Take a moment to reflect ... Remember when you were a kid? Now try to invoke this particular memory of your childhood - your wonderful lunch box! You were healthy, having fun and feeling confident in the sport with this completely new equipment. This box and what it was filled with often reflected who you were. This was your first independent introduction into society. After all, not your own lunch box meant you were finally a big kid!
The boys often shot Western or space themed lunch boxes, the girls went with Barbie and younger children with a wide variety of Disney characters. All I remember is that I was stuck on a plaid design, and the girl across the street, Cheryl Shelmadin, was a lunch box for Lassie the Wonder dogs. I do not. What were my parents thinking? Regardless of style, lunch boxes represented and also reflected a significant part of American cultural history.
Fortunately for our children, we live in a dynamic area. We can get access to the wonderful traditions of many cultures. After we included in our fresh local produce, and given the turn in the presentation ... POOF! New American Lunch Box - Bento Box.
Bento boxes appeared in Japan about 900 years ago with the creation of hoshi-ii. Hoshi-ii means dried flour — this is rice that has been cooked and then dried. Bento boxes were once simple containers that contained individually packed portions of rice, meat or fish, as well as pickled or cooked vegetables. Over the centuries, they have moved from wrapped leaves of oak or bamboo to lacquered wooden boxes, shiny aluminum and modern plastics.
Contests are held in which people compete to win prizes and prestige to design the most complex bento blocks. This type of artistic bento is called kyaraben. They aesthetically arrange products to resemble people, flowers, plants or animals. Some of them are so beautiful that they look too good to eat ... well, almost!
Of course, bento boxes are still available today in many places throughout Japan, but now bento boxes are taking America by storm! Traditional Japanese bento boxes are quickly becoming an indispensable lunch box for brown paper bags. Attending today's school cafeteria may have some parents who think they have moved to a new culture when they see these trendy new lunch containers. It's not all about the appearance, but bonus boxes are fun to fill, delight the palette, prevent food from getting into the food and make lunchtime packaging both effective and costly.
Today, lunch boxes are still the leading style and expression. Do not even wear it often for fashion. Regardless of your taste, breakfast boxes are still a reflection of American culture. The bento block is simply a plastic container that holds various other forms of containers for your products. Sometimes they are folded, square, flat or whatever your desires are. There are designer boxers with bentonists, in which popular cartoon characters and funny projects are presented - I hope that this is not a plaid. You can even accessorize your bento with fun dinnerware to fit, and miniature bottles no larger than your thumb for salad dressings, soy sauces, or other flavors of your choice.
I recently bought a “laptop bento” for my daughter, Daniel. It came in a thermally cooled case, similar to a laptop - and, of course, it was almost the same price. This is a typical bento for the “average student” - not too bright. After opening, the case shows spaces for all the different types of treats. Each space has its own cover, and they fit together like a puzzle. She loves her very much!
Packaging A Bento
No matter how old my children are, they still love to help pack their dinners with fun products. When we go hunting for benton, we often visit the Japanese dollar store in the city center in San Mateo. They have a wide variety of baby goods for lunch packaging. One of my favorites is nutritional forms. With absolutely no major artistic skills in the kitchen, you cannot turn products into simple animals, cars, trucks, trains, plants, or human figures. Try them with brown rice and vegetables for an Asian dude, tuna or chicken salad, eggs, or even make the required meatballs!
The same as using Japanese containers - use merge during packaging. California nouvelle cuisine is a mixture of cultures using fresh local ingredients and a new style of fun in any classic meal. These tiny treasure chests are great for crushing remnants in a new way that makes your kids want to see last night again. Remember to be creative and artistic when packing your bento and get your child involved. Use cookie cutters to make “tea sandwiches” with a unique shape, layered products for presentation and include small containers with their favorite dips. The better it looks and the more input data, the more likely to eat them!
Use these fun lunch bags and fuse some of your own cultural sensations inside. Here are some ideas that will help you move forward. Including the variety of products offered by your child, they will be much less likely to give in when they hear: “I will buy you!”. in the cafeteria.
Mac & nbsp; Cheese - Left over macaroni and cheese, fresh sliced tomatoes, boiled vegetables and fresh finger fruits (grapes, berries, cherries, cubed melons, sliced kiwi, etc.). They will surely swallow this beloved child. All are placed in separate containers or click on funny shapes.
Snack Attack - Fresh sliced fruit and vegetable fillets, sliced cheeses, cubic breast or turkey ham, and multi-grain crackers make a delicious blend of flavors and nutrition. Do not forget to add crackers and your favorite vinaigrette in a small bottle for a bottle with a small weight.
Lunch for lunch - your favorite packaged meatballs, brown rice, sliced fresh vegetables, and low-fat yogurt. This bento is also great for leftover spaghetti!
Pot Roasted Potatoes - Sliced roast pot, roasted root vegetables, fresh finger fruit, and garden salad. Served cold, with a slice of whole grain wholemeal lavash bread.
Super salads - tuna salad, chicken or seafood, whole grain crackers, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as cute children's cheese. Be sure to add chopped red bell peppers. They are really sweet to eat - especially with cream cheese to dip them.
Now, with some bento experience under my belt, I can honestly say that children love not only these tricky containers, but me too. They are also great for picnics, traveling lunches or anytime you will be away from home. They just make sense! Another important thing ... bento boxes really need to be washed after the box arrives home. This is another great opportunity, though, to attract children and teach them early children's responsibility, as they help to wash the lunch box and prepare it the next day.
Looking for a few more creative suggestions for lunch or ways to fuel passion for your child? Check out fun activities and summer camps at Kids Culinary Adventures. We will even teach them about the importance of cleaning!
Chef Gigi!
