Community Chat

[on the bay]

sweet and sour meatballs

mission figs

cherry tomatoes

Asian Pear slices

Peanut butter on crackers

Huumus on crackers

Hersheys Chocolate with Almonds

toasted almonds

someone mentioned gerkins-those are good

pimento cheese on little potato rolls

green pepper slices

pickled beets

tuna fish on triangles of crusty rye or grain bread

😋

now I'm hungry!

That's a good idea you have!

[Cakers3]

I've never heard of these.  Is the name Bento referring to the type of box or to a particular manufacturer?

Reusable? (Hopefully)

[SilleeMee]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

I've never heard of these.  Is the name Bento referring to the type of box or to a particular manufacturer?

Reusable? (Hopefully)

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@Cakers3,

Bento is a type of box. Most are reusable plastic.

[Cakers3]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

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@Cakers3 wrote:

I've never heard of these.  Is the name Bento referring to the type of box or to a particular manufacturer?

Reusable? (Hopefully)

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@Cakers3,

Bento is a type of box. Most are reusable plastic.

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@SilleeMee  Thank you.

[esmerelda]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

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@Cakers3 wrote:

I've never heard of these.  Is the name Bento referring to the type of box or to a particular manufacturer?

Reusable? (Hopefully)

---

@Cakers3,

Bento is a type of box. Most are reusable plastic.

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@SilleeMeeHow is it different from any other divided reusable plastic dish with a lid intended to store food...like tupperware?

[SilleeMee]

The term 'bento'  translated from Japanese means 'container' or 'lunchbox'. Traditionally made of lacquered wood it was used to present food in an artistic display to please the senses when open. Food inside the bento was usually tightly packed but in a organized and appetizing manner. Today's bentos are plastic and are made of molded plastic compartments, dividing the food. Bento boxes usually have a silicone gasket around the inner rim of the lid often seen secured with a clamping mechanism similar to Lock n Lock containers. Bento boxes are made of  non-flexible, thick and hard plastic that is highly resistant to warping or cracking. Bento box lids do not snap on but sit tightly on the box. @esmerelda

ETA:  it's more about how the food looks inside and how the container it comes in enhances it's appearance.

[Burnsite]

Yardlie, When my dad was ill, he always would eat a toasted half-Eggo whole wheat waffle with peanut butter.  It could be cut in small pieces. 

He also loved cut up (canned) peaches with milk and corn flakes, not that this is a high protein choice, but it was digestible for him.  Good luck with the Bento box!

[Noel7]

Bento boxes have been used since the 16th century.  Today they are usually a hard washable plastic.  They can have layers that fit one over another and are frequently decorated. Florals maybe, Hello Kitty for children.

A lot of thought is usually put into what goes onto them.  

[Yardlie]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

The only time I remember using bento boxes was when I was a kid in school and my Japanese mom packed our lunch in them. The boxes looked more like jewelry boxes than a traditional metal lunchbox that the other kids had. The other kids made fun of our "boxes" because they were so different. My mom used to put rice, chicken/fish and veggies in them. Very rarely did we get bologna or pb&j sandwiches. Yup, we were the weird kids on the block.

Today I don't have bento boxes but if I did I would probably put the same kind of food in them...grains, chicken/fish and some fresh fruit or veggies. Modern-day benzo boxes have come a long way from what I once used as a kid. The ones today are colorful plastic and much better at keeping food tightly sealed. The ones I used as a child were lacquered wood and were not very sealed.

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@SilleeMee ... Guess what? The wooden lacquered ones are still out there! I saw them last night when I was cruising the net. I had to make sure that I purchased one for my mother that would not be too difficult to open as she has some arthritis in her hands Some of the boxes were stacked one on top of the other...I guess for men or big eaters...also maybe people eat both breakfast and lunch during their commute.  There was this wide stretchy band that went around many of them to keep them closed. The one I purchcased comes in a fabric carrying case. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun to find things to put in it.

[Yardlie]

@on the bay ... Thanks for the ideas. I love some of your suggestions. Maybe I'll end up getting one for DH and myself also. We're retired now, but maybe if I packed them earlier in the day, we wouldn't do so much munching on junk food. I love garlic hummus on almost anything.