hiding in the weird rustling bush by the window
OMG !!!!!! I'm laughing so hard ! I hope you're a writer; the talent I see.
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Sandyslosenit wrote: »mangrothian wrote: »Another one comes out into the bento kitchen instead of hiding in the weird rustling bush by the window
OMG !!!!!! I'm laughing so hard ! I hope you're a writer; the talent I see.
Nope, just a weirdo who reads too much. I typed a nice long post on my phone this morning along with that line, but mfp in all of it's infinite wisdom decided to not include
Sad panda...
But anyway, Monday bento: marinated panko coated chicken with the usual sides (540 Cal)
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Awwww, too bad ! It would have been a fun read , I'm sure.mangrothian wrote: »Nope, just a weirdo who reads too much. I typed a nice long post on my phone this morning along with that line, but mfp in all of it's infinite wisdom decided to not include sad panda.
My bento for tomorrow. Total 865 cals. Breakfast : Bunny Egg and blueberry biscuits
1st. Snack : hummus and Sweet pepper Flowers
Lunch : seasoned salmon with rice
2nd Snack : Cookies n Cream Yudding!!
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I've just noticed that this thread is at 2.2k replies. When I wrote the OP, I was expecting a couple of replies and for the thread to die off like most of them do (or for snarky and the thread to get blocked). So many bento minions comrades to walk the path of pretty, healthy and compact lunches with!
Turkey Soboro bento with rice, veg (fridge is getting empty, so only golden squash and Brussels sprouts) and tamagoyaki. 620 Cals.
@PixelPuff Damn you for linking that original 'cooking with dog' recipe. I've now learnt how to make melon-pan and pretty much am tempted to stay up for 3 hours to make it. I'm sad there's no melon in melon-pan though 0 -
My bento have been looking really sad and empty lately, so I haven't been posting pics. Here's today's though... I used some animal picks to make it look better?
Breakfast - last of the blueberries, cinnamon swirl chocolate Greek yogurt, baked egg w/chicken, spinach, tomatoes (238 cal)
Lunch - mini quiche (onion, spinach, feta this week), broccoli & hummus, contemplate inner peas, wheat thins & laughing cow (474 cal)
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I have bento! It's boring, but I have one
Lunch is pork & mushroom dumplings, rice mix, edamame & carrots 426 cals. Snack box, has smoked almonds, a plain ol' egg, Trader Joe's edamame thins & a laughing cow cheese, both snacks total 393 cals.
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@piheart I feel you! My bentos having been looking pretty sad and empty too!
Back today though! I love your little animal picks too, they're adorable!
@sagj your bento looks really colourful and tasty!
@mangrothian how do you get your tamago to be so perfect looking??
Today's bento is rice, stir fried capsicum and onion, lamb and a boiled egg. There is also choc banana pocky for a snack
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@mangrothian how do you get your tamago to be so perfect looking??
Practice pretty much. I've stuffed up so many, and still do.
The main thing I can suggest is to have a decent non stick pan. My daiso ones wore out too quickly, and our regular pans are getting a bit old so the non-stick wasnt great. I managed to get a decent small square one that was the same size as my spatula on sale last week and it works wonders.
For shape, once its cooked and still hot, wrap it up in a sushi rolling mat and put something heavy on top. That way it'll cool to the right shape.0 -
Everyone's are looking so nummy. I had to look up tamagoyaki and will have to try to make it some time. None for me until Thursday as I work short shifts and won't be taking breaks. Maybe my other bento package will be here by then. Though, I did buy a box of yellow panda cookies to give to a coworker cause she thought the ones I had were cute.0
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mangrothian wrote: »@mangrothian how do you get your tamago to be so perfect looking??
Practice pretty much. I've stuffed up so many, and still do.
The main thing I can suggest is to have a decent non stick pan. My daiso ones wore out too quickly, and our regular pans are getting a bit old so the non-stick wasnt great. I managed to get a decent small square one that was the same size as my spatula on sale last week and it works wonders.
For shape, once its cooked and still hot, wrap it up in a sushi rolling mat and put something heavy on top. That way it'll cool to the right shape.
And then there's also the wonderful bento cheat tip of putting the prettiest sides of the prettiest items on top 0 -
PixieGoddess wrote: »mangrothian wrote: »@mangrothian how do you get your tamago to be so perfect looking??
Practice pretty much. I've stuffed up so many, and still do.
The main thing I can suggest is to have a decent non stick pan. My daiso ones wore out too quickly, and our regular pans are getting a bit old so the non-stick wasnt great. I managed to get a decent small square one that was the same size as my spatula on sale last week and it works wonders.
For shape, once its cooked and still hot, wrap it up in a sushi rolling mat and put something heavy on top. That way it'll cool to the right shape.
And then there's also the wonderful bento cheat tip of putting the prettiest sides of the prettiest items on top
and you get the joy of eating the wonky end bits you cut off. Those Calories don't count right?0
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