We’re all obsessed with crafting creative lunches when back-to-school season rolls around. We make promises to our kids, our spouses, and ourselves that this year we’ll send gourmet lunches, carefully packed with handwritten love notes, every day. Well now it’s February — the season when we again make promises about the kind of person we want to be this year and the healthy lifestyle we plan to live.
My mom is always reminding me not to forget about me. As parents we’re so low down on the list of priorities that we often don’t even make the list. Let’s make a promise to each other (if for no other reason than to make my mom happy and feel like I hear her!) that we will give some extra lovin’ to ourselves this year. Let’s be sure to sleep, exercise, and EAT well. And I know that you know (but I love repeating myself, so here I go again…) eating well starts with not skipping meals.
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Sending your kids and spouse off to work and play with a full belly and a yummy lunch is your way of saying I love you and think about you all day, every day, even when we’re not together. So now it’s your turn to say I love you – to YOU! Make yourself a yummy lunch (even from last night’s leftovers) for work or home. I simply love, Love, LOVE bento boxes for just this occasion.
Bento boxes also happen to make great mishloach manot gifts — check out our creative additions.
CRUNCHY VEGETABLE NOODLE SALAD
This noodle salad is a favorite lunch any time, make it ahead and eat cold or at room temp. Busy Mom tip: Start the noodles in boiling water and at the end of the cook time, add the edamame and peas directly to the noodles (they will cook in just a minute or 2) and drain together.
This versatile recipe only sounds fancy. If you can make a crepe, you can make this omelet! Eat it as is for your next packable lunch or wrap it up like we do below.
TANGY ORANGE AND SESAME CHICKEN SUSHI WRAP
No nori needed (unless you want it). Wrap up leftovers with Asian flavors in a tortilla or even the Japanese omelette above for a new yummy lunch idea.
Single portions make last night’s dinner feel new again. Take yesterday’s rice and turn it into today’s lunch. Pack it up and serve hot or at room temperature for a filling healthy meal everyone will enJOY.
And that’s how you say B’tayavon with a Bento box.
