the lunchbox boxes
Right now, at this moment, I've got about $35 worth of kitchen gear from Sur La Table and Ichiban Kan that I totally don't need, but nonetheless completely want, sitting in shopping carts ready to order. What I should be doing (right now, at this moment) is catching up on algebra homework, not online shopping and posting entries to try to discourage myself from said online shopping.
So, yeah, I've got a bunch of bento crap already. Back in early summer I got my first order of junk from http://www.ichibankanusa.com/. What surprised me what how tiny, and flimsy the stuff was. Of course at a buck fifty a pop, I can't really complain. But it's something to keep in mind if you're ever buying any bento gear.
See, pretty small, huh? Eventually after using these few boxes for awhile, I gave in and ordered a bunch more gear. Through experience, I learned that it's perfectly fine to top-rack dishwasher the boxes themselves, but the flimsier lids don't fare so well in the dishwasher or microwave, so it's better to wash them by hand. The picks are fine in the silverware basket.
That little triangular one is the only one of these boxes that I don't totally love and use all the time. It's meant to hold large rice balls, but it doesn't stay closed well. Speaking of which, probably the most interesting thing about genuine bento gear from Japan is how it doesn't snap together like Western style containers do. You close a container of Gladware, it stays closed, but the tiered bento boxes need a belt to keep them together. On the other hand, the bento boxes with snap-top lids close so tight they're near impossible to open sometimes without prying that sucker open with a butter knife. I wonder if it's because I keep mine in the fridge and generally Japanese bentos are eaten at room temp? I don't know, I'm not Michael Faraday.
Speaking of Western style stuff, I found this neat Aladdin Lunch & Go Mini box fairly cheap at Ross, after promising not to buy anything new unless there was something particularly neat about it. In this case, it's that divider, which is movable. I found the bigger white carrier on their website, and have no need for it, but still, how cool is it?
If I only had one container, it would definitely be the Mini. It's a good size, it's sturdy, totally washable, and the only one I would trust to throw into my purse without worrying about it. Plus it's BPA free, and god only knows what's leeching out of those cheapo containers. Of course, you don't need any of this junk. At all. But, you know, it makes it fun.
And even after all this, I still really want to buy more junk, right now. Resistance is futile!
So, yeah, I've got a bunch of bento crap already. Back in early summer I got my first order of junk from http://www.ichibankanusa.com/. What surprised me what how tiny, and flimsy the stuff was. Of course at a buck fifty a pop, I can't really complain. But it's something to keep in mind if you're ever buying any bento gear.
See, pretty small, huh? Eventually after using these few boxes for awhile, I gave in and ordered a bunch more gear. Through experience, I learned that it's perfectly fine to top-rack dishwasher the boxes themselves, but the flimsier lids don't fare so well in the dishwasher or microwave, so it's better to wash them by hand. The picks are fine in the silverware basket.
That little triangular one is the only one of these boxes that I don't totally love and use all the time. It's meant to hold large rice balls, but it doesn't stay closed well. Speaking of which, probably the most interesting thing about genuine bento gear from Japan is how it doesn't snap together like Western style containers do. You close a container of Gladware, it stays closed, but the tiered bento boxes need a belt to keep them together. On the other hand, the bento boxes with snap-top lids close so tight they're near impossible to open sometimes without prying that sucker open with a butter knife. I wonder if it's because I keep mine in the fridge and generally Japanese bentos are eaten at room temp? I don't know, I'm not Michael Faraday.
Speaking of Western style stuff, I found this neat Aladdin Lunch & Go Mini box fairly cheap at Ross, after promising not to buy anything new unless there was something particularly neat about it. In this case, it's that divider, which is movable. I found the bigger white carrier on their website, and have no need for it, but still, how cool is it?
If I only had one container, it would definitely be the Mini. It's a good size, it's sturdy, totally washable, and the only one I would trust to throw into my purse without worrying about it. Plus it's BPA free, and god only knows what's leeching out of those cheapo containers. Of course, you don't need any of this junk. At all. But, you know, it makes it fun.
And even after all this, I still really want to buy more junk, right now. Resistance is futile!