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Selecting the right bento lunch box
7 Oct 2007 by maki
There seems to be a common misconception that one needs to go out and purchase a purpose-made lunch box or a bento box from Japan, in order to start making bento box lunches at all. While I do like cute bento goods and boxes, they are certainly not required, or even needed. I think for most people, they would like bento making should be a daily habit, not a time consuming hobby.
Actually any container that meet the following requirements will work work fine. You may already have a suitable container in your kitchen. You could be bringing lunch to work tomorrow!
The requirements for a bento box
The container should be as leakproof as possible.
This is quite important since you don’t want the inside of your carrier bag, whatever it is, to get stained by leaking liquids. Many bento boxes from Japan have leak-resistant rubber seals. For any container you use, do a leak-test by filling it with water and shaking it around a bit. If any moisture leaks out easily, you probably want to try another box. (There are ways of adding leak protection to your box, such as putting it in a waterproof bag or securing it with a wide * rubber band, as well as making the food itself not so leaky.)The container should be easy to wash and take care of.
This may sound like a no-brainer, but you should consider this especially if you want to use a bento box ordered from Japan. Most Japanese bento boxes are not dishwasher safe, so if you think you won’t remember to (or don’t want to) handwash your bento box, you will want to make sure you get a dishwasher safe container.The container should be microwave safe if you intend to nuke it.
If you work in office and have access to a microwave oven, you may want to heat up your lunch in it. Most Japanese bento boxes are not microwave safe, since the typical Japanese bento is meant to be eaten at room temperature. So be sure your container is nuke-ready if you want to heat it up.The container should be the right size for your dietary needs. This is especially important if you are watching your calories to any extent. Generally speaking, for a tightly packed Japanese-style bento, the number of milliliters (ml) that a box can hold corresponds roughly to the number of calories it holds. This is why so many Japanese bento boxes, in particular the cute ones with anime characters and things on them, are tiny - they’re meant to be used by kids and young girls on perpetual diets.
To determine the capacity of your intended box: Fill it to the top with water, then pour off the water into a measuring cup that can measure in milliliters.
See also: How to see if a bento box is the right size for you before buying.
Insulated and compartmentalized boxes
Some people don’t like the individual items in their bento boxes to be rubbing against each other. If that sounds like you, then you will need a compartmentalized lunch box, such as the ones offered by Laptop Lunches. Personally I would rather have the compactness of a non-compartmentalized box, supplemented when needed with a separate container for something like fruit.
Insulated bento containers such as the Mr. Bento keep your food hot (or cold). Again, this is a personal preference but I am not a big fan of these. For one thing they are bulky and a bit of a bother to take care of. For another, the fact that the food is kept hot for several hours means that it’s being held in steam table like conditions, rather like at a buffet. This means that while some foods like stews will taste great, others may not. They are nice to have for a chance of pace though. The capacity of the Mr. Bento is quite big, which can be a concern if you’re trying to watch calories.
What I use
(Note: my collection of bento boxes has grown considerably since I wrote this originally back in 2007, and I have new favorites now. One of these days I’ll get around to photographing them perhaps. In any case, the general principles written here still apply.)
I have several bento boxes in my stash, from one shaped like Hello Kitty’s head to a beautiful lacquered box which I keep for special dinners at home. But I mainly use these practical containers for everyday lunch.
The box I use most of the time is not a bento box at all - it’s a plastic lunch box I got from the supermarket. (For Swiss residents, it’s available at Migros.) It has an attached flip-top lid that is fairly leak resistant, and came with a detachable bottom section that holds a cold pack. I rarely use this bottom section but it’s nice to have. It’s dishwasher and microwave safe, though I hand wash it most of the time. The plain white plastic body is very easy to keep clean and stain-free, which is a big plus. Finally, the capacity is about 600 ml, so it’s great for my goal of keeping my lunch calories at or under 600. It’s also rather comforting to know that if it gets damaged or something, I can easily replace it.
Sometimes I use this two-section bento box from Japan, a type that is widely available from bento box sellers such as Jlist. The main advantage of this box is that you can keep ingredients totally separate, so it’s good if you have a very strong flavored item that you want to keep apart from other things. The inner rubberized lid is quite tight fitting, reducing the risk of leakage. It’s also taller rather than wider, so it fits well in a bag. The empty containers can be stored nested within each other compactly.
The main disadvantage of this type of box is that it’s not not microwave or dishwasher safe. I also find the multiple parts a bit of a bother to wash up compared to my main white plastic box. (Yes I’m a bit lazy.)
This is the main ‘man-size’ bento box that I use to make Max’s bentos. It’s a plastic storage container from the Ikea 365+ line. It has a microwave vent in the lid which makes it great for bentos that taste better warm, though the vent does have a tendency to leak a bit if the box is carried upside down or something. The capacity is about 900 ml.
The other one I use is a sleek black bento box from Japan that’s officially designated as being ‘man-size’. It comes with an integrated chopstick container in the lid, and a divider to separate rice from other ingredients inside. The capacity is around 850 ml. As you can see it’s quite understated, though it has a head-scratching Engrish phrase on it (“impressive. My heart cannot stop throbbing. My dream that has begun to move.”).
I hope this gives you some ideas as to what kind of bento box to use!
See also
- The bento boxes category
- Bento Item Spotlight category, where I discuss specific bento boxes and lunch boxes.
- Essential bento making supplies
For more bento recipes, ideas and tips, subscribe to Just Bento via your newsreader or
by email (more about subscriptions).
And visit our sister site, Just Hungry for great Japanese home recipes and more.
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I’m a Mr.Bento user, and
I’m a Mr.Bento user, and it’s mostly because I pack my breakfast, lunch and afternoon (healthy) snack in it. The Mr.Bento can be really helpful for a grazer like myself, I just am sure not to pack it to capacity.
I tend not to keep hot food in there though, I use it as a cooler and re-heat in the microwave :)
Nice site, BTW!
Nicole
I’m a Mr.Bento user too
And I really appreciate the capacity because I like salads and soups. Since the containers are more generous, I can pack a larger serving of these healthy, low-calorie items and use the other for fruit and more vegetables. I pack everything cold and heat up the things that need it in a microwave, though I like many foods at room temperature anyway. No matter how you look at it, that volume of food is going to be bulky, and the Mr. Bento keeps it easier to carry. I agree about the number of pieces being a pain, though.
For more calorie dense foods, I use other smaller containers, including one of the pretty blue butterfly boxes you picture above.
I love the site, and am hoping to get lots of inspiration from it.
Debbie
great use of Mr. Bento
Those are great uses for the Mr. Bento - thanks for sharing! It would make a very nice salad-lunch container indeed.
Urara box - microwave ok except for lids
When I bought mine (exactly the same box), they said the container base is mocrowaveable, but not the lids.
Bento Options
In my opinion, the second most important feature of a bento box, after being waterproof, is to have thermal capacities. It is important to keep some foods warm or cold (as it’s intended to be) for sanitary and taste reasons. In addition to the normal applications, I tend to make a lot of bento box meals for long flights, and it’s not unusual for me to consume a meal 12-15 hours after making it. For these reasons, I’ve become acutely aware of the benefits of proper insulation. Also, for flyers, if you want to have a soup on the flight, you cannot bring the liquid part through security in many countries. I find that thermal containers are essential for making soup on a plane because the plane water is never hot enough and a long steeping time is needed to have the soup be ready to eat - a thermal container preserves the precious little heat in the water while this process goes on. I also use this process to make hot meusli during a flight.
Therefore, I really value the new Zojirushi lunch box that has a self contained thermal unit in it (I’m not referring to Mr/Mrs Bento - see link at end). Thermos Foogo also looks interesting. Also, Zojirushi and Tiger make containers intended for tea that are sealed and thermal which can also work for these applications. I think these are an essential part of any global bento kit!
http://www.amazon.com/Metallic-Stainless-Vacuum-Lunch-Lavender/dp/B000GO4A9C/ref=sr13?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1198096317&sr=1-3
Oddly reassuring...
It’s nice to see the box you use for Max being almost exactly the same as the one I use for my husband (Kenji). Only difference is that his has no vent (doesn’t like warming his up). Now it’s got colder he prefers his in another that’s exactly the same but bigger - he does love rice!
Good Ideas!
I like this site, thanks for sharing!
I’m also one of those that use generic divided plastic containers as “bento”. I just purchased “a real one” from j-list. I guess to be used for cold lunches. I use a BYO lunch bag with the divided plastic container. That’s what I got today.
I’m from Puerto Rico, which also has a long history of carrying on lunches. In the island we used multi level containers called “fiambreras” and they are mostly a spanish tradition that got carried over in the island. My dad used to have a nice ceramic with metal one (the same materials used spit collectors on the old days). I never found it again, I guess that mom threw it away. I found a cheap one on my last trip to Puerto Rico, it price was 4 USD at a local discount store. For those who want to have a clue, the following is the picture from a store in spain. http://www.decoralis.com/fiambrera-de-diseno/
For those who like Mr. Bento and live in the United States, there’s a Colombian company called Polimes that also sell multi stackable containers in an insulated container. Their products are sold mostly in hispanic groceries but they’ve been finding their way to Wal*Mart. Their company website is www.polimes.com. I have two of them and their quality is quite good. My only complaint in the small one is that it is too small and does not have a plate to mix all your meals. The larger one is better, so get one that suit your needs.
Last but not least, I love the Corelle white containers with lid that are meant for carry out. Being that they’re ceramic, they do a fantastic job transmitting heat while in the microwave. The lid is microwavable, but it recommends not to be used while heating tomato based food (spaghetti sauce and their brethren). A word of caution, they also tend to get really hot, so be careful while taking them out of the microwave.
I never though about Ikea. There’s one near where I live. I should go there and check it out. :).
Cheers!
Puerto Rico
Luis, it’s great to hear about takealong lunch traditions in Puerto Rico. It’s really interesting to hear about things like that. Thanks for sharing!
cold bento/hot bento
I see above that you mentioned most bentos are made to be eaten at room temperature(cold). So does that mean the bentos featured here are all/mostly cold bentos? It’s just that I see a lot of cooked food involved… meats, chicken etc. I might start looking around for a good lunch container.
yes, most of the bentos
yes, most of the bentos featured here are meant to be eaten at room temperature, and still taste good (and be safe to eat too). That’s how most Japanese bentos are, and even when the ingredients and cooking methods are not necessarily Japanese, that’s what I try to stick to. Cooked food can still taste good when it’s cold!
Hi again Maki-san! I know
Hi again Maki-san!
I know the blue bento you posted there is not dishwasher safe, i own the same in red (the one with bunnies that look like aliens with buns n_n).
As i work everyday until 8 p.m. and then i have art class until 10 p.m., i have a girl that comes to my house to clean it up a little twice a week. She one day put my red bento box in the dishwasher (even the black rubber thing) and it came out like new. Actualy, it came out even better than if she had washed it herself, because i found that the scourer scratched the bento a little in the inside. (and it is a plastic scourer, as i always cook with non-sticky pans).
The diswasher program temperature was 50ºC, which is quite hot!.
I thought you’d want to know it :) Now i always wash my bento in the diswasher and it works allright.
I own another box but never tried it so i can’t tell about it.
The black man-sized bento
The black man-sized bento box on the bottom—did you buy that in Japan, or is it available online somewhere? I’d love to get that for my friend. I tried doing a search for it, but didn’t find anything like it.
Thanks!
I did get it in Japan years
I did get it in Japan years ago, but I am fairly sure I’ve seen similar ones around. This one for example is about the same size and shape, different color. Try also searching for ‘men’s lunch box’ on eBay.
Oo, thanks for the link.
Oo, thanks for the link. That could work nicely (although I did like the name of the bento “Impressive” with its weird Engrish comment.)
useful and interesting
Hey !
I would like to thank you as I am willing to buy a bento and was really really confused, but when I read ur artical it was really good information that most of them were new.
thanks again =)
Bento box requirements...
Great info, I love reading more stuff on Bento products available! I would like to suggest another requirement for a good bento: the use of safe plastics. There has been some recent controversy over the safety of certain plastics, particularly those containing Bisphenol A (BPA). Personally, I would avoid containers using these plastics. There are a few Lock n Lock containers with dividers that I love, and they are a good start for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on lunch box stuff.
:D wow, I have that same
:D wow, I have that same firefly two tiered blue one… is it a good one if you’re using bento for diet purpose?
educational
I actually just ordered my first bento box today after looking at your site…thanks for all the tips! I was on the fence seeing as how I am on a budget but, I figured having an actual box would be a lot more fun to use (as I usually skip lunch but want to motivate myself to stop doing that) than a tupperware from Wal-Mart.
I also read somewhere that most plastic boxes themselves are microwave-dishwasher safe but >all< lids must be hand-washed. I am a little afraid to try on my red rabbit jubako when it comes though, without people telling me it’s safe. The seller I got it from doesn’t seem able to tell me either yes OR no…so I guess I’m stuck doing it by hand.
Thanks for all the tips!
microwave safe for lube sheep?
i have just brought a two sectioned bento box exactly like yours, it’s from lube sheep. i want to ask if it is really not microwave safe because i saw a label with a microwaveoven and a word that saids “OK!”. Well i don’t read japanese, i just thought that it means microwave safe
Re: microwave safe for lube sheep?
Oops sorry, forgot to answer this one. It seems that lube sheep bento boxes are ok to microwave, but you need to take the lids (inner and outer) first, especially the inner one with the rubber gasket which may get damaged.
Japanese lunch box
Hi!I’m Nintakun from Japan. Do you have a "Mage-wappa"?
It's traditional Japanese lunch box. Why don't you use it?
Re: Japanese lunch box
I do have a mage wappa, but I haven't used it for demo bentos on the site yet. I may do so eventually. (It's rather big, which is the main reason I don't use it much.)
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
Hi! I have a question;
I`m curious and want to try making bentos for myself, I`m 15 years old, female, and am 5 ft` 3 in. What sort of box should i use to get the right amount of calories i need? just trying to eat healthier!
thanks in advance =)
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
i have a question!!
I want to buy a bento box (I'm a guy)- I saw some 2 tier bentos and I was wondering with the boxes that a rubber band is it possible to only use 1 tier? the rubber band looks kind of loose.. I'm just asking because I think the 2 tiers are a little big, but I don't really want to buy a box that is too small;; thanks
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
Most 2-tier boxes are on the small side, with each tier containing about 250-300ml. So if you are a guy (unless you have a small appetite) you'll probably use both tiers. Actually, most 'guy' boxes are large one-tiers. The band usually fits cross-wise over two boxes, though you can try fitting it lengthwise over one box too (though it may slip off that way).
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
Ugh.. my message did not send out..
I have a question, can the two tier boxes be used separately? the kinds that has a large rubber band ( they look kind of too big for just one tier-_-) thanks
purchasing bento box pieces
I love my bento box and so does my sister, unfortunately she packed some curry in the second level of my bento and the lid is stained. Does anyone know of a site where I can purchase only the small interior compartment for my bento?
Re: purchasing bento box pieces
Hmm I dont think any non-Japanese sites sell parts. I have seen some makers that sell parts like Hakoya (Tatsumiya Shikki). Maybe ask the seller where you purchased the bento box from if you can buy parts?
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
I want to buy my daughter a bento. Can 1 tier be cold while the other is kept warm? She does not have access to a microwave at school. Recommendations appreciated!
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
One bento box can't keep things hot and actually *cold* at the same time, but some thermal lunch jars like the Zojirushi Mr. Bento have one compartment that keeps the food within reasonably hot until lunchtime, and side compartments where the food is at room temperature. If you need food to be kept actually cold, you'd need to pack the box with a small ice pack, or use a box with a built-in ice pack - but keep in mind that most bento foods are meant to be safe to eat at room temperature at lunchtime. Hope that helps!
small appetite
hey, i want to bring a bento to school with me for lunch,and i have a pretty small appetite (but only at lunch time, i usually eat a lot at dinner XD) so i was thinking of getting one of those one tier square-ish ones that have those little flaps that snap onto each side--- and i've been trying to find a really cute one, you'd think it wouldn't be that difficult because as you mentioned in the article, the small ones have the cute designs on them because their intended for little girls and stuff. i honestly cannot find one that i like!!! help meeee!!!
Re: small appetite
All of the bento sellers that advertise on this site (see their ads in the right sidebar) carry a wide variety of bento boxes, but Japanistic and From Japan With Love in particular carry the small clip-on lid type I think. Take a look at their sites!
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
ugh, i should have read this BEFORE i bought my bento box. so helpful!! thanks!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-Irodori-Gozen-Large-Food-Bento-Lunch-Box-67...
i bought that in pink.
it's nice and big (holds up to a whopping 1.1L, with the lid being higher, so that food can go above the inner containers. it's cute in pink. the inner containers are microwaveable and dishwasher safe. the outside containers not so much. the whole thing is fridge and freezer safe. (unless you keep your freezer below -20C or your microwave goes above 140C.
no seal!!! dry foods only. :( this could be a problem. doesn't that make fruit out of the question? on the plus side, i did get the cutest fork, spoon, and chopstick holder. (i don't use chopsticks, can't seem to learn).
http://www.from-japan-with-love.com/natural-lunch-time-set--spoon-fork-a...
at the moment i'm at jbox/jlist looking at large bento boxes. i'm a healthy eater. need more food than the avg japanese woman.
http://www.jbox.com/PRODUCT/TPP044
i'm almost decided on this one.
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
I personally use a glass freezer container for storage. It's leak safe nuke proof and it's a way to avoid plastic boxes. it's also easy to wash. The drawbacks are its weight, its glass and that it has no dividers.
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
Hallo!
Love your site, you've put a lot of hard work into it and its the most informative lunch box site on the web xD
I have a question for you though. I wanted to pack salads for lunch but I am not sure how to pack the salad dressing separately. Is there any container that is specifically used to pack salad dressing for lunch boxes?
Thanks so much!
Re: Selecting the right bento lunch box
There are cute dedicated dressing bottles, and larger 'sauce' bottles meant for soy sauce and such could be used too. E.g. here's a dedicated dressing bottle on the Bento&co site. Try searching for 'sauce bottle' on all the major bento seller websites. You can also use little plastic containers with snap-on leakproof lids instead, or tiny jam jars, and so on.
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