The secret to keeping up this bento habit is to make stuff when you have time. So that you aren't stuck when time isn't on your side.
These are onigiri. It's basically rice pressed into a mold with red roast pork in it. I came up with an efficient way to make them. I line the mold with a plastic foldover baggie, scoop hot rice, with an icecream scooper , press down the rice with the baggie, making a deep impression for the meat. Insert the meat, top with more rice, fold over the baggie and press down firmly with the mold. It works beautifully. I read on Lunch in a Box that you can also toast them in a skillet. I added the nori only to the ones that would be consumed soon. The rest went into the freezer. More stash!
These are eggs, molded using some ice cream sandwich molds I got at Williams-Sonoma for $9.95 You boil the eggs, and while they are piping hot, put them in the sprayed with Pam mold and wrap with rubberbands. Set in ice cold water for 10 minutes and gingerly take the plunger part off, and voila! You have molded eggs. To get the cool colors, just set the egg in a small bowl with food coloring. Thanks to Lunch in a Box, who taught me how. I used nori seaweed cutouts to finish off the cow.
I grew up on these...Char Siu Bao!! My stepmom would bring them home from Japanese Village in L.A. We knew what gems were in that pink box with a cotton string holding it together. I enjoyed these as well while living in Thailand, and made them up to put in lunch box. My son loves them so much, and you can microwave them for 15-20 seconds, and you have a delish treat.
These dumplings are Thai. When we lived in the northern city of Chiang Mai, I used to shop at Rimping Superstore, and outside of the store, you can buy a bag of these with fried garlic and a wonderful salty/sour sauce. You stab the dumplings with a skewer and relish in its divine taste! Perfect for the hungry and tired shopper....and for bento.
