Food container aka bento box

How important is a bento box? Or, what is a bento box actually? I use it for soaking, carrying, protecting and eating from. Plenty functions, if you ask me.

What is a bento box?

The term bento is believed to come from the Chinese word biàndāng which means: convenient, handy, easy. You can also call it a lunch box or, less elegant, a food container.

In the Kamakura period (1185–1333) people packed dried rice for travel and hunting, an early form of bento. In the Edo period (1603–1868) the bento culture flourished; people brought beautifully arranged meals to outings. As of today, ‘bento’ became the standard term for a packed meal, often divided into compartments.

I have been brought up with a lunch box that my dad took to his work, prepared the evening before by my mom. Later on, travelling in India, the stainless steel tiffin boxes is something you see everywhere. Today tiffins imported from India are still to be seen in Hungarian villages, dangling on fences, brought to the people by the municipality workers.

For what the piece of fabric in the right corner becomes

Easy cooking while touring

I wanted something to soak grains, seeds and dry fruits overnight. Using a plastic clip box didn’t feel good, instead I wanted a lightweight container that would not leak. That is easier said than done: most titanium food containers promise not to leak, but they do. Others, non-titanium containers, are often not lightweight and rather designed more for beauty than functionality. Some titanium containers promote themselves as a pot to cook in, despite their rectangular shape. I had to veer off to online shops in USA to find what I wanted.

A designer with Asian heritage understands the symbiosis between beauty and functionality. He develops titanium outdoor gear and although it was a huge hassle to get products from USA to Hungary, I am glad I did.

Nowadays I don’t use the bento box necessarily for soaking alone but just as well where it is meant for: carrying food. Either left-overs, excess preparations and general food items.

Soaking grains, seeds and nuts

Minimal cooking lunch

Positives

the bento box does not leak, not when it has liquids, not when it is placed upside down or at an angle
the rubber ring placed into the lid can be taken out and washed
lightweight, functional and beautiful
the two clips hold the lid securely in place
easily cleaned
carrying it into a backpack makes also for food that isn’t a mess nor flattened by weight and bulk

The personal back and forth writings I had with the owner of Valtcan made this a very helpful and trustworthy experience. Even in times of much bureaucracy at the Hungarian immigration it was his patience and help that got the parcel eventually through.

So, is a bento box important?

I did years without it. Using a MSR Seagull pot with clips did a good job if it came to nesting gear into it, but it wasn’t leakproof. Starting out with a melamine, plastic lidded bowl turned out unhandy and rather obsolete.

Sure, a bento box is not for cooking, and carrying one only makes sense if you use it. The several functionalities I use it for made it worth the price and effort to get it to Hungary.

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