The Cutest Lunches Ever

Have you ever heard of bento? Maybe the word makes you think of afternoon take-out specials at your favorite Japanese restaurant, but let me assure you, there is much more to this humble word than you might expect.
In Japan, it's common practice for mothers (and sometimes fathers) to pack bento box lunches for their kids when they send them off to school. Some parents have turned the simple act into its very own art form, creating character-themed snacks for their kids and posting pictures of them on their blogs.
As of late, the bento box lunch concept has caught on in America, and more and more people are starting to pack cute little lunches of their own- not just for their kids, but for themselves!
Packing your own bento box lunch comes with a litany of perks- you'll save money, eat healthier, smaller portions, reduce waste, and have a blast making them!
Best of all, making your own bento needn't be time consuming or difficult. There are a lot of online resources to help you out!

Here are some of the best:

• Lunch in a Box : This site is full of helpful tips, as well as contests, recipes, and connections to other online resources.
• Just Bento : Constantly posting new recipes and tips, Just Bento offers monthly themes, such as frugality as well as a Get Started Handbook . With their weekly bento planner , bento-packing is riculously easy.
  
• Anna The Red's Bento Factory : If you want inspiration, you'll love AnnaTheRed's beautiful bentos, but her site isn't just eye candy; she provides helpful recipes as well.

If the blogs aren't enough for you, YouTube is full of helpful tutorials, and offers plenty of inspiration (as you can see below!). Bento is a blast. I hope you give it a try!



[Photo from AnnaTheRed's Flikr Stream]