My S/O wants a Mr. Bento. Any of you have them? Like it? love it? Liked it at first but now it sits collecting dust with the other gadgets you thought would change your life?

Hmm. Never seen one of these, but it reminds me of the lunch delivery service in India. For me, and from what I can tell by just looking at the photo, it's way too much space unless I was taking two meal's worth of food with me.

If you have one you aren't using, why not just send him yours?

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

I don't have one, but they are awfully cute.

My thought is, if I can't manage to pack a lunch now, I'm not sure a cool lunchbox will help the matter.

Ah, I see now. The third option was a possible response that someone else might give...

I used to carry my lunches in the plastic bags that I brought back from the local HEB. Then they came out with these large insulated lunch bags with a zippered top and three side pockets. Since I carry frozen dinners to work for lunch more than stuff I make at home, these would be more conducive to my lunch-carrying habits than something like a Mr. Bento. I can put my frozen dinner, fruit, drinks, and snacks in this one container where Mr. Bento would call for carrying multiple containers to accommodate my practices.

I might use a Mr. Bento in my circumstances maybe six times a year, so it is more likely to be one of those dust-collectors than anything else. But, if the SO cooks and has leftovers to carry, then it might suit him just fine.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

I haven't got one yet, although aftering viewing some of the Mr. Bento flickr photos, I want to get one and take pictures of what might or might not be a good lunch.

It's a good idea (Mr. Bento, not the photos...necessarily) if your SO packs non-sandwich/frozen lunches. Or if he has no access to a microwave to reheat leftovers. Or if he has issues with different foods touching.

Maybe a Secret Santa will send him one! @:-)

Well, if you end up getting the Mr. Bento and need some inspiration, here's a blog all about bentos (and they even sell bento sets on the side). http://www.bentoyum.com/

This girl posts a new recipe on Bento TV (a video blog) everyday (link: http://www.bentotv.com/). I have spent some time watching this with a mixture of fascination and disbelief (the disbelief stems from the fact that her lunches are tiny). As Starwood Lurker mentioned earlier, it is very similar to an Indian "tiffin". A good idea if you can keep all the pieces together.

Bento Boxes of which this is one, are used by millions everyday. At least here in Japan where I live. The beauty of the divisions is that you are more likely to eat a varied lunch which is always better than single items. Also you are more likely to add vegetables to your lunch, again a good thing. Third, leftovers can be used in a way that does not make you feel you are eating last night's dinner again, i.e. use a bit of each of a few days' leftovers.

Anyway, it is a pain to pack and wash, but it certainly provides the setting for a more complete and healthier lunch.

I would say go for it.

Mike

My mom uses a bento box to pack her lunch. I think the bento box is more appropriate for Asian meals where you have various types of small dishes or condiments. However, it's also great for people who like their sandwich "fresh". Keep tomato, lettuce, meat & bread separate until you put them together.

I did use a bento box when I decided to change my eating habit from a couple of big meals to 6 smaller meals a day. I just divided what I was planning on eating into smaller portions in a bento box. Worked amazingly well!^

Me thinks your TH needs to check out biggie's site:

http://lunchinabox.net/

She's amazing.

so, its 3 years later.

The above-mentioned, now-ex S/O gave me one, even though he's the one who wanted it in the first place. Our relationship ended shortly after that, and Mr. Bento was relegated, unused, to the cupboard.

I had the opportunity to finally put it to use over the past weekend, and well... its pretty darn cool. Despite earlier comments, the containers aren't as big as they appeared in the photo, and it packed a decent-sized lunch. I may have to start putting it to regular use.

Absolutely! Actually, there's a forum there now too, with people talking about packing a variety of types of bento boxes and lunches.


Missydarlin - I'm glad you tried out your Mr. Bento and liked it! My husband and I actually have them, and thanks to my brother's awesome leatherworking skills, ours have personalized leather carriers. We use ours every week, depending on what we're packing for lunch.

Also, for travelling, I know that since the exterior carriers are metal, you can use them with an immersion heater to heat hot water if you need to. (Take out the plastic bowls first, of course!)

As for bento in general, the boxes are small because when you pack a meal in the small boxes according to the Japanese government's reccommended food pyramid, the size of the box directly corresponds to the numbers of calories in the box, so a 600ml box, packed "correctly" (half grain/rice, 2/6 veggies, and 1/6 protein) will hold a meal that is roughly 600 calories.

I've taken several flat, "tight" (water-tight) bento with me on plane trips with my own food, but not my Mr. Bento. (Yet!)

Mine was bought in Tokyo and it wasn't called a Mr Bento. I must have bought it around the same time as you did.
It gathers dust in the summer but comes into its own once the Autumn/Winter kicks in.
If you have a decent rice cooker then putting together a warm lunch is dead easy.
I got a smaller version by Thermos for my daughter. I'm anticipating the days when I pack the two together.