If you’re looking for ways to spruce–or should I say spook–up your meals this season, HalloweenOpens in a new tab-themed bento boxes might be right up your alley! These delightful creations came to our attention via Boing BoingOpens in a new tab.
https://twitter.com/FU__mika/status/920453047288872961
Bento boxes are a popular to-go lunch tradition in Japanese culture, going all the way back to the 16th century. Their preparation involves tightly packing together elements of various textures, flavors, food groups, and colors to make an appetizing, well-balanced, and aesthetically pleasing meal. In America, the image most popularly associated with the bento is that of the kyaraben, a cutesy style of bento-making that originally began as a way for parents to encourage their kids to eat their veggies, but has since grown into a popular Instagrammable pastime.Opens in a new tab Some examples from Instagram and beyond:
This Witch #PusheenOpens in a new tab Bento Box is the best way to celebrate Halloween – @PusheenOpens in a new tab style 😉🎃 Printable recipe + video tutorial at: https://t.co/c2k6WPEPnNOpens in a new tab#obentoartOpens in a new tab #HalloweenOpens in a new tab #BentoOpens in a new tab pic.twitter.com/OIzAqM9FMTOpens in a new tab
— Shannon (@lovefirstbento) October 18, 2017Opens in a new tab
https://twitter.com/8magua8/status/918256811681050624
ゆいちん(@xOpens in a new tab.yui.yui.x)さんのお料理「ポムポムプリンのハロウィン弁当」#snapdishOpens in a new tab #foodstagramOpens in a new tab #instafoodOpens in a new tab #homemadeOpens in a new tab #cookingOpens in a new tab #料理Opens in a new tab #おうちごはんOpens in a new tab #テーブルコーディネートOpens in a new tab #器Opens in a new tab #暮らしOpens in a new tab #ポムポムプリンOpens in a new tab #ハOpens in a new tab… pic.twitter.com/rOQ65lpeAAOpens in a new tab
— レシピと料理がひらめく Snapdish (@SnapDishJP) October 5, 2017Opens in a new tab
https://instagram.com/p/Baku9d5HfpF/
If you’re interested in crafting your own bento like the ones above, get ready to break out the tweezers, stencils, and scissors, and be prepared to dedicate some time to getting all the elements ready. While most recipes that you’ll find online mention that the bento takes between 20 to 30 minutes to make, a beginner may take quite a while longer.
For those with kids, making a kyaraben bento is a great way to make nutritional meals feel more fun and interactive–yes, there is a clever way to get them to eat all that extra pumpkin and squash! Making a bento is meant to be an expression of love, a way for parents to convey to their kids that they wish for them to be well-fed and cared for.
Or on the flip side of this, you can be these parents; two types of parenting styles.
親の作った弁当がサイコパス pic.twitter.com/vL6VuXWiNHOpens in a new tab
— 宮武勇作 (@miyatake_u39) October 17, 2017Opens in a new tab
ハロウィン弁当第三弾💀
目玉おにぎり♪ちょいと不気味… pic.twitter.com/cD15nayK3DOpens in a new tab— Kiyo (@kiyo_0130_D) October 17, 2017Opens in a new tab
Sound off on how you’d construct your own spooky bento box in the comments!
Featured Image: Love at First BentoOpens in a new tab
Get Into the Halloween Spirit!
- Bake some creepy treatsOpens in a new tab.
- Check out a scary coloring bookOpens in a new tab.
- Break out the brushes and paint on a new Halloween lookOpens in a new tab.
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