Today we decided to do something a little different and have a bento-style lunch at the park. I've had
these cute bento boxes for years. In high school my best friend introduced me to the wonders of real
Asian cuisine including the Japanese “bento box”. The word bento literally translates to “lunch” or
lunchbox. There are hundreds of different styles and sizes for bento boxes ranging from $10 up to $80.
I only have two types: a traditional black lacquered box with a cloth tie and a pink layered box with
several 8 matching containers for sauces, condiments, or garnishes.
Lunch boxes in Japan are somewhat different from what you would find in the US. For a kid
growing up a standard lunch would be a turkey sandwich, crackers, an apple and maybe a cookie for
dessert. When I was a kid in school PB and J’s were still allowed, but now with nut allergies rising, very
few schools have peanut butter products.
