Anyone make Bento Box lunches?

Evil Yoda has a thing for Bento boxes..

You might find ideas here:

http://community.livejournal.com/bentolunch/

http://community.livejournal.com/eat_my_bento/

I love Bento Boxes, but only the kind that is served at a Sushi restaurant! Because I have no idea how to make anything to go in one that you'd buy, so I'm no help whatsoever.

You could make this though, with all your talents!

Lol, I have a pattern for something very similar..might have to roll one out as a christmas gift.

We love the lunch bentos at our local japanese, hence the idea. I also have some escalating food issues and Japanese food is one of the few things I can eat without issue (allergic to mustard, intollerant to tomatoes, bread, chilies and a million other things).

This is the Mr Bento Porn pool..food porn, that is..http://www.flickr.com/groups/mrbento/

Been bento-ing for ages ever since I came across http://www.lunchinabox.net

I've some photos on the Flickr groups - both Mr Bento Porn and the Bento boxes groups.

I have an unhealthy selection of lunch boxes - I'm just back from Hong Kong and CHina and picked up a Ms. Bento (the smaller version of yours) as well as a Lock'n'Lock lunch box.

My lunches are the best - everyone at work gets stupidly excited by what I have for lunch ?

Congratulations, you just became my new Best Friend...

I just found that website, its very cool

So, what have you had recently as Bento lunches?

Possibly a silly question but how does a bento box differ from a lunchbox?

I'd love to do bento lunches, but the thought of the faff and the washing up and constantly losing the lids of the tubs puts me off ?

Not sure on any official answer, but It tends to be compartmentalised, which I think is something to do with the Japanese culture of incorperating differnt foods within a meal. Its not really different to a lunchbox, rather its the japanese version. I just like being able to have a few different foods rather than a sandwhich and a packet of crisps. For me, its also a great form of calorie control.

Ha! It's addictive.

So lately I've had a veg dhansak in the soup pot (it was quite liquid rather than a thick curry), with rice and/or mashed squash in the rice pot, and then usually fruit in the top section - frozen blueberries which are nicely defrosted by lunchtime, chopped up kiwi or pineapple.

If you are careful you can cook cous cous in the rice pot bit - add cous cous, same volume of boiling water and put lid on tight. It will be done by lunchtime and all you need to do is stir it up a bit. You may need to keep it upright for the first little bit until the water has been absorbed.

Other non-thermal bento I have done lately:

leftover teriyaki salmon and rice, red cabbage, fruit with chocolate sauce and cherry tomatoes

nasai goreng, carrot sticks, wedge of cheese and kiwi fruit

onigiri with egg tamagoyaki with carrot/fruit etc

The thermal bento jars are fab. If I'm in a rush in the morning, I just bung a blob of miso paste in soup bit, add boiling water and some frozen veg (peas and I usually have some chopped scallion) or whatever's lurking in the fridge. Leftover rice goes in the main bit, or I cut up some pitta bread to put in the rice pot along with a scoop of hummus, and then chopped fruit and carrots in the top. Can do it all in the time it takes to make my porridge?

My first bento was a Miffy set. The plastic on the bottom tier eventually cracked - I had to buy a new one just like it...

Thanks - that makes sense.

They all sound great..I think its less about just thinking up ideas, and more just a change of thinking for me. I want to use leftovers where I can, so I guess making an evening meal that can be used the next day makes sense..

I like the tip about the frozen fruit..great idea..

Bento are great for using up leftovers. It's really easy to squeeze in little portions of leftover veg, or the odd tomato/tail end of cheese from the back of the fridge in which otherwise I would usually throw out.

I use the "official" bento box size guidelines to figure out what size of box to use. I have been known to take a portion out of dinner before we eat it and stick it in a box - as I've only got to fill around 200/250ml with leftovers (I have a supply of carrots/fruit/nuts) I don't notice that we've gone short at dinner. Boiled eggs are also quick standbys

I have a poke through the Flickr sites if I'm lacking inspiration.

I love that box/flask ethel! do you have a website link for it (feels a perfect present for the horribly difficult to buy for mr j coming on)

I got ours from Amazon US..http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-Bento-Stainless-Steel-lined-Silver/dp/B000246GSE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1228511572&sr=8-1

If you need a push deciding..the set includes a stainless steel spork!

pure genius!

we have recently instituted the idea of 'slunch' in our house - a meal eaten post 3pm after a brunch

a spork would work well for that 😄

I think the only place to get them in the UK is via ebay - the little thermal boxes are more popular than the big Mr Bento.

Lakeland do a similar set Janey. It only has 3 tubs though.

I just found these while looking for rice bowls:

http://www.japancentre.com/?cmd=cat&cid=481&refer=cat