Yesterday was an interesting day for me! I posted a picture of my honey soy baked chicken bento on Reddit, and apparently lots of people liked it because it made the front page and got 1.2 million views on imgur! I really didn't expect it to get that much attention, honestly, considering it was last night's leftovers straight out of the fridge. But it did drive quite a bit of traffic to Bento Basics and to the bento subreddit -- it gained about 4,000 new subscribers! It's really fantastic that so many people are interested in bento!
However, one of the main questions that came out of my Reddit post was how an everyday bento is any different from just packing a normal lunch. It's a valid question! Here are some of my favorite responses from the comments:
I got a laugh out of these comments because, while there is a very small ring of truth around them, they're also indicative of a general misunderstanding of the purpose and usefulness of bento!
However, one of the main questions that came out of my Reddit post was how an everyday bento is any different from just packing a normal lunch. It's a valid question! Here are some of my favorite responses from the comments:
- "It's a pretentious healthy lunch."
- "It's lunch for people with OCD."
- "If I shoved a bologna sandwich in a paper bag with a banana and a cookie could I call a bento box, or is there more to it then that?"
I got a laugh out of these comments because, while there is a very small ring of truth around them, they're also indicative of a general misunderstanding of the purpose and usefulness of bento!
So, what is the Difference?
I mean, a bento box is basically just a lunch box. The difference lies in the philosophy behind it! For over 1,200 years, the bento has played an important role in Japanese history, culture, and tradition. Preparing a bento requires thoughtfulness and care, versus shoving a bologna sandwich in a paper bag with a banana and a cookie. Food presented attractively looks more appetizing, since we eat with our eyes first! Remember that you don't have to use Japanese food in your bento. It's adaptable to any country's cuisine!
Now, here's my summary of what a bento style meal is: A bento is compact, nutritionally balanced, visually appealing, and is useful for waste reduction and portion control.
When you begin to plan your bento meal, there are several things to be mindful of. Here are the guidelines laid out in the basics:
Now, here's my summary of what a bento style meal is: A bento is compact, nutritionally balanced, visually appealing, and is useful for waste reduction and portion control.
When you begin to plan your bento meal, there are several things to be mindful of. Here are the guidelines laid out in the basics:
- It should look organized, appetizing, and colorful with a variety of different foods .
- It should contain carbohydrates, protein, and vegetables (a good ratio is 3:2:1).
- It should NOT contain sugary sweets or similarly unhealthy foods.
- Traditionally, the food must be tasty at room temperature and safe to eat after sitting out for several hours.
- The food should be compact and packed tightly to prevent it from shifting around and to accurately measure calories.
Why should I care about any of that stuff?
People all over the world become interested in making bento for their own different reasons, but the main thing is that bento is useful for accommodating those reasons! Some of the common reasons people begin making bento are:
I love this NY Times article by Samantha Storey because it mostly covers all of these points. It's a great read that illustrates the benefits and value that everybody can find in making bento! Planning and preparing my bento is one of the things I look forward to every day, and it comes from a place of love for food and taking care of myself. It's a great thing to be mindful and focused on that one task, in an almost zen-like way. Hopefully you can find your own reason to begin making bento!
Related Posts:
- Wanting to eat healthier
- Wanting to express creativity through food
- Wanting to budget food costs
- Wanting to make something special for your child or spouse.
- Similarly, wanting your child to have fun eating healthy food just because of how it looks
- Wanting to reduce waste by using a reusable container and not using plastic baggies or other disposable items
- Wanting to lose weight and exercise portion control
- Wanting to spend more time connecting with your food and thinking about what you're putting into your body
I love this NY Times article by Samantha Storey because it mostly covers all of these points. It's a great read that illustrates the benefits and value that everybody can find in making bento! Planning and preparing my bento is one of the things I look forward to every day, and it comes from a place of love for food and taking care of myself. It's a great thing to be mindful and focused on that one task, in an almost zen-like way. Hopefully you can find your own reason to begin making bento!
Related Posts: