Bento Boxes: Creative Homemade Lunches

Ever heard of a bento lunch? It's Japan's answer to the problem of the midday meal. It's a healthy and economical solution for children's lunches as it utilizes leftovers to create something new, delicious, and home made that every child (and adult!) will love. You may be thinking that this, like most Japanese food, is a somewhat mysterious and complicated affair. However, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that bentos or obentos (the honorific term) are relatively easy to make and require minimal special equipment.

Bento or Obento means "meal in a box" in Japanese, which exactly describes the concept. It's a meal prepared in a special box. These boxes are becoming increasingly easy to find, since Japanese culture is becoming more popular in America. There are also many websites which offer a wide selection of bento boxes, ranging from super-cute "Hello Kitty," to the traditional lacquered wood box. There's a box for anyone and everyone. But you don't have to go out and purchase an authentic bento box! Any leak proof, microwaveable, and dishwasher safe container will work (though keep in mind that the idea of a bento is to be healthy, so portion control is a factor).

Now that you've picked out a bento box or a plastic "Tupperware" it's time to discuss what goes in it. The traditional ratio of food in a bento is 4:2:1. 4 parts rice to 2 parts protein to 1 part other ingredients. The recommended ratio for people trying to lose weight is 3:2:1. The basic three foods in a bento are rice (short-grain), a protein (meats), and veggies. The first thought you may have is, "how is this supposed to be appetizing to a kid?" Good question. How can rice, meat and veggies be fun for kids? Easy. Make it colorful and fun. Ever tried one of those "Kid Cuisine" frozen dinners? They taste like bike tire with ketchup. Why do kids beg for them? Because there are sprinkles, pizzas in the shape of character's heads, and a pretty box. It's all marketing. So from the get-go, don't present this to your child (or picky adult eater) as leftovers from last night. This is the super-lunch special! It's a treat! And they'll never suspect that this was what they whined about during dinner the night before.

Bentos are prepared either the night before they are eaten or the morning of the day that they will be eaten. When choosing what will go in your bento, keep in mind that they will most likely be eaten cold or room temperature. Choose strong flavors, since when foods are cold they tend to go bland. Foods should also be well salted, as this keeps the flavor pleasant, as well as preventing bacterial growth. However, choose carefully where you put the salt, since over-salting can lead to health problems (in other words, salt the protein and veggies, but not the rice). A great flavoring for the rice is toasted sesame seeds, which are easily prepared in a dry frying pan on medium heat. Just stir them around until they are golden brown, and they add a nice nutty flavor to the rice.

To make the food appealing to kids, cookie cutters are the key. A cute cookie cutter in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head can make a little piece of meatloaf instantly transformed into a fun meal. To make it even more fun, use ketchup packets to draw on eyes and a smile. Squirt a little ketchup where the nose will be as "glue" and place a black olive for the nose. Now put "Mickey" on a bed of finely shaved raw carrot --- and voila! Kid Cuisine, eat your heart out -- this is a meal that is both fun and healthy.

Bentos are about being creative. There are so many options, and the sky is the limit. They save money, calories, and frustration. Kids will be begging for more, and adults will suddenly start looking forward to lunch break for a whole new reason. Get inspired and go from brown bagging, to beautiful bento-ing!