A vegan english themed bento?

Question

I'm going over to a on again off again friend's house and NEED to pack my own vegan bento. (Her mother is a idiot when it comes to other diets and lifestyles.) But I'm not that crazy abut Japanese foods just the Japanese dishware. (Chopsticks, bentos, Japanese tea sets, the bowls and plates ect.) I'm Celtic and love of course Irish and English foods. Any ideas on how to make a filling meal that can fit into a bento box?

Answer 1

For a non-traditional bento, just make sure that you include one grain item, one veggie item, and one "protein" item. Bentos are meals, rather than desserts, so I would just pick your favorite neutral starch, one protein-y dish (something beany?), and a couple of veggie dishes.

I'll admit you have me sort of stumped on the English themed bit.

I would include, in a very non-English way, some steamed rice, some roasted/dried seaweed, and some soy sauce for wrapping/rolling/dipping. I'd also have cold tofu with a spicy cold sauce, plus some steamed in-season veggies. I would probably also include a sweet-tasting potato dish, and maybe a small handful of berries or plums.

In short, keep it simple and it'll fit in. ;-)

Answer 2

Bentos don't necessarily always contain Japanese food.  How about making some sandwiches and cutting them into triangles so they could fit into a bento box?  Or you could have some rice and stir-fried vegetables.  

Remember, bentos aren't about the contents but the presentation.  You can put anything into a bento, and oftentimes what's in Japanese bentos are last night's leftovers.