What is a Bento?
Bento is a portable meal consisting of rice and side dishes packed in a box.
Bento are prepared mainly for school or work, when lunch cannot be eaten at home, while considering nutritional balance.
Japanese bento lunches in particular are made with an emphasis on colour and nutritional balance.
This has given rise in recent years to kyaraben, character bento that resemble anime characters and can turn a simple lunch into an exciting and enjoyable time.
We believe that these unique cultures are also unique to Japan.
The History of Bento
The history of bento in Japan goes back some 1,200 years, and is said to have originated from the sageju (a type of food carried by aristocrats when they went on pleasure trips).
My lunchbox memories
When I was a student, my mother made me a homemade bento every day before I went to school.
Every morning, she woke up early, carefully prepared side dishes, and packed them tightly into my lunchbox with a variety of colorful ingredients. Then, as I left for school, she would hand me my bento with a warm “Have a great day!”
Back then, I sometimes envied my friends’ lunchboxes when I saw store-bought frozen foods inside. My mother’s bento was always entirely homemade. But now, I truly understand how much effort it took and how much love she poured into it.
In today’s world, where both parents often work, making a completely homemade bento every day is a challenge. I believe there’s nothing wrong with using frozen foods. However, for my mother, filling my bento with homemade dishes was her way of expressing love.
A bento is love itself.
It is made with care, thinking about the person who will eat it.
The excitement of opening the box, the joy of seeing what’s inside—this is why I love bento so much.
Now, as a mother myself, I dream of the day when my daughter is older, and I can pack a bento full of love for her, just as my mother did for me.
Love is contagious. Bento is truly wonderful.
How to Make a Simple Bento at Home
If you want to try making a Japanese-style bento, start by packing colorful side dishes tightly into your lunchbox.
The key is to fill every space completely!
You can use leftovers from last night’s dinner (just be careful with dishes that have too much liquid, as they might leak!).
I’ll be sharing various bento recipes on this blog, but first and foremost, I want you to enjoy the process of making a bento. Once you find it fun, you can start trying out authentic Japanese side dishes!
Classic Japanese Bento Side Dishes
• Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet)
• Karaage (Japanese fried chicken)
• Kinpira gobo (stir-fried burdock root and carrot)
• Hamburg steak
• Shogayaki (ginger pork stir-fry)
• Japanese-style sausages
• Spinach ohitashi (boiled spinach with soy sauce)
…and more!
Once you master these, you’ll be a bento expert!
For now, just start by packing your bento box with rice and side dishes, making sure to leave no empty spaces.
I hope this blog helps you on your bento-making journey!
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