Bento Box Lunches

A Bento box is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento holds rice, fish or meat, with pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. Japanese homemakers often spend time and energy on a carefully prepared lunch box for their spouse, child, or themselves.

Bento Box lunches are FUN! Rewarding an exceptional test result, a break-out from the sandwich routine, just because you love them, bento box lunches are special and tell the recipient just how much you care.

The more you add to the box, the more exciting it is when your child sees it. The add-ins don’t have to be complicated. Some frozen and thawed edamame can be a delicious break from the usual carrot and celery sticks. A sandwich cut with a cookie cutter into an animal shape and decorated with raisins and dried fruit is an exciting break from the usual sandwich. Leftover turkey or chicken breast slices that are tossed with your child’s favorite vinaigrette and arranged beautifully is exciting and fun. Add Chopsticks and your child will be smiling all day.

Tools: sectioned lunch box or: cupcake liners (either disposable or reusable), small re-sealable containers that fit in a larger container, upside giant Lego pieces that fit into a lunch box…you get the idea. You need small containers that can hold the edible components of the Fun lunch!

A typical Bento box might contain: noodle or rice salad, crudités, sandwich or wrap, hard-boiled egg, fruit, mini smoothie, or apple sauce.

Here are only some components for an exciting Bento box lunch. Your imagination can run wild with the possibilities to excite your child’s lunch time. Breakfast for Lunch Bento Box Challah Cinnamon French Toast with Maple Syrup Apple Slices (toss the apple slices in lemon juice and water so they won’t turn brown) Dried fruit Juice box or milk  CHALLAH CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST 

For the Royale (custard mix for French toast)

2 eggs, whisked

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of kosher salt

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (no! the French toast won’t taste like evoo!)

2 slices challah

  1. Whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and salt together in a shallow dish.
  2. Heat a medium saute pan, with butter and evoo, over medium heat.
  3. Dip challah in royale and place in the pan. Brown on both sides. Cut French toast into strips or favorite shape and pack into bento box.

Sushi Bento Box Turkey and carrot “sushi” Thawed edamame Cucumber slices Dried fruit Juice box TURKEY AND CARROT SUSHI

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

pinch of freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon soy sauce

3 thin slices roasted turkey, roast beef or favorite sandwich meat

leftover cold rice

grated carrots

1 large whole wheat tortilla or several nori sheets

  1. Whisk mayonnaise, ginger and soy sauce together.
  2. Spread rice over tortilla or nori. Shmear with seasoned mayonnaise and spread turkey and carrots of rice.
  3. Roll away from you and as tightly as possible.
  4. Slice into 1 inch “sushi” pieces. Add to Bento box

The Veggie Project Bento BoxHearty veggie skewers with Green Goddess Dip Sliced fruit Edamame Pita triangles Hard-boiled egg Juice box or milk Veggie Skewers with Green Goddess Dip Cucumbers, zucchini, grape tomatoes, peppers, sugar snap peas cut into 1 ½ inch pieces  Extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt Freshly cracked black pepper 

  1. Toss vegetables in evoo and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Thread vegetables onto skewers.

  Green Goddess dipping sauce ½ cup mayonnaise1 ripe avocado, pitted and lightly mashed2 teaspoons fresh lime juice2 scallionsseveral sprigs of fresh parsleykosher salt freshly cracked black pepper 

  1. Pulse mayonnaise, avocado, lime juice, scallions and parsley in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper.

 Better than Ramen

We like the idea of a warm, comforting soup at lunchtime. Perfect for a BLAH Monday or any day. We don’t like the chemicals and preservatives in the popular brands of Ramen.

Make your own Better Than Ramen quickly and easily with these suggestions.

Special equipment:

Quart size mason jar (this size gives plenty of room for the goodies and for the noodles to expand)

3 cup thermosBetter Than Ramen Lunch

3 cups Chicken broth or Veggie (homemade or purchased), heated to a simmer and transferred to thermos

2 ounces rice stick noodles

1 cup shredded bok choy cabbage

2 celery ribs, sliced thinly

1 medium carrot, grated

½ small red pepper, diced

1 baby beet, grated

½ cup tofu cut into cubes

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

3 scallions, thinly sliced

½ cup cooked chicken, turkey or leftover brisket, shredded (optional)

  1. Layer rice stick noodles, bok choy, celery, carrot, red pepper, beet, tofu, ginger and scallions and meat if using in a mason jar. Store in refrigerator at. If no refrigeration is available, eliminate meat.
  2. 15 minutes before eating, pour broth over veggies and noodles. Cover and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Stir and eat.