All right. After mentioning and explaining bento quite often lately, I decided it's time for a bento thread.
This is what teh wiki says:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bento
and two good sites to get started:
http://justbento.com/
http://lunchinabox.net/
(not vegan!)
You don't have to be bonkers about Japanese food to make bento. In fact, I rarely pack Japanese foods but try to arrange leftovers neatly.
You don't have to be a big artist, either. There are a lot of pictures of very artful bentos- don't think that every Japanese housewife has the time to prepare stuff like that every day. You can even use a regular lock'n'lock box.
I've started packing bento shortly after going vegan for a number of reasons:
1) you can take it with you wherever you go and don't have to worry about vegan options
2) saving money
3) producing less waste as there are many reusable, environment-friendly containers available.
4) nutrition and portion control
bento is a good idea when you're trying to lose some weight. It also helps to eat a variety of different foods everyday.
For me, it's about sneaking some sweets and more calorie-rich foods in as I've got trouble eating enough protein and keeping my weight up.
No doubt I like it because I'm a huge lover of most things Japanese.
And I pack bento because of a personal issue: it's not that I've got an eating disorder, but due to some weird reasons I'm afraid of eating in front of people I'm not close to. This includes coworkers.
I love eating out with friends or cooking for them, but I hate eating among strangers.
But if I put a lot of effort into making something cute, I feel compelled to eat it.
I love to make especially kawaii boxes for everybody when we're going out for a trip (kids love it!).
Now, some eye-candy.
Monday's bento, containing edamame, seitan gyoza, a cocktail tomato, a slice of cake, some mandarin and almonds
and a special-effort bento for school tomorrow, two little bear onigiri (cucumber-wasabi filling) on napa cabbage, edamame, cocktail tomatoes, cucmber slices, potato salad, two mini lemon-poppyseed muffins and a ginger candy (wrapped in foil because I don't like mayonnaise muffins
flickr has a vegan bento group as well.
So, who else likes making packed lunches or is interested in bento?
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