Bento Boxes: A Whole New Way to Hate Yourself

Bento Lunches! (Let's see how long this lasts...)I used "Christmas Shopping" as an excuse to buy some adorable bento boxes that weren't in my budget but that I hope will make me a healthier, happier, person and a better mother. Or, I may just end up tired and hating myself more.

Getting Started

Get some recipes (there are plenty of free ideas on the internet), rice, fresh or frozen produce, a little protein, and some time.  A rice cooker will help stream-line your preparation but isn't a requirement.

I started with these two cook books:

1. Yum-Yum Bento Box: Fresh Recipes for Adorable Lunches, which is more kid-friendly and includes some American ingredients (think, Government cheese and bologna.)
2. The Just Bento Cookbook: Everyday Lunches To Go, which is less cute but very informative and was written from the author of the Just Bento website link, above. 

If you are smarter than me, and would like to cook healthy lunches but want to save the money you spend buying bento boxes for groceries, then just use any type of leak-proof container. However, if you want to go the adorable route, check out the boxes below from amazon (aff.).  This is just a few, there is one out there for everyone!

 

I bought this one for my toddler. She doesn't take a lunch to daycare but we plan to use these on the weekends while driving all over the metro area for jr. hockey games. (In an ideal world.)

This one is for my 1st grader who likes all things cute and pink. This style actually has more room for food than the stackable ones below. And the ears are a perfect place to stash muffin cups or other dividers for sides.

I got this one for myself. (Part of my new and improved 2013 work attitude. How could eating out of a Ninja Girl not help?)

For my 3rd grader, whose favorite color is red and who has this same hair cut.

For my fashionable and girlie 2nd grader, who resembles this girl. 

Just in case you have a son...

This one (sans the tote bag so he doesn't get beat up) is the one my husband uses. It has a little more space for hungrier appetites.

Some other miscillaneous products: 

To cut miniture vegetable shapes. (In case you have extra time on your hands.) Just remember to cut the carrots at an angle to increase the surface area.

And to mold hard-boiled eggs. You have to peel them when they're still hot, but they really do mold to the shape. Quite fun...if you have less feeling in your fingertips than most and if your kids actually eat hard-boiled eggs. 

Reusable muffin cups for separating sides (the ones that don't leak).

To mold your rice. A must. (Not really.)

Hole punches for your seaweed to add flare to the rice molds. I haven't advanced to this level yet. Still trying to track down the seaweed. But a girl can dream, right?