do you heat up bento boxes

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From bento boxes to bento dishes to food safety, here are my answers to your frequently asked questions for bento making.

Japanese bentos are meant to be eaten at room temperature. The fact is the longer food has been lying around, it gets less fresh, even if you put an ice pack or keep it in the refrigerator. Therefore, I highly recommend reheating cooked food before packing lunch. Reheating cooked food kills bacteria.
do you heat up bento boxes

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One barrier to bentos for a lot of people might be the whole idea of eating cooked food thats cold, or at room temperature. The basic bento in Japan is meant to be eaten at room temperature, and is still very tasty (insulated/keep-hot bento containers are not that widespread in use, despite the efforts of manufacturers). Aside from some food thats designated otherwise, we are geared to thinking that food thats cooked should be hot. Its true that food thats meant to be eaten hot can taste blah when cold. There are some tricks to use when making food that you intend to eat in a non-heated bento though.

Q: When do I prepare it? Can I make it the night before?

I recommend preparing bento the morning of the day you are planning to eat because some foods suffer texturally from an overnight stay in the refrigerator, and its also not ideal in terms of food safety. If the majority of food is prepared the previous night, all you need to do is to reheat in the morning, and it should not take more than 15 minutes. Prepare bento before breakfast, and let it cool down (for food safety) while you eat breakfast. Once you get the hang of it, its very simple.

However, if you cannot spare 15 minutes in the morning, you can make bento at night and continue to keep it cool till lunchtime. Right before lunch, reheat the bento using a microwave oven. If there is no option of reheating, pack some food that can be kept cool throughout the day and still be enjoyable at a cool temperature.

Why Bento Boxes are my favorite way to pack a lunch for work.

FAQ

Are bento boxes supposed to be hot?

Bento boxes, a quintessential part of Japanese cuisine, are traditionally meant to be enjoyed at room temperature. However, they are often eaten cold, especially when prepared ahead of time for occasions like school or work lunches.

Do you microwave a bento box?

Many bento boxes are microwave-safe, though not all. Check instructions before microwaving.

Can bento boxes be eaten cold?

Generally, bento boxes are not microwaved but enjoyed cold (or rather at room temperature). It’s important that whatever you’re making for your box should taste good once it has cooled down.

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