Want to make baon extra special? Get some inspiration from the Japanese art of bento! This homemade meal comes packed in boxes with designs that range from cute anime characters to the more sophisticated ivory-inlaid lacquer ware. Inside, you will find compartments that neatly divide the meal into carbohydrates, proteins and vegetables. Even more interesting is the lengths moms and wives go through to create visually enticing meals, creating edible artworks to show love for those who will partake of the packed meal.
Sure, it looks complicated and time consuming but a look at our gallery below shows you that with a little practice and some research it can be simple and easy. We gathered 10 links devoted to anything bento so you can try it on your family.
When Chrissie Mata has time off from advertising, she indulges her inner foodie by cooking and crafting beautiful bento creations. Even when she's too busy, she manages to whip up pretty packed lunches by using ready-to-cook items like adobo flakes. If you want a sampling of her Pinoy take on bento, take a look at Kitchen Cow.
For a more adult take on bento, visit Just Bento. Makiko Itoh, a Japanese expat based in Switzerland, chronicles recipes (with photos!) of bentos she makes for herself and her husband. Her philosophy is to prepare healthy, cost and time friendly bentos so don't be surprised if the recipes are mostly vegetarian.
Maki Ogawa makes kyaraben (character) bentos for her kids which she proudly displays on Cute Obento. Her site is light on instuction but heavy on inspiration, so feel free to leave a comment on her site if you have any questions about making cute yummies like Baked Cheesecake Kitties or Quail Egg Chicks.
Get a feel of what bento enthusiasts worldwide are making at the Bento Lunch Livejournal Community. Count on daily user photo uploads from all over featuring food ranging from from the authentically Japanese to what is locally available in the user's neck of the woods. Helpful users offer advice and come to the rescue when you pose questions.
Deborah Hamilton is a busy work at home mom who gives 10-15 minutes a day to make bento lunches for her husband and kid. She writes all about it on Lunch in a Box. She has a comprehensive list of tips to help speed up your bento-making here, for those of us who do not have the luxury of time.
For big kyaraben bento fans, My Meal Box should be your online destination. Lots of cute food creations using popular characters from television and movies can be found here for your breakfast or lunch needs. Check out her tutorial on simple bento for beginners.
Finally, learn the ways of bento with online video goodness at Kantan Ryouri's YouTube channel! Check out her Totoro bento video tutorial here. If you want to know more, you can also check out her blog.
