Back-To-School Bento #1
Here’s the first of our series of back-to-school bento lunches! But before we jump into the foods and fillers there are some guidelines that may be helpful for those who are new to packing bento box lunches. There’s also a special surprise!
If you’re anxious to know about the surprise…scroll down to the bottom of this article.
Besides the basics there are some special considerations for packing bento box lunches for school.
Here are some pointers.
Does your child have a locker or a cubbyhole to store their bento box? If not, then you might want to avoid styles that have to be tipped sideways for backpack storage. A narrow style box or 2 tier box is better suited for backbacks and bags.
You must label every piece of the bento box with your child’s name. Including those cute little silicone cups or you’ll end up with a bunch of mis-matched bento “odds and ends”.
Your child’s school may have a policy against sharp objects like picks or even chopsticks! So check the rules before sending your children to school with un-intentional contraband. :) Heck, your child’s school may ban home packed lunches period! Better check.
If you’re new to bento, then start off slow. Don’t worry about creating perfect, kawaii-cute eggs shaped like chicks or teddy bears! Keep practicing and you’ll get your style and routine down to a science. Trust me, you should see my first bento! Uuug-ly! Although it’s possible to pack a bento that’s both cute and healthy, it’s better to lean more towards nutrition. 
Have fun and don’t stress-out trying to pack a perfect bento lunch.
Ok, on with today’s lunch…
It’s a two tiered “Mio” bento from Japanistic and it’s filled with inarizushi, chicken tsukune (from bento-stash), snap peas, broccoli, corn, tomatoes, veggie-ham, fig, berries and takuan garnish!
But it’s not your ordinary inarizushi, the rice is a mixture of brown, white and black rice with a scattering of grains and beans. Definitely nutritious. And I topped each piece with a tangy slice of takuan (takuwan) for an extra punch of flavor!
I normally don’t pack fruit inside the box, but this box is very roomy. A good sized meal for an older child or split the tiers into two different meals for those with smaller appetites. And it has a section for storing it’s own matching chopsticks too!
Today’s bento box lunch also features this cute “side-car” or snack box. For this occasion, it’s filled as an afternoon snack with one inarizush with snap pea garnish and berries. This little box could also hold dessert or a breakfast muffin.
So there you have it, a quick (using bento-stash), healthy and cute bento box lunch! Are you ready for school?
I saved the best for last. Our friends at Japanistic have put together a special set to kick off our “back-to-school” series! It’s the adorable “Mio” set including both the bento boxes featured in today’s lunch plus the matching beverage bottle! How cool is that?!
You can purchase this “hapa bento set” at a discounted back-to-school price of $42.25 versus the $46.95 if you bought each piece seperately. To take advantage of this special event and get the details, visit japanistic.com and they’ll take it from there. This set is available while supplies last.
If you’ve been wanting to try making bentos, for your kids, yourself or spouse, now is a good time as any to start. At a discount!
Updated to add this bento to What’s for Lunch Wednesday!
All beautiful and healthy! Can you pack your lovely bento for my daughter? She is your fans too … I think she will be soon rejecting my kyaraben bento. She is in Grade 5 now, so I have to learn from you
Hi Lia! OMG, no way would anyone reject your delightful bento creations! Please tell your little girl that I am a fan of her Mother! :0
Great post! I love the tips, so helpful to all us bento makers. Beautifully packed, and the bento set is adorable!
Hi Lyndsey, You are too nice! Thank you.
Great tips and pointers! Wish I could sign up for the hapabento bento lunch series at my kid’s school
Thanks sheri! hehehe, thanks for the sweet comments!
i just LOVE those colorful inarizushi, they’re soooo pretty with the dark rice and the takuwan blossoms. everything else looks fresh and lovely as well!
Hi Megan! I’m digging this rice/grain combo that I bought from the Korean grocer. It lends towards a more substantial inarizushi. Thanks!
Great tips, awesome yummy bento and I adore the Mio set..so cute!
Hey there Steph! Thank you, I’m glad you liked the post and the bento set! It’s very cute.
So stylish–both the delightful Mio containers and beautifully arranged and wholesome contents. The inarzushi are just suberb-looking, love the ripe fig!
Thanks Jenn, You’re generous with your praise. *blush*
So cool! I tried inarizushi for the first time yesterday. It was pretty easy, especially since I bought the fried tofe pouches already made. Do you cut off just the top part of the pouch and then fill it? I am always so impressed with the way you arrange your ingredients, you have such an eye for design.
Hi Sonoma B.! Yep, I usually buy the ready made pouches too. Thanks for you sweet comments.
great tips (as always!) and I love the Mio set – thanks for the discount!!
Thanks Cat! As for the discount, you’re welcome! It’s our pleasure!
nutricious!~
Thank you!
Such a beautifully packed bento, and healthy too! Love the Mio Hapa Bento set so much!
Hi KidsDreamWork! Thank you for your sweet comments and yes, the Mio set is adorable!
I like the color composition of your box, debra
it is very refreshing!
Thanks yenny! I try to keep things interesting.
I love your bentos Debra! Oh my gosh, would eat it all. And I love the bento boxes.. You’re right about checking out school rules and also how they will store it. It’s something I learned along the way with my kid’s summer school. There are some days where I tell her not to tip the lunchbox a certain way! She just looks at me crazy.. lol.
Hi ChantaleP, Thanks so much for your sweet comments. Yeah, some of the wider bento boxes are not backback friendly. It’s best to keep thing upright with a stackable or skinny bento box.
These are truly beautiful, but I have a question. On most of the bento sites I go to, the pictures all have the bento overflowing with goodness. The boxes I have would mean that I would have to squash it all down and then wrap it tight with a band to keep it down. I can’t imagine that it would look as good at school. So the question is, what is the trick to making a beautiful full bento without ruining it putting the tops on it?
Hi Michele, Thanks for the compliments! I can’t speak for the other bentoists, but for me I try to leave a little bit of room for closure. Of course it depends on the type of bento box. Some styles have lids that don’t squash the contents. I must admit I do get carried away with styling without thought to the lid, but most times it’s okay. This bento has a top tier lid that won’t squash and a bottom tier that needs a bit of space. My favorite box Elph’s Circus has a nice lid that doesn’t smash.
Oh my gosh, how cute are those boxes! Great and yummy bento too and I love the fresh fig!
Hi Susan! Thank you for the lovely compliments!
These are both beautiful. I love your bentos, everything always looks so fresh & pretty.
Thanks for adding it to last week’s link up!
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very creative i love the idea of using bento boxes for back t school lunches, bye bye ordinary sandwich!! a kid that bring this to school would truly be envied by their peers!