Your source for lunch ideas
Bento is a Japanese style meal that has rice, meat, and vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container. Bento is popular for lunch because it is very portable since it traditionally is served in lunch box type container. Bento has a style all its own and often is very artistic in its presentation. Here are a few sites that take Bento to the next level:
Do you know of any other Bento sites? Tell us in the comments.
I have a Thermos food jar that I bought at Costco. I love it. I use it for hot and cold food items and it is fantastic at keeping the hot stuff hot and the cold stuff cold. The food jar is an excellent vehicle for the portable lunch. Here are a few ways that I use the food jar.
Instant Oatmeal and Soup
Depending on if I am using my food for breakfast or lunch I put instant oatmeal or instant soup into the food jar. When I get to work I use the free hot water dispenser to hydrate the soup/oatmeal and put the lid on and let it sit. When I make soup I fill it most of the way and top it off with a little cool tap water so it isn’t too hot to eat by lunchtime. For oatmeal I don’t use as much of the hot water and top off with some tap water so it is not too hot. My favorite instant soup is Bear Creek brand.
Canned Soup
In the morning I heat up a can of ready-to-eat soup (non-condensed) in a Pyrex measuring cup. I usually heat it till it starts to bubble in the microwave. When it is ready, pour it into the food jar. Add some crackers and by lunch time the soup is the perfect temperature to eat. Progresso makes a line of ready-to-eat canned soups that are excellent. so far my favorites are the tomato basil, lentil and the clam chowder.
Cold Cereal
Kashi’s GoLean cereal line is excellent. Though it can be a bit too crunchy. Fill the food jar with cereal and top off with milk (I use Silk’s vanilla flavored soy milk for a little extra flavor and protein.). Seal the lid and by the time you get to work it will be almost like a cold oatmeal, sometimes with a little crunch. This is my favorite way to eat it. Hot milk would be an interesting option that I have not tried yet.
The roasted chickens from the grocery store is such a good deal. As a family we get several meals out of one and some stock or even (in the winter) homemade chicken soup. One of my favorites these days is to use the roasted chicken with a cucumber dressing (maybe more of a relish) with a little feta cheese. Packing the components is no problem and assembly during lunchtime is easy.
The contrast of the warm and cold as well as the tanginess of the yogurt the and saltiness of the chicken and feta hits all parts of the tongue.
Cucumber Dressing\Relish
2 cups plain yogurt (Greek or regular)
1 cup seeded and diced cucumber
1/2 tablespoon of honey
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
small splash of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste.
Just picked up The Top 100 Recipes for a Healthy Lunchbox. Though the book is geared toward children, it has a lot of interesting lunch ideas that carry over to adults. I will be trying a few of them and posting the results. For instance, it has several homemade soup recipes like Chunky Italian and Ham and Barley. Soups are a great lunch, especially in the winter. Heat the soup up in the morning and carry it in Food Jar. Add some crackers and lunch is ready when you are.
1 cup yogurt (regular or greek)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon honey
Mix and taste. Add more cinnamon or honey until you get the mix you like.
Please note that if you are going to eat it later the cinnamon flavor will intensify as the moisture from the yogurt blooms the cinnamon so add a little less.
My son and I love yogurt. We eat a lot of it and buying the individual containers is expensive. So I have been buying the larger (32oz) containers of plain and mixing in my own flavors.
Right now one of my favorites to bring to work for breakfast or lunch is Cinnamon and honey. It is simple and yummy.
Cinnamon and Honey Yogurt
1 cup yogurt (regular or greek)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon honey
Mix and taste. Add more cinnamon or honey until you get the mix you like.
Please note that if you are going to eat it later the cinnamon flavor will intensify as the moisture from the yogurt blooms the cinnamon so add a little less.
Mediterranean food is tasty and fairly healthy. This recipe is a variation on tzaziki that I like to use in sandwiches or on burgers.
Recipe:
Mix and let sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Overnight is better to let the flavors mix well.
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