█♥█ ßENTO/OBENTO! Please Read Rules! █♥█

[Prescription Joker]

Image found on: http://www.oneinchpunch.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/obento1.jpg

Bento/Obento!

I started this thread because I’m just getting into making my own bento lunches, to help me eat a little healthier.

I’m welcoming everyone the chance to come in and discuss their views on Bento/Obento, the lifestyle, the method, their equipment used, recipes, where they purchased their “instruments”, and pics of their prepared creations!

What is Bento/Obento you ask? According to Wikipedia Bento (弁当 bentō) 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. It is common for people to spend time and energy for their spouse, child, or themselves producing a carefully prepared lunch box.

This day and age, the Bento isn’t exclusively made just for Asian meals… ANYTHING can fill a bento, any ethnicity of food. The main fun of Bento, is simply decorating/arranging the food in a pleasing manner. As such, the same can be said for what is considered a Bento. Sure you can order/buy an authentic Japanese Bento box from various stores around, but a simple Tupperware container will also suffice. It’s all in how you PRESENT the food.

Spoon Feeding Frenzy:

idea Where are you from? What ethnicity/Race are you?
idea Where did you get your Bento from? (website link? Store location?)
idea How much did it set you back?
idea Favorite recipe you would like to share that you often use in your Bento process?
idea Reason that particular one is your favorite? (if you have many)
idea Favorite tools you use to create your Bento?
idea Pictures! (NOTE!!! Pictures posted must be of a decent window size, nothing that stretches the page or clutters things up, IF you have a picture that is large and/or you think would cause a problem, please make it a clickable thumbnail. My best advice for that is uploading you images to photobucket and selecting the image, at the bottom of the page is a button “Generate HTML and IMG code” click that, then find the section of code labeled “IMG clickable thumbnails for message boards - recommended“ It should be the third box, and use that code here.)

Hardcore Rules!

exclaim No spam, as in anything not pertaining to the topic at hand, hangout chatter, and typical stuff you’d find in the chatter box.
exclaim DO NOT post in here complaining about Weeabo’s, or people trying to be Asian. That’s not our goal in this thread. This also applies to checking your flameittude at the door.
exclaim Do not post images you just “googled" or looked up. The thread is to showcase YOUR abilities (good, bad, new, whatever….)The only way you can include a google image, is if you yourself tried to copy the Bento in question, a comparison image would be really awesome. (but make sure to save to your own server.)
exclaim Recipe sharing is greatly encouraged, but we’re not looking for random ones you’ve just looked up. We recommend at least trying it out before posting about it here so we can get at least a feedback on if it was good or tricky… and if it’s from someone other then yourself/family, please link us to where you found it.
exclaim Please try to refrain from Chat shorthand as your main means of typing. I’d like for the thread to be somewhat sophisticated.
exclaim Try to keep one bento session per post, if you have a few saved up that haven’t been posted, feel free to do them in separate posts.
exclaim When posting your Bento creation, write a list of what is IN the Bento as well, that way we’re not guessing at what that strange orange thing is. ^_~
exclaim Be sure to number your Bento posts. Example: First Bento you've done/posted = (Bento #1) and so on so forth. (will come in play later shhh ^_~)
exclaim TIPS and TRICKS! If you got some! Share them! (must pertain to the Bento process.)
exclaim Please be courteous, and try to get along as best you can folks! Have fun!

(TL;DR: Don’t be a p***k, don’t do stupid stuff, We’re not Weeabo’s, Control pic size, no googled/looked up images, share, and no shorthand, Number your Bento's!)


AFFILIATE THREADS:


RECOMMENDED SITES:
Allthingsforsale.com
Jlist.com
Youtube Bento Video's
Livejournal community: Bentolunch Great places for ideas and pics.

NEWS:

2/25/2010: Opened Thread.
3/1/2010: First Bento Box posted Pg. 2


If you wish to become an affiliate of this thread, please save the banner () on your own server, and use this code.
Then either PM me, or post here letting me know you wish to trade links.

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Same applies if you wish to put banner in your signature.. only you don't have to inform me if you don't want to.

[Prescription Joker]

Like I said before, I'm just getting into Bento, after 5 years of research and fangirling over the whole thing.
I went to Wal*mart today of all places, and started my mission to get supplies.
I ordered my first Bento box from Allthingsforsale.com as well as Bento accessories for decoration and presentation making. (will share photos once they arrive)
Wal*mart here in my little town in Southern Louisiana, does not provide a large Asian section, nor does it even have an Asian market within the po'dunk town itself, so I'm left with using my imagination to find utensils for my creations to be.
Today I managed to find a few things that are bound to be PERFECT!

Simple cookie cutters, should work great to make mini sandwiches, to shape cheese, maybe some sticky rice, ham.. anything really. They're metal.
Simple silicone cups. Great for sauces, small portion of snacks, or fruits.
I thought these were really up my alley and cute. Sandwich shapers, two dinosaurs, and 2 dolphins with a heart in the middle. Plastic, gotta remind myself to be gentle with these.

[The Butter]

So, a bento's basically just a glorified packed lunch?

[Prescription Joker]

The Butter

So, a bento's basically just a glorified packed lunch?

Obviously.

[Halo Fauna]

The Butter

So, a bento's basically just a glorified packed lunch?

Yeah, but you can make it look cute.

-Halo Fauna

[Sai-kun]

Halo Fauna

The Butter

So, a bento's basically just a glorified packed lunch?

Yeah, but you can make it look cute.

-Halo Fauna

And creative. I think the bento box brings the whole idea of a lunchbox or bagged lunch to a whole new level. There are a lot of foods that you can put in a bento that people wouldn't traditionally think of something they could bring to school or work for lunch.

[Prescription Joker]

Some people may prefer a simple plain sandwhich thrown in with a bag of chips. But others would love to be more creative with their cooking and prep, and this is more or less for them.

I'm an artist generally, this is just another means for me to express it. I also adore cooking and making my foods look interesting all the same.

I figured I'd set up a place for like minded folks, and those interested in it to get together and discuss it.

[Prescription Joker]

Sai-kun

Halo Fauna

The Butter

So, a bento's basically just a glorified packed lunch?

Yeah, but you can make it look cute.

-Halo Fauna

And creative. I think the bento box brings the whole idea of a lunchbox or bagged lunch to a whole new level. There are a lot of foods that you can put in a bento that people wouldn't traditionally think of something they could bring to school or work for lunch.

It's also a really neat way of rethinking left overs and giving them a more appealing look!

[Halo Fauna]

Sai-kun

Halo Fauna

The Butter

So, a bento's basically just a glorified packed lunch?

Yeah, but you can make it look cute.

-Halo Fauna

And creative. I think the bento box brings the whole idea of a lunchbox or bagged lunch to a whole new level. There are a lot of foods that you can put in a bento that people wouldn't traditionally think of something they could bring to school or work for lunch.

But do they make bento boxes that look like this?

-Halo Fauna

[Prescription Joker]

Halo Fauna

]

But do they make bento boxes that look like this?

-Halo Fauna

Probably not exactly, but with a little thinking you could easily pack a wonderful Bento that goes in that lunchbox.

Anything can be converted into a Bento, it seems.

[Vulnerable Heartstrings]

I love bento! I used to eat my friend's lunch all the time haha though it wasn't all cutesy and crafty.... I just like japanese food, haha.

Anyway here's an easy way to make your lunch cute. Use these to shape your boiled eggs. c:

I so want these... I'll eat more boiled eggs if I have them shaped like that haha.

[Prescription Joker]

those exact egg shapers are on allthingsforsale.com actually. (I think they go for .. $2.99? or $3.99 per pair... Fish/car and Star/heart)

Also rules of the thread requested not googling or looking up "Saved" images, We prefer images you have taken yourself and images how your project came out.

But again thanks for the tip.


Also the key to those egg shapers, is putting the fresh peeled HOT boiled egg in, latching it shut, and putting it in the fridge for 10 mins.

[Prescription Joker]

Success, my order containing my first Bento box, as well as the accessories for prep from allthingsforsale, has shipped today!

Maybe by chance it'll be in Monday or tuesday! =celebrates=

[Halo Fauna]

Prescription Joker

Success, my order containing my first Bento box, as well as the accessories for prep from allthingsforsale, has shipped today!

Maybe by chance it'll be in Monday or tuesday! =celebrates=

Probably Tuesday or Wednesday.

-Halo Fauna

[Dark Mage]

heart ninja heart

~lurks in the shadows~

hulloooooo Jokes heart