BENTO BOXES

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Bento Lunch on a Budget

Fresh Bento Box Lunches that are Simple and Budget Friendly

Story and photos by Desiree Gerland

Creativity matters as much as taste and nutrition when preparing a Japanese-style bento box. But more important is simplicity. Keeping things simple when planning out your own bento lunches really can have an impact on committing to a daily bento lunch.

It was easy to get excited while looking to Pinterest for bento box lunch ideas. There as a plethora of insanely artistic boxes that appealed to the creative side of the brain. After scrolling for an obscene amount of time, it was clear that this was perhaps something that could easily be taken overboard. So, naturally, I committed – in my own chaotic-organized way – making multiple lists, saving internet images, shopping on Amazon for fun bento boxes and clicking ‘add to cart’ far too many times, and then heading to HEB.

As a mother of teenage boys, I am somewhat experienced in the art of shopping on a budget. Yes, there’s nothing quite like spending tons of hard earned cash at the grocery store, just to watch it disappear into the never-ending void attached to the face of a teenager. It’s easy, and cheap, to throw greasy frozen food into the vacuumous hungry black holes, but that’s missing the point. I try to shop on a budget, while also providing healthy and balanced meals. The absolute best way to accomplish the elusive, easy, cheap, and healthy diet? Keep it simple.

Healthy doesn’t only mean low in fat and high in fiber. A big part of eating healthy that is easy to overlook is portion control. A classic Japanese-inspired bento box is a great way to manage how much food is being consumed in one sitting. A Noriben is a simple bento with fewer than four ingredients, and the milliliters size of most boxes corresponds to the number of calories that are in them. In Japan it is normal to pack the bentos with three parts grain, two parts vegetable, and one part protein.

While shopping for bento box ingredients, I stuck with things that are familiar to me and my family. Rice, fish, eggs, nuts, and fruits are all staples in our household, so in the cart they went. Affordable deli meats and cheeses were an obvious choice, especially when preparing a bento that can be eaten straight out of the backpack or refrigerator. Buying in bulk and storing in the refrigerator for the week is a major help when throwing together several boxes in the morning, while also cutting costs. At the checkout, I ended up spending roughly $100 dollars to make bento lunches for four people for two weeks.

Don’t get too focused on pairing things that go well together, the simplicity of ingredients typically nullifies that concern. Also, mixing and matching different ingredients is part of the appeal of bento boxes. Having a box with more than one compartment means you can have several parts of a meal without mixing them in the same box, and eliminates the need for disposable packaging, like ziplock bags.

Bento boxes have a broad and rich history, going back as far as the fifth century. I’d love to carry you down the rabbit hole of bento, and I wholly encourage you to research the history on your own, but I will give you one final bit of bento lore: bento has become a language of love. Something you thoughtfully prepare, not just for yourself, but for your loved ones. Take this information with you, make someone something special, and send me photos when you do. Itadakimasu!