[1] December is a time for giving, and Lunch in a Box is happy to donate two prizes for the [2] Menu For Hope food blog charity event, now in its 5th year. Started by Pim of [3] Chez Pim, Menu for Hope raises money for the [4] United Nations World Food Programme, the world’s largest food aid agency (last year it raised almost US$100,000 for the program!). Specifically, this year’s donations will benefit the [2] school lunch program in Lesotho, Africa. A full list of prizes is [5] here at Chez Pim, and the Western U.S. regional prizes are all shown [6] here at Matt Bites. A mere US$10 gives you a shot at some pretty cool food-related prizes! Check them all out and see what appeals to you.

I’m offering two different bento prizes this year, with all products courtesy of Skater Company, Japan’s largest manufacturer of bento boxes. I’ll also give each of the winners a personal tour of San Francisco’s Japantown if you’re in town (details below).

[7] [8]

I’m offering:

1. [9] Hello Kitty & Berries Bento Box Kit with Personal Tour of San Francisco’s Japantown by Biggie. Get your cute on with a variety of unusual Hello Kitty food shaping tools, three feminine bento boxes, and a matching thermos. Valued at US$110, all products are from the [10] Skater Company in Japan. Kawaii! (prize code UW11)
2. [9] Pokemon & Berries Bento Box Kit with Personal Tour of San Francisco’s Japantown by Biggie. Pack stylish “his and hers” lunches with a complete set of Pokemon bento boxes, rare Pokemon drink bottle, Pokemon lunch utensils, two feminine bento boxes, and a matching thermos. Valued at US$140, all products are from the [10] Skater Company in Japan. Pikachu! (prize code UW12)
   

([9] Read on for full prize details and instructions on how to enter.)

Hello Kitty & berries bento box kit and personal tour of San Francisco’s Japantown (prize code: UW11)

[7]

Hello Kitty & Berries Bento Box Kit with Personal Tour of San Francisco’s Japantown by Biggie. Get your cute on with a variety of unusual Hello Kitty food shaping tools, three feminine bento boxes, and a matching thermos. Valued at US$110, all products are from the Skater Company in Japan. Kawaii!

The Hello Kitty goods are all marked “For Sale in Japan Only”, so are uncommon outside of Japan. The manufacturer’s care instructions are noted below, but I often put these sorts of things in the dishwasher (no heated dry cycle) without adverse effects (see my [11] guide on caring for your bento gear). The kit consists of the following (click any photo for a larger view):

[12]

• Pink Floream two-tier bento box with removable subdividers, rice ball shaping press, inner lid and top lid, elastic bento belt to keep everything together, and a cotton lunch bag with drawstring. Total capacity of 640ml (280ml top tier, 360ml bottom tier), so big enough for an adult woman according to the [13] bento box size guidelines. Hand washing recommended, not microwave or dishwasher safe.

[14]

• Hello Kitty pancake ring with separate plastic faceplate for making Kitty’s face with cocoa or furikake. Ring can also be also be used for frying eggs. Oil inside of ring before use, hand washing recommended, not microwave or dishwasher safe.
• Hello Kitty [15] sandwich cutter and press that creates an imprint of Hello Kitty’s face. Can also be used for cookies. Hand washing recommended, keep away from heat, not microwave or dishwasher safe.
• Hello Kitty egg mold for making hard-boiled eggs shaped like Hello Kitty. See my [16] egg molding tutorial for details.
• Hello Kitty-shaped reusable silicone food cups for packing side dishes in a bento lunch. Microwave- and oven-safe.
• Hello Kitty cutters and press that creates an imprint of Hello Kitty on vegetables or small cookies.

[17]

• Red strawberry-patterned two-tier bento box with removable subdivider, inner lid, easy-open watertight top lid with flaps, and a cotton lunch bag with drawstring. When empty, the bottom tier fits down into the top tier to save space in your bag. Total capacity of 480ml (260ml top tier, 220ml bottom tier), so the right size for a child according to the [13] bento box size guidelines. Microwave-safe except for the lids. Hand washing recommended, not dishwasher- or oven-safe.
• Red strawberry-patterned two-tier bento box with removable subdivider, two inner lids and top lid (not watertight), chopsticks that fit under the top lid, elastic bento belt to keep everything together, and a cotton lunch bag with drawstring. When empty, the bottom tier fits down into the top tier to save space in your bag. Total capacity of 630ml (380ml top tier, 250ml bottom tier), so big enough for an adult woman according to the [13] bento box size guidelines. Microwave-safe except for the lids. Hand washing recommended, not dishwasher- or oven-safe.
• 340ml stainless steel insulated drink bottle with matching drawstring carry bag. The cap doubles as a cup for hot or cold drinks. Handwashing recommended, not dishwasher safe.

If you live in or will be visiting San Francisco, I’ll give you a personal bento tour of San Francisco’s Japantown, visiting specialty stores for bento gear, food, and cookbooks that I wrote about in the [18] SF Bay Area shopping guide for bento gear. Have [19] your own Japanese speaker show you around and translate anything you have questions about!

I will ship internationally if the winner lives outside the U.S., and there’s no expiration date on the tour in case the winner lives outside the Bay Area but will be visiting at some point in the future. The tour is transferable if the winner won’t be traveling to San Francisco.

* * * * *

Pokemon & berries bento lunch kit and personal tour of San Francisco’s Japantown (prize code: UW12)

[8]

Pokemon & Berries Bento Box Kit with Personal Tour of San Francisco’s Japantown by Biggie. Pack stylish “his and hers” lunches with a complete set of Pokemon bento boxes, rare Pokemon drink bottle, Pokemon lunch utensils, two feminine bento boxes, and a matching thermos. Valued at US$140, all products are from the Skater Company in Japan. Pikachu! (prize code UW12)

The manufacturer’s care instructions are noted below, but I often put these sorts of things in the dishwasher (no heated dry cycle) without adverse effects (see my [11] guide on caring for your bento gear). The kit consists of the following (click any photo for a larger view):

[20]

• Pokemon (Pocket Monsters) three-tier nesting/stacking oval bento box set, with 400ml, 280ml and 180ml boxes. Similar to the [21] set of Thomas the Tank Engine nesting/stacking bento boxes that I use for my son, this style gives you maximum flexibility for portion sizes as your child’s appetite grows, and saves space when travelling or [22] packing a bento lunch for an airplane trip. Mix and match sizes according to what you’re packing, use an elastic bento band to carry multiple boxes together, and nest empty boxes into each other when you’re done eating. Microwave-safe except for the lids. Handwashing recommended, not dishwasher- or oven-safe.
• Pokemon 450ml rectangular bento box with removable subdivider and watertight lid with flaps. Microwave-safe except for the lid. Dishwasher-safe with air drying (no super-hot dry cycles like in industrial dishwashers). Not oven-safe.
• Pokemon 160ml square snack box with watertight lid. Microwave-safe except for the lid. Dishwasher-safe with air drying (no heated dry cycle). Not oven-safe.
• Pokemon 600ml insulated thermos with neck strap and removable top for easy washing. Easy-open top with the press of a button. Marked “For Sale in Japan Only”, so uncommon outside of Japan. Handwashing recommended, not dishwasher-safe.
• Pokemon three-piece utensil set with fork, spoon and chopsticks. Dishwasher-safe with air drying (no super-hot dry cycles like in industrial dishwashers).

[23]

• Black strawberry-patterned two-tier bento box with removable subdivider, inner lid, easy-open watertight top lid with flaps, and a cotton lunch bag with drawstring. When empty, the bottom tier fits down into the top tier to save space in your bag. Total capacity of 480ml (260ml top tier, 220ml bottom tier), so the right size for a child according to the [13] bento box size guidelines. Microwave-safe except for the lids. Hand washing recommended, not dishwasher- or oven-safe.
• Black strawberry-patterned two-tier bento box with removable subdivider, two inner lids and top lid (not watertight), chopsticks that fit under the top lid, elastic bento belt to keep everything together, and a cotton lunch bag with drawstring. When empty, the bottom tier fits down into the top tier to save space in your bag. Total capacity of 630ml (380ml top tier, 250ml bottom tier), so big enough for an adult woman according to the [13] bento box size guidelines. Microwave-safe except for the lids. Hand washing recommended, not dishwasher- or oven-safe.
• 340ml stainless steel insulated drink bottle with matching drawstring carry bag. The cap doubles as a cup for hot or cold drinks. Handwashing recommended, not dishwasher safe.

If you live in or will be visiting San Francisco, I’ll give you a personal bento tour of San Francisco’s Japantown, visiting specialty stores for bento gear, food, and cookbooks that I wrote about in the [18] SF Bay Area shopping guide for bento gear. Have [19] your own Japanese speaker show you around and translate anything you have questions about!

I will ship internationally if the winner lives outside the U.S., and there’s no expiration date on the tour in case the winner lives outside the Bay Area but will be visiting at some point in the future. The tour is transferable if the winner won’t be traveling to San Francisco.

(Disclaimer: I have no commercial affiliations with Skater.)

How to donate:

1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from our Menu for Hope at [24] http://chezpim.com
2. Go to the donation site at [25] http://www.firstgiving.com/menuforhope5 and make a donation. Donations are managed by Firstgiving.com, an independent online fundraising company.
3. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize you’d like in the ‘Personal Message’ section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02, by writing “2xEU01, 3xEU02″. The Lunch in a Box bento prize codes are UW11 for the “Hello Kitty & Berries Bento Box Kit with Tour,” and UW12 for the “Pokemon & Berries Bento Box Kit with Tour.”
4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.
5. Please allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win.  Your email  address will not be shared with anyone.

Check back on Chez Pim on Monday, January 12 for the results of the raffle.

FURTHER READING:

• [26] Laptop Lunchbox free giveaway (ends midnight on Monday, Dec. 15, 2008)
• [27] Lunch in a Box’s bento prize for the 2007 Menu for Hope 4 and [28] the winner
• [18] Shopping guide for bento gear in the San Francisco Bay Area
• [29] Online store list for bento gear, and the international [30] Bento Store Locator with Google Maps
• [31] Bento recipes on Lunch in a Box
• [32] Bento FAQ and [33] Biggie’s list of top speed tips, tutorials and reviews