Bentos (2003-2008)

[torakris]

SAL is economy air mail, the packages only make it onto a plane when there is an open space. It usually takes about a week longer than airmail, maybe 2 weeks max.

I usually send things by airmail, which arrive in less than 5 days or by surface mail which arrives in about 4 weeks. It should have been there by now...

[Majra]

I got these American style bento boxes for my kids for Christmas. Haven't put them into use yet, but they sure look cute and useful.

http://www.laptoplunches.com/

[torakris]

Have we talked about sandwiches in the bento? (I am too lazy to scroll back through all these pages) Though most people outside of Japan probably don't think of sandwiches as an ingredient in a bento they are actually quite popular especially in children's bentos. They are usually added in place of rice, they are usually cut into small, 1 or 2 bite sized, pieces or they are rolled.

Some pictures of the kurukuru sando (rolled sandwich)

a version for adults

one for the kids

variety for everyone

[Majra]

My kids and I are having fun with their new bento-style lunch boxes. I have fun making them, and they have fun eating them!

I'm going to attempt to post a photo of my 12 year-old son's lunch from yesterday. It includes: peppered turkey and provolone cheese with greens, pickles, olives and vinaigrette on garlic-pesto wrap bread, pretzel sticks, pink grapefruit segments, roasted almonds, half of a green apple, and a toffee chip cookie. I was short on vegetables today, hence the two fruits.

If this works, it will be my very first eGullet photo. *Fingers crossed,* here goes.

[torakris]

If this works, it will be my very first eGullet photo.  *Fingers crossed,* here goes.

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beautiful!

what is the white pen like thing on the right side?

[prasantrin]

beautiful!

what is the white pen like thing on the right side?

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The fork? I don't see anything else except a fork. Am I missing something?

[Majra]

beautiful!

Thanks! I like making lunches, but right now I'm most excited that I conquered ImageGullet!

what is the white pen like thing on the right side?

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[torakris]

beautiful!

what is the white pen like thing on the right side?

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The fork? I don't see anything else except a fork. Am I missing something?

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No, you are right it is a fork.....

I am not sure what I was seeing. I am only on my first coffee after a very long nomikai last last night...

[Majra]

Here's another one from last week. It includes a turkey and cheese wrap sandwich, pretzels, strawberries and nectarines, caesar salad, and a hardboiled egg half. The small condiment container holds salad dressing.

[Bigfoot]

Majra,

Check out the Flikr Laptop Lunch group -- it's a good place to post photos of these type of lunches. Also good for browsing to get lunch ideas for the Laptop Lunchbox (for both adults and kids). There's also a Kid Eats Flikr group here for children's lunches -- including bento boxes, Laptop Lunchboxes, etc. (full disclosure: I started this group last year).

Edited January 15, 2007 by Bigfoot (log)

[Majra]

Majra,

Check out the Flikr Laptop Lunch group -- it's a good place to post photos of these type of lunches. Also good for browsing to get lunch ideas for the Laptop Lunchbox (for both adults and kids). There's also a Kid Eats Flikr group here for children's lunches -- including bento boxes, Laptop Lunchboxes, etc. (full disclosure: I started this group last year).

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Thanks for the tip, Bigfoot! Considering that it took me over 2 years to to take the dive into posting photos on eG, it may be a while before you see me over there though.

[Majra]

My daughter's lunch today has a wrap sandwich with chicken breast,hot sopresatta, and lettuce. My kids are obsessed with these flatbread sandwiches. I wonder how long this phase will last? Also pringles chips, fresh pineapple, a few green olives and baby carrots, and pumpkin bread studded with cranberries and walnuts and sandwiched with cream cheese. And 2 propel sticks--one to have and one to share. I understand that you can enjoy hero status on the playground if you have an extra propel stick to share.

[GlorifiedRice]

Majra?

What are those Propel Sticks? I cannot find anything online about them at all.

Are they new in your area? Perhaps they are a test market product?

[Majra]

Majra?

What are those Propel Sticks? I cannot find anything online about them at all.

Are they new in your area? Perhaps they are a test market product?

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Propel is vitamin-enhanced flavored water; the "sticks" are little packets of dry powdered mix that you can pour into your own water bottle to make your own vitamin water. The ten year-old crowd loves that sort of thing. It's possible that this is a regional market for Propel, I'm not really sure. Hydration is always a big topic around here, in fact Gatorade was formulated nearby.

Here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propel_Fitness_Water

(By the way, is the Japan forum an ok place for me to be posting about my bentos, American as they are?)

[GlorifiedRice]

Majra?

What are those Propel Sticks? I cannot find anything online about them at all.

Are they new in your area? Perhaps they are a test market product?

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Propel is vitamin-enhanced flavored water; the "sticks" are little packets of dry powdered mix that you can pour into your own water bottle to make your own vitamin water. The ten year-old crowd loves that sort of thing. It's possible that this is a regional market for Propel, I'm not really sure. Hydration is always a big topic around here, in fact Gatorade was formulated nearby.

Here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propel_Fitness_Water

(By the way, is the Japan forum an ok place for me to be posting about my bentos, American as they are?)

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Ohhh, I thought they were some kind of vitamin enhanced fruit bar...

[Majra]

Today my son had kiwi fruit, green salad with ham and egg, crackers and tuna with capers. The condiment container holds salad dressing, and there's a lemon propel stick packed under the fork.

[Majra]

We're still in the honeymoon stage with these lunchboxes. Yesterday my daughter had:

Wrap sandwich with spicy turkey, salami, and lettuce; fruit salad of strawberries, kiwi, and banana; shoestring potato sticks,; baby carrots; and two tiny homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Propel packet with the fork.

[GlorifiedRice]

SAL is economy air mail, the packages only make it onto a plane when there is an open space. It usually takes about a week longer than airmail, maybe 2 weeks max.

I usually send things by airmail, which arrive in less than 5 days or by surface mail which arrives in about 4 weeks. It should have been there by now...

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I just got the Egg Molds today Kristin!

They were mailed out November 11th!!!!!

So cute.

I guess the $6.00 to mail them with SAL was worth it even if they were 2-1/2 months late!

[Majra]

In the spirit of Valentine's Day (American style), here are some pictures of my kids' lunches.

Vanilla yogurt with kashi go-lean crunch and blueberries; peanut butter and bacon hearts; apple; snacky mix of cereal/crackers/pretzels/nuts; and a homemade oatmeal cranberry cookie.

Sandwich of hot soppressata, roasted turkey and lettuce on garlic-pesto wrap bread with provolone cheese heart; hearts of romaine salad; parmesan goldfish crackers; strawberries and blueberries, homemade blueberry mini-muffin, almonds, and pastel mints; salad dressing is in the small condiment container.

Hearts of romaine with hearts of rosemary ham and provolone cheese; tuna salad with capers heart; crackers for the tuna; strawberries, almonds, blueberry mini-muffin, pastel mints, and a lemon drop.

[torakris]

Majra,

I love looking at your bentos! Do they have some type of carrier so that the kids can carry them to school?

Cartoon Network in Japan now has a recipe section with bentos featuring various characters from CN, currently it is Teen Titans. I am not sure how often it changes, so check back frequently! At the bottom of the page are links to previous bentos.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

Majra,

I love looking at your bentos! Do they have some type of carrier so that the kids can carry them to school?

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I'm not Majra, but her bento set looks like one called "Laptop Lunches"

http://www.laptoplunches.com/

They come with an insulated carry case.

[Majra]

Majra,

I love looking at your bentos! Do they have some type of carrier so that the kids can carry them to school?

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I'm not Majra, but her bento set looks like one called "Laptop Lunches"

http://www.laptoplunches.com/

They come with an insulated carry case.

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You are correct, these are Laptop Lunchboxes. They do not come with the carrying case, however. You have to buy that part, which I did not. I just put the bento inside a regular lunchbox; it fits just fine.

[torakris]

My 5th grade daughter went on a field trip this week and she made up a list of everything she wanted in her bento.

The finished product

[Hiroyuki]

I'm sure that the furikake on the rice is Sukiyaki Furikake . My children's most favoriate, too.

[torakris]

I'm sure that the furikake on the rice is Sukiyaki Furikake .  My children's most favoriate, too.

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Correct!

It is currently the favorite of both daughters. Hide (my son) only eats yukari.