Bento Questions?

Question

I know women in Japan usually make bento for their husbands and children. I also know this is probably an obvious question but do Japanese women use bento who are out of high school and if so what kind of bento boxes do they use? do Japanese women eat out of the cute Hello Kitty bentos or the other ones with colors and characters for girls? I'm wondering cause I got a bento set as a gift and it's really cute w/ Hello Kitty but I don't know what to put in it, how to use it, and what to put in it so I'm full?...hehehe I guess I would like to know what to say to people when they ask me why I'm eating out of a weird looking Hello Kitty container that looks like it only holds enough for a child.

Answer 1

Adult women don't usually carry a bento box that has Hello Kitty on because that is usually for small kids. In Japan, usually school provides lunch  for elementary school and middle school students so they don't usually bring their bento box unless they are asked to. But kids or some kids in kindergarten and high school are asked to bring their bento for lunch.

Anyway, this is the typical bento boxes for adulet women : http://item.rakuten.co.jp/yellowstudio/c...

*Usually adult women's bento boxes are not only one box but two boxes.

And this is the website that you can find the chopsticks and cases for bento boxes:

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/yellowstudio/c...

And this is the cover for bento boxes: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/yellowstudio/c...

And this is the band to secure bento boxes:

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/yellowstudio/c...

And the food that you can put in your bento box is the food that you want to eat, basically. So put whatever you want! But, well, iIn Japan, a typical bento box has the following:

Rice (with or without Nori or Furikake or Umeboshi and so on)

Onigiri

Japanese egg omelet(Tamagoyaki)

Japanese sausage

Korokke

Japanese hamburg

steamed/boiled broccoli

boiled spagetti coated with ketchup

Shrimp Tempura

Grilled Salmon

Cucumber slices

Boiled Spinach with Goma

Green leaf lettuce

Tomato

Any kind of Nimono (simmered dishes)

Kinpira Gobou

Japanese style sandwitch

and many more...

Usually we don't have sushi in our bento box. But of course, some of us bring sushi but that sushi doesn't contain any raw fish because people usually can't put their bento box in a fridge.

Anyway, there are so many Japanese websites for Bento Recipes. So I'm just going to link the websites for you:

(well...since it's in Japanese, you won't be able to understand it but at least you can see what kind of food we make for bento)

http://www.kikkoman.co.jp/homecook/lunch...

(this is for kids)

http://www.cartoon.co.jp/obento/200609.h...

Answer 2

The moms would use boxes with more mature decoration, but yes, anyone can use bento boxes.  If you want to use Hello Kitty, though, it's not like the bento police are going to come after you... besides, I've seen some really cute character boxes.

Rice is good to make you full.  I usually make rice balls (onigiri) with mine, stuffed with leftover meat or veggies from supper, ham and cheese, or with sweet scrambled eggs mixed in.  You may have to make them smaller than normal so they will fit in the box.  In the space left over, I'll add either meat, veggies, or a sliced boiled egg (something different from the onigiri filling).  Then I fill the small gaps with little things like carrot pieces, olives, cheese cubes, anything that fits.  Bento boxes are made to be packed full, with a minimum of empty space.

Some people arrange the food into really artful designs as a hobby, but for everyday lunch packing just aim to make it look appetizing.  A good guideline is to separate foods that are similar in color.  As for what to tell people... say it's a bento box!  When they ask what a bento box is, you can explain that it's a Japanese lunchbox, and much prettier and more eco-friendly than a brown paper sack.

Answer 3

usually Japanese Woman don't eat in a bento box that has hello kitties on them, but if its a gift its alright to use. Most of the Japanese woman use regular solid colors or ones that have small decorations such as flowers and such. But if you don't know what to put in it, its basically up to you on what you feel like having for lunch. But if you want to have Japanese food for lunch, I highly consider rice. Rice will fill you up, but you also want some sidings with it, you can also cook up some soba, ramen or udon noodles. Plus you can also put some sushi in there. But it all depends in the structure and the sections of the bento box, because all bento boxes are different. Here I'll give you an example, so that you have an idea.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/34538...

http://estrip.org/elmwood/users/paul/ima...

http://kiddleylinks.com/wp-content/uploa...

once again for food wise, you don't have to follow these type in the picture, but for the smaller sections, I would higly suggest pickled ginger or if you dont like pickled ginger then just add a special surprise like chocolate chips. :D

Answer 4

um...i doubt that moms in japan use hello kitty 'bento boxes.' besides, that is just a name that we came up with. it's just a dish of rice and some dish, usually vegetables. sometimes known as 'rice and veggies.'

and i'm sure a hello kitty 'box' IS made for a child.