Bento Boxes

I had mentioned in an earlier post a new hobby of mine. Bento Boxes. They are a style of lunches the have migrated here from Japan. My sister-in-law, Ruslyn, used to make them for a company when they were stationed in Japan while Mike was in the Navy. Hers were "to-go" bentos sold in different stores.

The philosophy of bento boxes, and Japanese cuisine in general, is beautiful, eye-catching food that is colorful and healthy. They like to incorporate red, green and yellow veggies/fruits, rice, some kind of meat.

Now, Martini is not a fan of rice. Even though he has had it since infancy, and we eat it for most dinners, he prefers potatoe wedges or some kind of bread roll. He enjoys pasta, but even though he tends to be picky, he likes meats and certain veggies. For this reason, making his lunches has been a challenge. Many times in 1st grade, he would come home without touching hardly anything, let alone his sandwich. I tried cutting his sandwiches into different shapes and that has helped some, but I still want him to eat other things.

So, this year I happened upon bento boxes and the whole culture out there of over-acheiving mothers who wake up in the morning sometimes to steam veggies and cook little drummettes. I love the concept, the look, and the ideas so I am excited about this journey. This school year I have bought and used a few things to help.

A Sterilite container with an easy lid. If you were to initially see this, you would think it was only enough to hold one whole sandwich. You would be right, but creativity is in order. I have looked online for genuine bento boxes but I am not willing to pay the price or the shipping. There are all sorts. I am due to go to our HongKong Market, so hopefully I can find some there. In the interim, this is what I use.

I just purchased four of these cute Tupperware containers for sauces and dips. They're great, but a bit difficult to open.

I use two cups to make circle sandwiches that seal in the middle. There is a tool for this, but I am imporvising. One day I will probably invest in one, but I'm taking it slowly.

Anyway, this is a little look into my new hobby of bento boxes.

Here is the first layer. I am not sure why it posts sideways. I tried changing it but it wouldn't line up correctly.


This is the second layer sitting on top of the first with a folded paper towel in between.



Here is Ethan watching me make Martini's lunch one morning. He looks so tired.