My bento bags 3: two-layer Tzu Chi

Quite often I carry food for more than one meal and it’s a real hassle to get to the largest box (usually the main meal, lunch) at the bottom of the bag. Sometimes this involves unloading everything on top first, and going through the same process all over again to put the box back in! […]

My bento bags 2: kiwi green & orange Reisenthel

The German brand, Reisenthel, is mostly known for its folding, environmentally-friendly shopping bags. Whilst browsing the colourful designs at Tangs one day, I chanced upon these small tote bags intended for young children – going by the photographs on the tags. However, they are a perfect size for bento too. I can’t seem to find […]

My bento bags: cream-coloured Muji

Some readers have asked about my bento equipment, which I occasionally – only very occasionally – write about. Perhaps my favourite of all my bento things are my bags, a natural extension of my love of bags in general :). I love the shape of lunch bags and in my pre-bento past, have been known […]

Bento primer 4: stocking up on bento equipment

It might seem indulgent to buy lots of different plastic boxes, but given the importance of choosing the right box, it is worthwhile to do so. Daiso and Lock n Lock provide good selections at affordable prices. Wherever possible, choose airtight boxes as they will prevent spillage of any sauce or liquid contents (I’ve packed […]

Bento frenzy; Lock & Lock fetish

This is what happens when: a) one has a food intolerance and has to pack food from home just about all the time b) one can’t resist anything super-cute-kawaii c) one has a fetish for plastic containers Websites like Lunch in a Box precipitate obsessive devouring (of the site) — get straight to the Lunch […]

Useful posts

Here’s a list of quick links to the pages where I’ve compiled reference information, or pages that I’d like to be able to find easily. Key basic recipes Improved recipe for gluten-free, yeast-free bean bread Gluten-free muffins basic recipe (bean, rice & tapioca flours) Wholemeal muffins basic recipe (no sugar) Gluten-free flour mix: rice, tapioca & soy flours […]

On plastic water bottles

Recently I realised that my expensive Nalgene water bottles and ‘premium’ range Lock & Lock lunch box were all made of BPA-leeching polycarbonate. Many others have already blogged about unsafe food plastics and the BPA problem before (see Just Bento: What are Japanese plastic bento boxes made of? and The SIGG water bottle controversy and […]

Buying Shinzi Katoh in Singapore

If your bento aesthetics lean towards zakka (such as FrankTastes), and you are hoping for Shinzi Katoh items to appear in your Christmas stocking this year, you might want to hint to your friends and family with these Singapore Shinzi Katoh shopping tips (^.^). Maameemoo (Orchard Cineleisure, 02-09) is a tiny zakka heaven, with a […]

Q: When is a yam not a yam?

A: When it’s a sweet potato or a taro! I have recently discovered that I have been using imprecise names, and probably confused some of you in other parts of the world where different words are used. For example, I learnt from reading this that in America, what are called ‘yams’ are really varieties of […]

Urara galore!

I’m sorry this Daiso consumer watch is a month late – which means that Daiso is probably completely depleted of stocks by now, but please keep a lookout at the three Singapore Daiso branches :). [Daiso shopping tip: never go on weekends! It’s too crowded to move and all the items are in a huge […]