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Bentos or bento boxes are a type of food container that originated in Japan. They are often described as Japanese lunch boxes, but that’s only part of the story. Bento is a whole artform surrounding packing meals to-go. Typically, bentos feature during lunch time, especially in schools.
What is the point of a bento box?
Typically, a bento box in Japan is packed with foods such as rice, fish or meat, vegetables, and pickled vegetables or perhaps dessert. The idea is to make the portions as attractive as possible, dividing the food into striking arrangements and using eye-catching color combinations.
What’s the difference between a bento box and a lunch box?
A traditional lunchbox or lunch container typically has just one compartment in which to store all of your child’s food. A bento lunch box, however, has multiple compartments. With some spaces larger than others, everything from veggies to sweets can be perfectly portioned for a nutritious lunch.
How do bento lunch boxes work?
Bento boxes are convenient because you often don’t need to heat up anything, and the food is already portioned. Main meals can include wholesome salads, wraps, sandwiches or sushi. While snacks can be all types of fruits, freshly chopped vegetables, dips, nuts and seeds, or energy balls.
Why are bento boxes so popular?
Bento boxes have grown in popularity, not just because of the nutritional value of the meals, but also because they’re also aesthetically pleasing. Often foods are arranged in the bento to look like popular characters like Snoopy, the minions and, as in this case, the Simpsons.
Why are bento boxes healthy?
Bento boxes aren’t necessarily healthy because of the food they contain — many contain fried chicken, creamy potato salads, and thick sweet sauces, foods traditionally deemed “unhealthy” — but they are healthy because of the way these foods are balanced together. This is what makes bento boxes so popular.
Are bento boxes only for lunch?
Bento is derived from a Chinese word meaning “convenient,” and at its most basic, it’s lunch packed to be eaten on the go and has existed since the 12th century. Bento-style meals and boxes have roots in Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, but have since spread through the rest of the world.
Do you put bento box in a lunch box?
The most common way to keep food in a bento box cold is to place the whole bento box into a larger lunch box along with an ice pack (or two).
Do you need a lunch box for a bento box?
We think the bento box paired with a fun traditional lunch box is the best of both worlds! Many of the bento’s don’t leave room for a drink or extra snack. Putting the bento inside a traditional lunch box is the ultimate in versatility, leakage protection and keeping foods hot or cold.
Can you put hot food in bento box?
As already mentioned, bento boxes should include stir-fried, boiled, cooked, or vinegared foods. These methods are a great way of prolonging the shelf life of food that would usually not withstand sitting in a box at room temperature for a few hours.
Are bento boxes safe?
It’s safe: With 18/8 stainless steel, there’s no chance of toxins leaching into the healthy food you’ve packed. It’s durable: Bento boxes are made to last a lifetime. They won’t rust, stain and are virtually unbreakable. Super easy to clean, too.
How do you eat bento?
How To Pack Bento Dishes In Bento Box Step 1: Put Carb. I usually fill 1/2 of the bento box with carbs. Step 2: Put Main Dish (Protein) Any kind of beef, chicken, pork, tofu, beans, eggs, or other protein sources can be packed in 1/4 of the bento box. Step 3: Put Side Dishes (Vegetables) and Fruits.
Do bento boxes help lose weight?
Bentos can help you lose weight: Bentos are packed in boxes with several portioned compartments that will avoid you filling them with too much food. There are a wide range of box sizes. If you need to loose some weight (like I do) just pick the bento box, using this rule of thumb: 1 cubic milliliter equals 1 calorie.
What comes in a traditional bento box?
A traditional bento may contain rice or noodles with fish or meat, often with pickled and cooked vegetables in a box. Containers range from mass-produced disposables to hand-crafted lacquerware.
Are bento boxes popular?
Each year, five billion lunch boxes are made at home in Japan. That’s correct: Five BILLION. Known both in Japan and abroad as bento boxes, they’re the famous, compartmentalised containers filled with rice, vegetables, meat and more, eaten by kids and grownups alike.
How many calories are in a bento box lunch?
Considerations. Packing your own bento boxes is an easy way to control calories, but purchased bento box lunches can be a reasonable choice. A purchased bento box lunch from a Japanese fast food restaurant has about 525 calories, according to Livestrong’s MyPlate.
What are the different types of bento boxes?
Types of Bento Marukonouchi Bento. Prepared by a caterer, these are the two-section bento boxes typically found in convenience stores, supermarkets, and department stores. Koraku Bento. Hinomaru Bento. Aisai Bento. Ekiben. Kyaraben. Types of Bento Lunch Box Containers.
