Japanese Bento Box

A Bento idea

After recommending Haru for lunch yesterday, the idea of Bento boxes got stuck in my head. So I came up with a list of types of cuisine and the foods you might find in a Bento box or equivalent for that sort of food. Yes, some of them are out there and might get you a good laugh.

Still, I think the idea has merit. I'm one of those sorts that craves variety but doesn't want to eat a whole lot (which a buffet might encourage) and the only really good way to get a little of everything in the Japanese-sort of way is to get one of those Bento boxes. See what you think, say what you think, share over at Tie Dye Travels .

Bento Box Basics: All About Boxes | Wendolonia

When you decide to start packing bentos, one of the first thing you need to acquire is an appropriate box. There are a gazillion boxes available online or in brick and mortar stores (if you’re lucky to have the right kinds of stores in your area). These boxes range in price from about $2 for small plastic boxes up to $50 for big thermal lunch box systems. The most important thing you need to keep in mind when choosing a box is the appetite of the person using it and the number of meals or snacks that you will be packing  for the day.

In the past, my general technique for choosing bento boxes was to buy every stinkin’ box I could get my hands on and then try it out. I’ll admit that this was not the most practical or economical way to go about building my bento collection, but I did manage to get a lot of bento boxes pretty quickly! With time and use, I figured out which boxes held the right amount of food, which were easiest to pack and which ones lasted the longest. Pretty soon, I noticed that I was reaching for the same boxes over and over again and I pared down my collection a bit. I still have about 20 lunch boxes though, so don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m some bento box minimalist. I’m a flawed woman.

One thing I’d like to note is that I do not think you need an official “bento” box to pack your lunches bento-style . The main thing to keep in mind when choosing a box is that you don’t want it to be too deep. I recommend starting with a container that is about an inch and a half deep. That may seem small, but this size will allow you pack the box tightly and fill it right up to the rim with food. If you pack your box snugly the food won’t move around and mix together when it’s in transit. That being said, boxes that are made specifically for bento meals will be fairly easy to pack and tend to be a little cuter.