Do you know much about bento boxes or Bento Style Lunches? I didn’t, until recently when I dove into the world of Daiso-shopping, bento-making, lunchtime fun goodness.
Basically, bento-style food preparation comes from Japan and involves food being packed into boxes, with different items specially (and sometimes very intricately) held in smaller, separate cups and containers.
I knew that my preschooler M (4.5 years old) would love bringing a bento-style lunch to preschool so I had to try it.
You can search Amazon for bento-making supplies, but we got lucky. A Daiso (Japanese retail store) opened about an hour from us and I set out to explore and purchase some fun items.
There were rows upon rows of colorful picks, molds, cups, and of course, bento boxes.
I came home with quite the stash and Maddie and I have had a blast making her lunches together!
We pick out fruit to put in the silicone cups or picks to skewer her sandwiches with (cut, of course, with the cute cookie cutters I bought).
And you know what? When it’s a bento-style day, her lunch box comes home practically EMPTY!
Written by Jill
Louise Blake
Wednesday 9th of May 2012
These are great! I would take them to work - let alone the kids taking them to school!
Doubt we get them where we are though!
Jen
Tuesday 8th of May 2012
Making food fun does seem to help! :) So cute. When my girls were little, I would cut a banana in half- cut him hair at the top and add a face. They loved it- every once in a while I'll do that and it still makes them smile at 8 and 10.
Justine
Monday 7th of May 2012
Love this! Even though my son stays home right now, I am always envious of the bento style lunch boxes, since he hardly ever wants to eat lunch. I never thought of checking out an Asian food store, but now I think I'm going to head over there today and see if they have them or if they will carry them! Thanks for the idea!
PlainVanillaMom
Monday 7th of May 2012
This is so cute!! I wish we had a store like that around here. I will have to see if I can find anything.
JDaniel4's Mom
Monday 7th of May 2012
This sounds like a fun store!