One thing to keep in mind is that you don't need an actual bento box to make bento style meals. Any container (like regular Tupperware) can work, as long as you follow the typical nutrition guidelines. It should contain carbohydrates, protein, and vegetables (a good ratio is 3:2:1).
You also don't need to buy cute molds, shape cutters, or anything like that, unless you want to! These things are all optional, and they're more there for people who want to make truly cute and adorable lunches for themselves or their children.
With that in mind, below is a list of online resources to buy everything bento! While this does not include every website out there, I believe these are the best and most comprehensive online retailers at this time. This list is geared towards those living in the United States, but many of these sites ship worldwide.
- Bento&co is a fantastic source of all things bento at reasonable prices. They have a great selection of more mature looking bento boxes, but their food supply is limited mostly to furikake and matcha.
- BentoUSA is also a good source. While their bento boxes feel a bit more cutesy and targeted towards children, their accessory selection is huge! They do not carry food, as far as I am aware.
- CasaBento is a great option for those living in Europe, although they do ship internationally. They organize their bento box selection by size, which is really helpful! They do not carry food, but the accessories selection is fairly large.
- Monbento is a popular, modern brand of bento boxes. They also carry some accessories to match.
- DHgate has an interesting selection of bento boxes. If you've been looking for something more on the cute side that will definitely stand out, try looking here for some really unique boxes.
- Japan Centre is a good source for not only bento boxes and supplies, but other goods from Japan as well. Their food selection is the best on this list!
- JBox offers many different types of Japanese goods, including snacks. Though you can find many of their bento boxes and accessories on other sites, they do have a few fun and unique pieces that are worth taking a look at.
- Amazon and Walmart have a small selection of affordable bento boxes and accessories. If you're just starting out and not sure if this is something you'll want to stick with long-term, these may be the best options for you!
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