The Facts of Life

Gather round, one and all. Since tomorrow is the first bento box I'll be sharing with you I figure it's time to give you some more information. I bet you're just bursting with curiosity, aren't you? You are, right?

Hello?


Here's a little bit of basic knowledge about what's going to be going on around this joint.

First off: The Who

No, I'm not talking about the rock band. I'm talking about me! I'm Birdy, and I'm the one running this show! I'll be picking out recipes to pack in my lunches, taking pictures, and sharing with you the recipes. This won't just be Asian influenced food either. I'm not afraid to put spaghetti or some pizza in my little lunch box. Anything is possible. I'll probably end up taking suggestions. So if you see something you think would be a great addition to my list, let me know!

The What

Bento lunches! Wikipedia of course, has an awesome amount of information on what these things are all about. Check it out. As you see, there are a couple different things that are considered bento. Most Japanese restaurants have a bento meal that include a number of small portioned foods. These lunches usually consist of rice, some fish, and veggies. However, I'm adding my own twist on this Japanese tradition and making use of all sorts of foods. Tradition won't be holding me back!

The Why

For one I have such a lovely box and so many little things to go with it that it seemed a waste not to use it. Secondly at work we have a surprisingly delicious cafeteria, and at $3 for an entree, side dish, salad/soup, and drink it's a really hard deal to beat. However, it's really easy for me to fill my plate (because I can) and then I eat way too much. And try as I might, it's really hard to portion control when you have a pile of delicious fries begging to be eaten. With these things in mind, this bento box is not only amazing for portion control, but it will also end up being cheaper. Cooking for two is actually pretty difficult and there are always leftovers. This way I not only stop us from wasting food, I also enjoy home cooked meals, prepared specifically to my tastes.

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Now, here is a look at a couple of things I have in my bento collection. Believe me when I tell you, this is a *small* collection. I've heard of people who have closets full of bento goodies. I only have a ziplock bag full of my stuff. While small, my collection is growing, and I'm always looking for fun things to add to it.


I really enjoy these silicon cups. It's perfect for holding small portions of foods or sauces and they are reusable. Also, totally adorable! These little pigs are one of my favorite things! They come with little eye and wing stickers that you can paste on all these little piggies. They are a little difficult to fill with sauce, but it's worth it for the kawaii factor.
And again, more silicon food/sauce cups. These guys are small, but useful.

My hubby found all these awesome goodies at J-List. Be aware, there are some NSFW pages on that website, so just be careful what you're clicking on. They have an amazing collection of Japanese goodies, and even thought they are exported from Japan the prices and shipping are reasonable. I definitely suggest this website if you don't have anywhere local to shop.

Well, friends. I hope you continue to be intrigued and stick around. The fun is just getting started.