I'm addicted to Bento

Do you remember taking your lunch to school? I had a tin My Little Pony lunch box that always smelled like squished PB&J. That’s probably because that’s what usually was in them. When I was working at a private school the kids brought their lunch 3 days a week. These 1st graders were eating sushi and cucumber sandwiches, must be moms after my own heart. I really want to get into Bento Boxes for DH and the girls lunches. For those of you who do not know what they are here is a definition:

“The Japanese school Bento has never been regarded as a mere lunch box, such as the Western standard of a sandwich, cookie and apple in a brown paper bag. Laden with an eye-catching array of seasonally selected meats, fish, salads, rice, pickles, vegetables and other foods, the child's Bento is not only a branch of the Bento culinary tradition, but an enduring symbol -- and a measure -- of a mother's devotion to her child.”
Some are completely adorable, I mean how can you not want to eat them?

Traditionally they are neat and pretty to look at:

It’s what they have for lunch in Japan and apparently it’s a big deal over there who can make the best box for their child. Here’s a quote from The Japan Times Online:

“The Bento, however, is more than merely a duty for the mother. "The kindergarten Bento is important for the education of the young mother," explains Misa Ishii, a retired professor of preschool education at Ogaki Girls College, in Gifu Prefecture. According to advice given by kindergarten teachers to parents, the Obento should be attractive to the eye, as well as homemade, fresh, varied, nutritious and with bite-size contents.”

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20030309a5.html

Yea I don’t want to get into being all that crazy however I think it looks super fun to make. I’ve been shopping online for Bento lunch boxes for the girls. They of course want Hello Kitty so here are 2 I am thinking about getting.

Ebay has a TON of Bento stuff, like rice molds and egg mold’s, there is even a Hello Kitty rice mold

Did you know you could mold boiled eggs into shapes? I mean I knew you could fit them into coke bottles but I did not know you could make a piggy face. How cute it this?

Look at this set; it’s like scrap-booking with food! Pink rice….

This video on Youtube has some amazing boxes, Winnie the Pooh, and a DS and so on..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0s1JXwOgBg

I find this blog one of my Favs for just starting out if you want help.

http://justbento.com/

Next time I get a chance to go to the bookstore I plan on looking at 2 books, “Kawaii Bento Boxes” and “Yum-Yum Bento Boxes.” How could a 5 year old resist eating food that looks like a cartoon character or a kitty cat?