I'm Biggie: avid cook, speedy lunch packer, mom in San Francisco, & former expat fluent in Japanese. 
New Bento FAQ
Somehow I’ve managed to slide by this long without writing a FAQ (frequently asked questions document), but as bento-style lunches become more popular I see a lot of new folks with questions like the ones below. So I finally wrote a full bento FAQ page here to answer them; please have a look to let me know if I’ve missed anything major and I’ll add it!
THE BASICS 
- What is “bento”? Is it the style of packing? Is it the box? Is it the food?
- What’s the benefit of packing a bento-style lunch? Is it healthier?
- What should I put in it? Aren’t bento lunches filled with Japanese food?
- Are there packing rules? How do I pack a bento lunch?
- Doesn’t it take a long time to make a bento lunch? How can I speed things up?
- Wait, I thought bento lunches looked like paintings made out of food. Where’s the food art?
- When do you make a bento lunch? Can I make it the night before?
- Do you eat them hot, cold, or at room temperature?
- Isn’t room temperature food dangerous?
- I don’t want to microwave or pack food in plastic containers. What are my options?
- Do you have suggestions for kids’ lunches? What about picky eaters?
OKAY, I’M IN! 
- What do I need to buy to start?
- What size bento box should I get?
- Where can I buy bento boxes and accessories?
- Help! I can’t read the care instructions on this Japanese bento box!
- Can you recommend some good cookbooks or websites for lunch ideas?
- What do you think of this particular [bento box, packaged food, or kitchen gadget]?
- Who are you, anyway?
- Nice photos! What kind of camera do you use?
- My question isn’t answered here!
August 6th, 2008 | Categories: bento, parenthacks, tips, tutorial or how to | 
Print This Post
| 
Email this post
Loading ...
August 6th, 2008 at 10:39 am
I came across your site last night — INCREDIBLE! I recently took my first trip to Japan and was thrilled to find all sorts of neat (and inexpensive!) bento box goodies at the 100 Yen store. I brought some home for my little ones, and now it’s just been a matter of figuring out what to put in them. Thanks to you, I’m on my way! Thank you so much for your fabulous site!
August 6th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Looks nice. Maybe the how to pack a bento and fill in the gaps?
I am really strange on the food art. I don’t have time for it - I’ll eat it soon anyway - cake decorating though. Now THAT’S something…
In terms of food art — hand me the furikake please (artsy foliages in it of parts of the greeny spices).
August 6th, 2008 at 11:43 am
This is awesome~ I’ve always linked to random spots on your site (where information was, but not altogether in one spot) but now I can link straight to this. Thanks so much!!!
August 6th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Oh just saw the “are there packing rules and how do you pack a bento lunch”.
It’s awesome how you’ve put it together. Not boring at all. I often jump in and comment, do you mind that? I mean it is your blogg and you do an excellent job with it. Just to clarify for myself.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
@1 from qwanty: Welcome to the site, qwanty! Sounds like this FAQ post was perfect timing for you, then.
Where did you go in Japan?
August 6th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
@3 from Yvo: Glad you think it’ll be useful — it’s something I’ve been putting off forever, but finally bit the bullet after seeing so many new folks bring up the same questions.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
@2/4 from Jessika: I think I’ll continue to tweak it in the next weeks as people weigh in with feedback and I figure out the HTML coding for the jumps. I’d also like to add a few small photos to make it a little more visually interesting.
On the comments, I always look forward to reading your thoughtful, considered comments, Jessika. I usually wind up learning something or looking at an issue from a different perspective — invaluable. Makes me very grateful to be writing on a blog platform where I can have a conversation with people!
August 6th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Biggie,
Great idea. The Q&A looks great I agree that a few pictures would really bring it together. I have recently started a bento business here in Kansas and I can’t keep stock on my shelf. Wow, Thank you for all your detailed information I always send my students to you for additional ideas. I am just getting around to blogging and would love to link you to my site. Thanks again for all the knowledge you share!!!
I could never dream to be as detailed as you are…you are truely the best!
Keep up the good work.
August 7th, 2008 at 4:12 am
@8 from Stacey: I put some photos in the FAQ and rejiggered the formatting a little to add some white space. I think that makes it easier to read, but let me know if you’ve got suggestions. I’m open to ‘em!
August 7th, 2008 at 6:50 am
The FAQs are an excellent idea, Biggie.. and improved with photos. I just have to say, I’m amazed at the recent boom in bento interest, (there seems to have been a huge upsurge in the last eight months, or so). I’m surprised by those who don’t see it. When a bento buisness in Kansas can’t keep stock in… something has changed.
August 7th, 2008 at 7:24 am
I’m a recent convert, and this post is a big help. My packing question is about how to get the bento or box into a tote bag or backpack. While flat seems preferable, I think it would have to go in sideways in certain types of bags to take to work or school. Any recommendations would help. Also, is anyone using a lunchbox as well? What kind or shape?
August 7th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
@10 from skimmer8: It’s dangerous to go out on a limb and make predictions, but I think there’s going to be an even greater surge of interest in bento-style lunches this fall judging from the number of mainstream media inquiries I’ve been receiving lately. A number of back-to-school lunch-packing articles are in the works…
August 7th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
@11 from Noel: Glad to hear the FAQ is useful to you, Noel. There are a few ways to go about tackling the horizontal vs. vertical box-carrying dilemma. One way would be to use a skinny, two-tier box so that it can stay horizontal inside a regular tall lunchbox, briefcase or messenger bag. This is what I do so that Bug can get some use out of the cool insulated lunchboxes that he was given as gifts (normal ones, like from Target or Walmart).
Another way would be to get one of those insulated lunch bags that has two compartments: a wide, flat, insulated bottom compartment with zipper, and a top, pointed compartment with a flap (also spied at Target). A small-to-medium sized one-tier bento box fits nicely in the bottom compartment horizontally.
The third way is to resign yourself to the fact that your single-tier bento box or Laptop Lunchbox is going to be turned on its side and jammed unceremoniously into a bag. My husband totally did this every time I gave him a bento lunch when he was misdiagnosed with celiac disease. I started having him take cameraphone photos of what the lunch looked like when he opened the lid to see what survived and what experienced a “foodslide”. I was able to figure out that I got best results when I packed food VERY compactly without gaps, used a container with a secure/watertight lid, and minimized the inclusion of any moist/wet foods in the bento. I realize now that another work-around would be to put any moist/wet foods inside of the disposable lidded condiment cups (i.e. Solo brand ones that you see jello shots in) in the bento box. It’s like wearing a belt with suspenders: extra insurance. Hope this helps!
August 7th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Wargh! Bento-posts attack! =D I love you Biggie. Will you marry me?
I like all the ideas here and I’m thankful that you’ve come up with this very neat post. I’ve been perusing your site HEAVILY. With this I can quickly look things up.
I don’t have kids, but I do pack lunches for my boyfriend. He works in constructions so his lunch is the most vital meal of the day. I can’t tell you how thankful I am for all the ideas in you’ve supplied here. It’s only after I read your blog that his lunchbox became varied and even more balanced.
(I used to just pack him with sandwiches and fruits…how boring!).
So thank you millions gazillion times!
August 8th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Hi Deb, This new FAQ of yours is fabulous! Gonna link you at my blog!
August 9th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
@14 from Gloria: Glad to hear the site is helping with your boyfriend’s lunches — sounds like it’s important for him to keep his energy up at work, and it’d have to be portable and tasty!
August 9th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
great FAQ, thanks for pulling it together all in one place. I have been packing Laptop Lunches for about 2 years now, and I look forward to using many of your suggestions this year. My favorite so far has to be putting individual portions of foods in silicone cupcake molds. Great idea!
BTW, your blog is a complete time sink for me - I can spend hours following all the links!
August 10th, 2008 at 2:44 am
What a great set of explanations. Thank you!
August 11th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
LOVE the FAQs page. Thanks Biggie! I am very new to bento and learn a lot from your blog. I look at leftovers very differently now. And your pantry reorganization was very inspiring. I’ll be back.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:21 am
@17 from Gudrun: I figure a proper bento FAQ is at least a year overdue from me — I should have written one when I moved the site to its own domain in 2007. Oh well, better late than never! Glad to hear some of the ideas are working for you.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:22 am
@19 from CarrieK: Wait until you see the rest of the kitchen reorg photos — I went from disaster area to tidy workspace. Let’s see how long I can maintain the neatness, though!
August 14th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Marmite! And Guinness Marmite to boot! I love your site and am starting to get into bento — not many resources or much information here in the UK. And now you are hitting my English AND Irish roots — how the hell did you get Guinness Marmite? LOL!
August 14th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
@22 from Elegant_Sniff: Ah, I got the Guinness Marmite from a reader in the U.K. with a personal stash. We did an exchange: I sent her cheap bento stuff from Daiso, and she sent me Guinness Marmite and Champagne Marmite. I really lucked out!!! The Guinness Marmite is my favorite of all three.