While the Japanese term "bento" roughly translates to "box lunch" in English, this is not your average packed lunch. The goal with bento is to assemble a meal that is just as appealing to the eyes as it is to the taste buds. It's not uncommon for Japanese mothers to prepare an elaborate, playfully and creatively decorated boxed lunch to entice their children to eat all of their food when they're at school. If you're sick of bringing a sloppy sandwich to work or you'd like your kids to look forward to opening their lunch box, there's a lot to be learned from the bento tradition.

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[edit] Steps

Divide the meal proportionally. When preparing bento, there are two ways to divide the food. You can stick to a 4:3:2:1 ratio (4 parts of rice, 3 parts of the side dish, 2 parts of vegetables, and 1 part of a serving of pickled vegetables or a dessert) or you can make a 1:1 ratio (1 part rice, 1 part side dishes, where the side dishes themselves contain a 1:2 ratio of meat to vegetables). You can follow one of these traditional layouts, or you can vary the ratio and substitute more familiar ingredients. The objective is to have a nutritionally diverse yet balanced meal.
- Alternatives to rice include, but are not limited to, sushi rolls, inari sushi, or onigiri (rice ball). You can also experiment with different kinds of rice (such as Spanish rice) or pasta.
- The side dish should be the main source of protein, either beef, chicken, pork, or fish. This can be grilled, fried, breaded, and so on. For vegetarian bento, try beans or tofu.
- Shredded cabbage with a light dressing is a popular choice for the vegetables. Sliced vegetables or even potato salad are used as well.
Obtain a bento box which is divided into compartments reflecting the proper bento ratio. You may be able to find a bento box in an Asian food store or online. Keep in mind that in Japan, food portions are smaller than in the West (this might be a good thing if you're trying to control your portions, or it might be an inconvenience). If you can't find a bento box anywhere, you can improvise by using a square container and dividing the food creatively (e.g. with a dividing wall of baby carrots or saltine crackers). Muffin and cupcake cups also make great compartments.
Choose brightly colored food items. The bolder and more solid the color, the greater the visual impact of your bento, and the more nutritional benefits are conferred (at least when it comes to brightly colored vegetables; see the citations below). White rice, whole hard-boiled eggs, and cheese can add a nice contrast to your bento, especially when paired with bright orange, green, and red foods.
Pack the foods tightly in order (especially if your bento box does not have built-in compartments). This will prevent the food from shifting within the box. The first thing to go in should be the rice (or its substitute). Next, add food items that are not flexible in terms of shape or arrangement (e.g. a piece of chicken or a large dumpling). Then add food items that are flexible, such as potato salad or cut vegetables. The last items to go in should fill in the gaps (make sure they're small and sturdy, like cherry tomatoes or small pudding containers) and accent the bento.
Create striking patterns and shapes with the food items ... and/or seasonings (by using stencils). You can also decorate your bento according to a theme.
- Keep the edges neatly defined. Contrasting colors, textures and shapes should be placed next to each other, but similar ones should be separated. Don't let clashing flavors mingle (e.g. don't put fried rice next to a pastry).
- Make animal faces or other shapes with the food. Two slices from a hard-boiled egg with a dot of paprika in the middle of the yolk can make a great pair of eyes
- Sprinkle seasonings and add garnish to emphasize the center of a section of food.
- Cut fruit, vegetables, cheese and kamaboko (pureed white fish shaped into a loaf) into shapes like stars, hearts, and diamonds with cookie cutters.
- Put sauces or loose snacks into quirky containers. There are many mini refillable sauce bottles you can use made especially for bento which can be purchased online.

[edit] Tips

Start with a basic bento and get fancier as you go along. If you try to make something too elaborate on the first try, you might get frustrated and give up.
Make time to make bento. It's not something to be rushed through. What makes bento unique is the time and effort invested in creating a balanced, carefully prepared meal that's as much a delight to look at as it is to eat.
Sticking to a specific ratio can help with nutrition and weight loss, since it'll keep you from packing too much junk relative to the good stuff.
If rice is a common ingredient in your bento, it may be wise to invest in a rice cooker with a timer so that the rice can be freshly cooked and ready to be packed in the morning. Why? Rice doesn't hold up too well overnight.
One can flavor the rice using seasonings from home or small pre-made packets called furikake which come in a variety of flavors and can be purchased at Asian markets. Seasonings can be used to form beautiful images and designs with the use of stencils.
Nori (dried seaweed) and soy paper (can be found in a range of colors) can be used for onigiri and for edible decoration. An easy way to use nori is to take a small clean paper punch of a shape you like (heart, star, palm tree, etc.) to it and punch out the shapes, adding the punches wherever you want. You can even cut strips of nori and punch shapes out, using the strips to wrap food and add contrast.
Fried meat or vegetables should be placed on an absorbent layer of shredded cabbage or rice in order to soak up excess leaking oil.
Let the rice (or any other hot ingredients) cool before closing the bento. Otherwise, the steam will condense inside the box and make the food soggy.

[edit] Warnings

Take precautions against food poisoning. Cook all the foods well and make sure the bento is stored in a cool, dry location or preferably, a refrigerator. This practice must be stressed for children who bring their lunch to school.