Everything BENTO

It's that time of year again...school time = school lunches.  Gone are the lazy days of summer lying around eating whenever and whatever.  I, like most moms try and pack my kids with a healthy variety of food to fill them up and keep their minds alert.  I've researched all over the Internet for ideas and thought I'd consolidate my favorites right here.  Not only are these great for kids' lunches, but they are also ideal for portion control conscious adults.  Don't spend $20 on a greasy, gut bomb lunch in the airport again bring a Bento.


The Vessel

A Bento box is a is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquer ware.

photo: courtesy aibento.net

But, any type of container can be used.  Just make sure it's water and air tight.  I found a couple snap tight containers at Target by Sterlite.  I got the 3.1 cup size for my kids they are the perfect portion size and will fit in their lunch boxes.  Silicon cupcake liners can be used to separate dry food from wet food and can be found in any cake decorating section.  I also recommend small plastic containers for salad dressings or sauces and fun metal or plastic cookie cutters for cutting bread, cheese and fruit.

The Innards

Once you have all the necessary gadgets to get started the fun and creative side begins.  It's a good idea to get your kids involved in this step so they can help choose what they would like to eat.  My kids have totally different palettes and one is pickier than the other.  Here's a few ideas we've come up with...

Fruit:

fresh fruit like berries, melon, apples, grape tomatoes, peaches, plums and just whatever is in season.

Carbs:

crackers, rice balls, rice, whole wheat pasta with Parmesan cheese 

Veggies:

snap peas, edamame, carrot sticks, celery sticks, peas, cucumbers, bell pepper and salad greens.

Protien:

Pb & J, cream cheese with cucumber, deli meat and cheese, cheese and veggies, french toast, hummus and pita, Edamame  and small slider rolls with pulled pork.

Sushi rolls:

California rolls, nigiri rolls, faux sushi made with deli meat and cheese or anything else your kids will eat up.

Treat: usually fresh fruit, but occasionally it's OK to put something special in there as well.  Candy sushi (see recipe below), fortune cookie, Hershey kiss, fun size candy bar etc.

Here's a few experimental Bento boxes and by the way the kids loved them....

Ham and pickle faux sushi, snack mix, kiwi and blueberries, candy sushi and Nigiri roll

Pickle and cheese mini sandwiches, raspberries, snack mix, cheese wedge and candy sushi and Nigiri roll

Recipes:

Sushi Candy:

Ingredients:

4 cups miniature marshmallows
4 tbsp butter
6 cups crispy rice cereal
20 gummy worms
2 boxes green-colored Fruit Roll-Ups
30 fish-shaped gummy candies

Directions:

1. Prepare a 12x17” baking sheet by lining it with waxed paper and spraying the paper with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place 4 tablespoons of butter and add 4 cups of miniature marshmallows to the bowl, and microwave until the marshmallows are completely melted, about 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir the mixture until it is completely smooth.

4. Add 6 cups of rice cereal and stir until completely coated. Immediately pour mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray, and begin to press the candy into the sheet in a thin layer.

5. With the short side of the baking sheet nearest you, place a pair of gummy worms 1 inch from the edge. Place another pair directly below, and repeat until you have a line of worms stretching across the baking sheet.

6. Using the waxed paper to help you, roll the cereal mixture around the gummy worms, pressing firmly to make a tight roll. Take a large sharp knife and cut the log away from the rest of the mixture. Place it off to the side, and repeat the worms/rolling/cutting procedure for the remainder of the cereal.

7. Slice the logs into 1-inch rounds. Wrap each round in a strip of  Fruit Roll-Ups.

8. To make the fish-topped “nigiri,” repeat steps 1-4 to make the rice candy base, but do not press the rice mixture as thinly. It should be about ¾ inch thick once pressed into the baking sheet.

9. Cut the candy into rectangles about ¾ inch by 1.5 inches. Place a candy fish on top of each rectangle, and wrap a ½-inch strip of Fruit Roll-Up around the entire package.

10. For a finishing touch, decorate your sushi platter to look more authentic. Suggestions include substituting chocolate sauce for soy sauce, green-tinted whipped cream (or melted white chocolate) for Wasabi, and thinly sliced pink fish for pickled ginger.

Note: These candies are best eaten the day they are made, as the fruit wrapping gets sticky if left overnight. Alternately, you can prepare them up until the final step, and wrap them once you are ready to eat them.

Fancy to everyday Bento boxes Found on the Internet:

fruit and faux sushi

fruit, edamame, rice and chicken stir fry

nigiri rice roll, broccoli, apple slices and turkey patties

Bab Ghanouj , pita, greek salad and black olives and grapes

Mac and cheese with hot dog, grapes and blueberries and chicken salad

Sources: Wikipedia, about.com, Adventures in Bentomaking, Yum-Yum Bento Box, Sonoma Bento and Lunch in A Box.