Bento Box!

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svanhoecke
svanhoecke Posts: 266
in Food and Nutrition
I just received a Bento Box complete with matching chopsticks from a dear friend in Japan. I am ridiculously excited...but have absolutely no clue how to properly fill a bento box. Does anyone have any EASY (please keep that in mind) suggestions for me? Something that I DON'T have to heat up. I feel like I am going to end up putting a peanut butter sandwich in this thing and my friends and family in Japan would be embarrassed if they saw me! Haha!

I am so excited. These things are PERFECT for portion control! If you don't know what a bento box is...look it up. They are adorable and super convenient...:happy:

Replies

  • adidrea
    adidrea Posts: 275 Member
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    Bento Boxes are so cute, I love them!! I wish I had one!

    Anyway, since there are different compartments you should put in a variety of foods. For example, chopped up fruit in one, fresh or steamed vegetables in another, a piece of meat and some pasta or rice...or a salad in the big part. You don't have to change what you eat, just put in some fun foods and enjoy your Bento Box!! :flowerforyou:
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
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    You can make very cute sandwiches in bento boxes, actually, and it's totally acceptable!!

    Once, a long time ago, I had a link to a bento box blog...I'm posting here to bookmark this thread in case I can find it. If I do, I'll totally post the link here. Lots of easy, healthy, quick ideas.
  • svanhoecke
    svanhoecke Posts: 266
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    Thanks guys.

    Anyone else have any ideas??
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
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    i have at Tupperware "bento box" i got off amazon and i use it all the time for my daughters lunches she loves it!!! There are so many things you can do. I would do a duit a veggie a meat or what not.

    for my daughter i fill one with fruit one with something sweet one with cute up cheese and another with cut up meat and sometimes some crackers and omg she loves when i do that its like her own lunchable lol
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
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    I agree with the earlier post, think about portions so the biggest one is for veggies, the smallest one for starches (noodles, rice, potato) somewhere in between your meat.
    But I like the bento box across the street and it has 4 cali rolls, teriyaki chicken, brown rice, and tempura veggies.
    Other things: steamed edamame, yakisoba noodles, stir fry, skewers, salad with ginger dressing, fresh fruit, egg roll or spring roll, meatballs, so many ideas...
  • janielynne
    janielynne Posts: 6
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    Check out www. theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com..... She has a ton of great lunches for the bento boxes.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    There are entire websites and blogs dedicated to people who put bento boxes together for their kids.
  • LisaCFSF
    LisaCFSF Posts: 258 Member
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    I agree with the earlier post, think about portions so the biggest one is for veggies, the smallest one for starches (noodles, rice, potato) somewhere in between your meat.
    But I like the bento box across the street and it has 4 cali rolls, teriyaki chicken, brown rice, and tempura veggies.
    Other things: steamed edamame, yakisoba noodles, stir fry, skewers, salad with ginger dressing, fresh fruit, egg roll or spring roll, meatballs, so many ideas...

    Yep, all good ideas! I like steamed brown rice, cali rolls, shrimp or chicken, and steamed veggies and of course wasabi & pickled ginger!!!
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
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    http://www.flickr.com/groups/bentoboxes/

    ^ Fabulous.
  • skinnnyxoxo
    skinnnyxoxo Posts: 210 Member
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    These are some cute ideas:
    http://bentoboxlove.tumblr.com/
    http://fybentoboxes.tumblr.com/
    http://bentoboxuk.tumblr.com/
  • meikinfaces
    meikinfaces Posts: 13 Member
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    DIY!!!!
    www.justhungry.com
    www.justbento.com
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    Thanks guys.

    Anyone else have any ideas??

    Why not try to experience what its like to have a true Bento meal? It would require your doing some research and perhaps being more friendlier in the kitchen to pull it off.

    I grew up with asian siblings, have friends who are asian, in fact a Surgeon that I once worked for comes straight from Tokyo who used to get a kick out of my knowledge of asian cuisines. Making Bento is probably the EASIEST thing to do but you have to truly love to experience things outside of your comfort zone.

    There is nothing like freshly prepared sashimi, sushi, takoyaki, fermented vegetables and boiled meats.... extra takoyaki, please! LOL!
  • aewalk07
    aewalk07 Posts: 51 Member
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    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002N7R93E/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=theworlda074c-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B002N7R93E&adid=0B8TB176H0DE2DGERZQS
  • aewalk07
    aewalk07 Posts: 51 Member
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    http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2012/02/day-in-my-pouch_15.html
  • dotido
    dotido Posts: 49
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    Bento boxes can be filled with your own homemade sushi. That is what I see here in Japan and I see them filled with rice, fried pork or chicken, vegetables, pickled foods and more fried food.

    You can put in salad with meat or fish which is what some people buy here as a healthier option.
  • meikinfaces
    meikinfaces Posts: 13 Member
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    I agree with the earlier post, think about portions so the biggest one is for veggies, the smallest one for starches (noodles, rice, potato) somewhere in between your meat.

    Actually, rice is the star of the bento show. Biggest for rice and meat topping traditionally and accompaniaments in the smaller. (my apologies to the carb watchers) I will recommend the 'Just Bento' Cookbook which has a delightful assortment of homestyle bentos by Makiko Itoh which fall around 600 cal per bento - I got it for christmas and it's great!
  • silencethelamb
    silencethelamb Posts: 28 Member
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    bump!

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