Bent on Bento

Has it been that long since my last post?  My tardiness has definitely got nothing to do with me not eating at all, because of course I have been eating!

However, as for preparing and packing bentos, time has not been on my side, I’m afraid.

My toddler has started school a few weeks ago, and since the school provides lunch, I only pack a small snack box for him to take along, usually consisting of cookies and muffins.  I’m considering packing his lunch though, because he doesn’t seem to eat a lot of what they serve (safe for last Friday when he downed 2 bowls of rice!)

In any case, if I were to pack lunch for my kids, I would certainly want to use an insulated lunch sack.  One that is not too bulky but yet does its job well…something like the insulated lunch sacks at Kids Konserve.  It comes in Moss and Beach designs and guess what, it’s made totally from a reusable plastic bottle!  How cool is that!?

I also like this Nesting Trio set.  It looks pretty handy and dandy, though my concern would be if my kids would be able to open the cover safely without spilling the contents.

Lovin’ these stuff from Kids Konserve simply because they look good and yet I’ll feel good knowing that I am greening the environment while using them too!  And here’s the good news: all you readers out there will get to enjoy a 15% discount off everything in the Kids Konserve Store from now till October 31 2009.  Just use the coupon code bento at checkout!

Happy bento-ing everyone!

All pictures credited to Kids Konserve.

General, Toddlers & Kids, Tools & Equipment

My little picky eater toddler loves hard-boiled eggs.  He however, prefers the egg white to the yolk.  I’m not complaining because this means he is getting SOME protein!  When I serve him the egg, I have to cut it into bite-sized pieces for him.  I have yearned for a cool egg mould for a long time now.  One in the shape of a car like this Tomica one from New Stylish Tokyo would be great.  And my son would be absolutely thrilled!

 
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There is an ongoing giveaway at A Pregnant Pause where New Stylish Tokyo is giving away 3 egg moulds, 1 Koi Japanese Style Curtain and 1 Anpanman Chocolate Mould.  Do check out details on this giveaway, if you are interested in these fantastic items, all imported from Japan.

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I have been hunting for a good thermos that’s not too expensive and yet can keep my food warm for several hours.  Oh, and of course it has to look good too!  Just recently, I came across this potential one from Kids Konserve.

 
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The Kids Konserve Thermos has a silver and green color scheme, which I totally dig!  It can hold 12oz of food and is made from 304 food-grade stainless steel.  Most importantly, I don’t need to reheat my food in the microwave when I am ready to eat a few hours after packing.

However, the one thing that’s making me rethink my decision to get it is because this thermos comes with just one compartment.  So I can either have just one warm dish
(with several other side containers to lug), or I’d have to put all my food into that one thermos.  Moreover, 12oz might not be enough to feed me either! LOL

So while I am still deciding if I should get it, I also got to check out the other cool stuff Kid Konserve is offering.  The store specializes in reusable environmentally-friendly and waste-free products for packing food and drinks or basically just to snack on the go!  Their tiffins look pretty hardy too 🙂

And thanks to Kid Konserve, all you fantastic readers out there, bento enthusiasts or not, y’all get to enjoy a discount of 10% off everything in the Kid Konserve store, from now till May 31st 2009.  Just use the coupon code bento upon checkout.

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Remember the bento I created for myself?  Well, if you need a refresher, that was the bento I entered for the the Who-R-U? Bento contest run by Javapot.  The contest is closed for entries now, but that means it is time to vote!

So if you wanna make the Bento Tigress really happy, please vote for me by clicking on this link.  I am Contestant #5 – bentonbento.  🙂

Thank you!!!

All votes need to be cast by 5:00pm (Malaysian time GMT+8) on Wednesday April 22 2009.

*keeping my fingers and toes crossed!*

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These came in the mail for me two days ago.  How awesome is that, huh?  My very own name cards (mini MOO cards, really), and all compliments of the Foodbuzz team, just because I signed up to become a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher!

Now that’s a different and unique way of promoting my Bento blog, eh? 🙂

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Apart from honing creativity in the process of creating meals that are pleasing to the eye and to the palate, bento-ing is also a step towards a greener earth, if we think of it that way.  You see, by packing meals in containers and bringing them to work or daycare, we are reusing these containers, and not just eating and throwing away plastic containers like the ones being sold at takeout restaurants and diners.

Isn’t that a comforting thought?

Well, being a bento enthusiast has certainly made me look at items around the house in a different light, and I find myself thinking of how to make use of an existing household item to create a pretty piece of decorative edible item for a bento.  That being said, my love for bento-ing does not stop me from yearning for additional bento products and tools.  It’s an addiction really!

And so, I am always GLAD when I stumble on fabulous giveaways for bento items.  I do so hope I will be able to organize one soon on my own 🙂

Anyway, this is one of the cool giveaways I just entered.  Mission: Vegan is organizing this April Giveaway in conjunction with Earth Day (April 22nd) and what I like about this giveaway is that every entrant has to think about what he/she will do for Mother Earth (by answering a simple question to be eligible for an entry).  There are also TWO winners instead of just one, and check out these fantastic prize packs!

Prize Pack #1
 

Prize Pack #2

All photos credited to Mission: Vegan

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I stumbled on a gem of a bento blog today.  It’s called Maisie Eats Bento, and it has all these really cool and simple bentos made for a picky toddler.

Wow…that is so ironic, because I just decided today that I would start making my son’s meals a little more eye-pleasing for him in an effort to entice him to eat more nutritious food.  My three-year-old boy is a fussy little eater too, and so picky when it comes to food.

Anyway, I don’t have that many tools for making his food interesting.  Not yet anyway…so I would have to make do with whatever I have and squeeze whatever creative juices my brain can produce.

However, discovering Maisie Eats Bento has never been more timely, because to celebrate the 100th bento on that blog, Lisa (the writer) is running a mega-awesome giveaway for a little starter kit for bento packing.  Check out the prize with all its goodies:

 
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Mouth-watering, innit? 🙂

I’ve entered my name in the random prize drawing – so if you haven’t and are itching to win, hurry on and do so before the giveaway closes on Sunday, April 5 2009 at midnight Eastern Standard Time.

General, Toddlers & Kids, Tools & Equipment

I truly apologize for the lack of posts of late.  I have been keeping myself busy with my newborn baby girl, and since my Mom has been doing most of the cooking nowadays, I have not had a decent chance to pack many bento lunches.

Nevertheless, whenever I get the chance, I still am reading about and drooling over bentos packed by other bento enthusiasts around the world.  Oh, and of course I am taking mental notes!

One of the things that I have been concerned with (and still am) about bento packing is the usage of plastic containers.  The truth is, if the container is made of polycarbonate, it’s not BPA-free, hence not that safe if you put really hot stuff in them.  One solution is to use glass containers (like Pyrex), but those aren’t really kid-friendly.

I have been toying over the idea of investing in some stainless steel containers, because I think they look very good, they are easy to clean and PLUS they are kid-friendly too.  So when I read the review of the Kids Konserve metal lunch kit over at Lunch in a Box, I knew I had to have one of these sets!… or rather I would want one of these for my kids…or even for myself!

 
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First of all, the kit doesn’t only look asethetically pleasing (LOVE the green against the silver!), it’s fully functional too!  I am not too intrigued by the cloth carrying bag though…it looks a little bit too flimsy from the picture, but I might change my mind when I see it.

In any case, what’s important is the kit components are BPA-free, including the green lids, and that IS saying a lot, if you’re concerned about health issues.

The whole set retails for USD40 from Kids Konserve, which I feel is quite expensive, but seeing that it is stainless steel after all, I am weighing the pros and cons of getting one.  Meanwhile I am hoping and praying that I will win the set from the giveaway run by Lunch in a Box right now.  That would absolutely solve my problem, wouldn’t you think so?

General, Toddlers & Kids, Tools & Equipment

I was at Daiso several days ago, and took the opportunity to grab a pack of these silicon cups. 

Initially when I started bento-ing, I figured these silicon cups were rather redundant and thought I could make do without them.  When I wanted to pack fruits or food items which I did not want to mix with the main food item in my bento, I would use those jelly moulds or baran dividers.  But I soon discovered that jelly moulds were hard and not flexible.  As for baran dividers, I couldn’t use them if I had gravy for my main entrée.  I tried using the little bento box dividers or even those that came with my Lock ‘n Lock box, but sometimes I just wanted to pack a small amount and the rigidity of the dividers did not serve the purpose well.

So I finally saw the need to get these silicon cups.  They are mouldable and I can fit them into any crevice in my bento.  The silicon cups feel kinda rubbery to the touch, and the packaging indicated the color could fade due to wear and tear.  These cups supposedly work too, if you use them for baking cupcakes in the microwave or conventional oven.  And in my opinion, they are definitely an essential addition to any bento enthusiast’s collection.

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Right now there is no need for me to pack bentos for my son yet, but in future, if I do need to, I’ll probably have to invest in some cute bento boxes themed for kids.

My son is currently very into Mickey Mouse, and so when I saw this set of three bento boxes on sale at the Disney store in the mall, I simply couldn’t resist getting them.  The signage said it was on offer at USD4, and I thought it was USD4 per lunch box, making it a total of USD12 per set.  The store had an additional 25% discount that day, so I figured it was still a good bargain.

However, when the cashier rang up the total, I found out it was USD4 for the entire set, PLUS the additional 25% discount.  What a great bargain it was!

Now I use the boxes to store crackers and snacks when we go for outings, and my son is none the happier.

General, Toddlers & Kids, Tools & Equipment