Thinking Inside the Bento Box

Since our show airs live at noon, you may well be in the middle of lunch, or maybe making something now. I’m big on bringing my own lunch with me and eating after the show. Today I have kale and garlic from the garden, sauteed with sundried tomatoes, some chicken sausage, a yogurt and some local Concord grapes.

So, why am I telling you this? It turns out that more people than ever are packing their own lunches for school or work. It makes sense economically, it’s healthier than take-out, and with less packaging, it’s better for the environment.

Within this trend is a smaller but growing community of bento enthusiasts. Bento boxes are the Japanese version of the portable meal. And few know bento better than Deborah Hamilton. She lived in Japan for nine years, runs the website LunchInABox.net, and has been called the "Rachael Ray of bento." She joins Word of Mouth from her home in San Francisco.

(Photo by Deborah Hamilton)