Way back in a July Friday Buffet, I made a slightly tongue-in-cheek reference to the whole world of adorable bento lunches. I’d just come across a book called Yum Yum Bento Box in a book store in Seattle and was fascinated by the artistry and time that some parents put into the preparation of their children’s lunches — a far cry from my harried tossing of items into a lunch box ten minutes before the school bell rings. I promised then to follow up with some of these parents and now, three months later, it’s Bento Day on TLT!
Above is just a sampling of my interviewees’ work. The top row’s lunches are by Shannon Carino, the blogger behind Bento Lunch.net . The second row is by Crystal Watanabe, author of the blog Adventures in Bentomaking and founder of the online bento newspaper, Bento Central. And the third row is by Makiko “Maki” Ogawa, the author of the blog Cute Obento. (The latter two women are the co-authors of Yum Yum Bento Box.)
Later today I’m going to post an interview with all three of these moms, to find out what it takes to pull off so much cuteness, and to get the answer to my burning question: aren’t you more than a little annoyed if one of these lunches comes back uneaten?
mara says
i have a whole new sense of shame at the aesthetics of my childrens’ lunches – even the one in the bento box. deep shame!