Lunch for Thursday, April 28, 2011

Today is my one year Bento Blog Anniversary. A little over one year ago I was reading an article online about cute stackable lunch boxes, tiffin style. Then I did some research and found a whole other world. The bento world that is. Some of these lunches were so creative and fun, I had to learn more. After finding some websites and blogs, I was hooked. I started buying some supplies, then more supplies, then more supplies. There are things I have bought that I found I don’t use as much. And there are things that I see that I feel like I should have bought in the beginning. I have a long wish list of things I want. And I have purchased many books as well to help me with ideas and recipes.

I have to say one of the best things about this journey has been the friends I have meet along the way. There are so many people out there to help guide, encourage and enable you. Less than two months ago I joined Flickr to share my bento pictures and shortly after that I joined Twitter. Between these two social outlets I can see what everyone is making or get inspiration for future bento. I was starting to get in a rut and no new cleaver ideas were coming out. Now I have a notebook with at least a month’s worth of bento ideas in it and I add to it almost daily.

My first bento is embarrassing to look at now. Just like with any hobby you get better with time and practice. I know I still have a ways to go to be at the level that some people are at. At first my friends thought I had lost my mind. I even had someone ask if I was a kindergartener. Most people now have come to accept my strange new hobby. They ask what my lunch looks like every day and of course I get pleasure in showing them my creations. It’s so much fun to play with your food. Grocery shopping has become fun again as well. I have begun to look at foods in a whole new way.

For today’s lunch I am using my very first bento box I purchased. When I bought it I thought that having all the dividers, bag, matching chopsticks and case was necessary. It is not necessary at all. And actually some people use a system of boxes that resemble my ziplock containers that I used for my first bento. If you want to see all my boxes click the “My Bento Boxes” tab at the top. I have them listed in the order I purchased them.

Today's lunch has bologna under some rice under a red egg sheet decorated with a provolone cheese ribbon and bow.  I was going to have a bologna sandwich but someone ate all the bread in the house.  So this was a last minute change.  In the other side I have a mini sweet pepper, broccoli, grape tomatoes, strawberries, a Babybel cheese, a baby portabella mushroom and a Double Chocolate Banana Nut Muffin.  I had intended to make these for the #twitterchocolateparty but since I got sick it had to wait a couple of days.  This was a new recipe that I tried.  I found it on The Sisters Cafe blog.  This recipe is definitely a keeper!