O bento, my bento.

My first bento lunch. I made 3 of these, one each for Declan, Jillian, and myself. Contents include: turkey breast, carrots, string cheese, whole grain melba toasts, plums, kiwis, animal crackers, and jellybeans.

Three odes to bento, in bastardized American haiku format, of course:

Tiny little lunch,
to nourish body and soul
and keep the earth green.

Kiwi and turkey
almonds, cheese, carrots, crackers
and jellybean treats.

Bento o bento
your Engrish makes me to smile
happy grapes for lunch!

I'm obsessed with bento boxes, and I think you should be too. I spend the better portion of my day thinking about the next time I will be able to use my bento box, what I will put in my bento box, and scouring ebay to find ways to make my bento even cuter and more efficient.

Here's why I'm in love with them. Bento boxes are Japanese. Oh, that's not enough reason for you? Well, with two small kids, I love being able to pack their lunches. I hate ziploc bags and saran wrap. It's such a waste of plastic. I love miniature things, and bentos are miniature. I like that the portions are small (by American standards) and that I'm training myself to eat proper amounts of food. I could fill the top tier of my bento with jellybeans and cookies, but better yet I fill it with 10 jellybeans and 2 cookies and still have room for yogurt and granola. Did I mention that bento is inherently super-cute? My bento boxes have amazing Engrish on the front. My bento is by the brand "Lube Sheep." No kidding.

I love that Declan calls them "mento boxes" and is very proud of his healthy lunch and his trendy (even though preschoolers don't know or care what trendy is) lunchbox. Just wait, this trend is going to blow up...and I hope it does. Then maybe 6 year-olds won't be passing around Berry-blue-blast high fructose yogurt tubes and snack size bags of Doritos at lunchtime.

Ahh yes, in my dreams. Until then I will walk tall with my bento.