It was another noon release day today, so instead of a lunch box I decided to write up another FAQ-type post, this time answering the timeless question, "Where did you get the lunch box?" (Yes, I know the link is right there in the sidebar, but people still ask me a lot!)
The lunch box you see in the pictures is a Laptop Lunch System from Obentec. We love it! The bento-inspired lunch box comes with removable containers in different sizes and colors, and a space for a fork and spoon. One of the larger containers has a lid to hold wet foods like applesauce or soy yogurt, and the set includes one tiny lidded container for things like dressing and dip. The other containers simply go into the lunch box without lids and the cover of the lunch box acts as a lid to hold them in place. Usually this is enough, but if I’m packing something very small, like peas and corn, I will cover the inner container with plastic wrap or foil just to be safe.
The Laptop Lunches FAQ can answer more questions regarding the lunch box system.
"Does it hold enough for an adult?" I think so. It certainly has space to hold more than I could eat! If you also purchase a thermos or lunch jar, it should hold all you need for a good-sized adult meal.
"How do you keep his food cold?" The entire lunch box slips into an insulated carrying case with room for a beverage container and an ice pack.
"How do you keep his food hot?" If it's something that really needs to be eaten warm, I will pack it in a preheated thermos (fill with boiling water and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes, then drain, dry, and fill with hot soup or stew). The thermos we use is a 10 oz. thermos I found at our local grocery store. There are some nice thermoses online at the Thermos Website, and the Laptop Lunch people also sell a large "food jar".
"How does he reheat things?" He doesn't; he eats things like cooked veggies, pizza, etc. cold or at room temperature. Although I have seen some classrooms with microwaves, his class does not have access to one. Before you decide that sounds awful, think of all the great cold cooked veggies and beans you find at salad bars, and think of the cold pizza college students eat for breakfast! You can eat a lot of things cold that we are simply in the habit of eating hot.
"How do you keep the apple slices from turning brown?" (I know that's not specifically about the lunch box, but it's another one I hear a lot.) I toss his apple slices with a bit of orange juice. If we're having grapefruit for breakfast, I'll sprinkle the slices with grapefruit juice. Lemon juice will also work, but we find it too sour. Citrus soda will also do the trick, but we don't tend to have any around.
Whew! I think that's it, and we can use this comments section to ask more questions specifically regarding the lunch box.
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61 comments:
I do have one question: What is bento? Is it a style of lunchbox, or a brand, or what?!? =)
when he has grapefruit sections in his lunch box, do you just peel the grapefruit and section it? ever since i was a kid, all i've ever done is cut it in half and go at it with a serrated spoon. so it's weird to see it free of the skin. but it's a lot more portable this way, so i was curious.
jessica
How much do the containers hold? I calculated the 2 larger inner containers hold 1 cup each and the 2 smaller ones 1/2 cup each. Is that about right? And if you take the water bottle out is there space to fit extra fruit or yogurt in cups there?
Taleia - bento is just the Japanese term for 'lunchbox, lunchbag, brown bag lunch, or a packed lunch'. The typical Japanese lunchbox has sections in it with each section holding a different item of food; like - rice and meat, veggies, pickles, and maybe a salad or fruit. The portions are smaller than what we are use to here in the States, but very tasty and usually nutritious.
I ordered one of the Laptop kits and received it a week ago. I love it, and I'm an adult. I ordered the thermos lunch jar and an extra set of inner containers/silverware as well. So far I've used the lunch jar with almost every meal. I'm single and when I cook a batch of something I tend to eat it until it's gone. So I had chili for several days and now I'm finishing up some rice & beans. I heat it in the morning, put it in the jar and it's still warm by lunchtime. In the actual box I've packed Jello (not a vegan or even a vegetarian), fruit, carrots/celery & dip, strawberry shortcake and a few other items. Not all at the same time, obviously. I haven't measured the inner containers but they seem to be bigger than anonymous' guess of 1 cup and 1/2 cup.
I didn't order any freezer gel packs with my kit but I had a bunch at home. The bag is insulated and the gel pack is still frozen solid by the time I eat lunch and the food is well chilled. I don't like the flimsy water bottle that came with it, and I don't drink juice or milk, so I've taken that out of the bag and put in a can of Diet Dr Pepper instead. I wouldn't put anything too fragile in place of the water bottle since the bag is soft and anything not in the hard plastic lunchbox could get crushed.
I love my lunchbox, even if my lunches aren't anywhere near as wonderful as little Shmoo's.
Thanks for your description of the lunchbox. Do you think it would fit enough food including snacks for an adult without the lunch jar?
You can keep cut fruit fresh by dipping it in (slightly) salty water for a minute or two. It'll stay fresh and crunchy. Trust me!
one of the best things about the lunchbox for those of us who are trying to lose weight is that it is great for portion control. I love it, but when the little bits and pieces are gone,they are gone.
I spend a lot of time on a tour bus for my job as a musician, and I often have to pack a meal. I tend to avoid packing hot things, but my co-workers all swear by the hot food jars made by Nissen. I'm told that they also work for cold things and I've seen them at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
I am not a vegan, but I find myself steering more and more toward a wgetarian lifestyle. Today I had to pull the chicken off my pesto sandwich because I couldnt eat it. I love your site, and I am inspired by the food I see here.
I love the lunch box, love your pics and love the discussions, no matter how active they get :)
I am a nanny and I think more parents should pack lunches for their children the way you do.
BRAVO!
Another suggestion for keeping fruit from turning brown is to soak it in DILUTED lemon juice (about 1 TB lemon juice per cup of water). It doesn't make the fruit too sour, but keeps the browning level down. My daughter is enjoying her laptop lunchbox, thoroughly! We also took it on the plane recently and it was very convenient.
Jennifer-- maybe you could put a FAQ link on your sidebar? Or maybe in your description section?
I think these posts are a great idea, I was just thinking maybe if there was a link to them, it would be even more convenient!
How do you pack a sandwich? None of the containers look big enough for a sandwich to fit...also, would a whole apple fit in the box or do you have to cut it into smaller pieces?
My final question, how many lunch boxes / inner container sets do you use for Schmoo's lunches? Do you wash them out every night or rotate?
I've been using this lunchbox for my two school-age kids since shortly after school started this year.
Jenny - If I make a sandwich on regular bread, I cut it in half (two rectangles) and stack the halves one on the other in the large, non-lidded compartment where Jennifer put Shmoo's roll-ups on Thursday. If I make bagel sandwiches, I cut them in half on the longest line of the diameter and place them side by side, cut edges down in the same compartment.
cee - We think the orange juice makes the apples sweeter. Also, my kids are getting used to apple slices with a smidge of brown on them.
Jennifer - I've packed peas and corn in the smaller containers without covering them and not had a mess.
Jennifer - Sorry if I'm hijacking your comments!
I filled a small container and the large, non-lidded container with water to the brim to measure for those who are asking.
The small containers hold 3/4C. The large, n-l container holds 1.5C. The "dip" container holds a little under 1/3.
Vegan vulcan, that's a great suggestion!
We ordered our thermos (all 3 of them) with the laptop lunchboxes. They stay warm for hours, but I didn't know about the boiling water part. Thanks for another learning session, Jennifer, lol.
I send my husband a laptop lunchbox to work, and he really loves it. He doesn't think it's too small, he said it's just perfect. (But then again, I send him other stuff that he could keep in his desk drawer.)
I made chickpea noodle soup yesterday and it was really good. My daughter called it "Just Like Chick-en noodle soup". Thanks for another kid-friendly idea!
Also, anyone who has Cortland apples in their area--they stay white much better than other varieties. Especially if you fit the apple back together like a puzzle after cutting.
Hi! I just wanted to say that I now have you as a link for my blog (primaryconsumer). I hope that's ok with you.
Thanks,
veronicathevegan
Because of your site and inspiration we ordered our Laptop Lunch Kits...we love them! I find that I pack much healthier lunches in them then I did when we were sandwich baggie-ing it!
Now that you say it's big enough for hubby - I'll order him one too!
Amy :)
As others have said, I do think that the Laptop lunchbox is big enough for an adult. Okay, maybe not a 225 pound construction worker but for most it will be fine. Last night I was trying to decide what to bring for lunch today. I wanted to use up stuff I had open so I decided on hummus & a mini whole wheat pita, baby carrots & celery sticks with cucumber yogurt dill dip, a kiwi and string cheese. It took me awhile to decide what goes where. I like a lot of carrots & celery so that went into the large unlidded container. I wanted more than a little bit of dressing so I didn't use the dip container. Instead I put about 4 tbsp of dip into one of the smaller containers, and a peeled/sliced kiwi in the other. I put the hummus in the lidded container and cut my mini pita into wedges and put that in there as well. The string cheese went into the silverware compartment, since I only took the fork with me today.
For people who are worried about things sloshing around in the unlidded containers, I bought a roll of plastic wrap that sticks to surfaces. I cut a square a little larger than the container and press it onto the rim with a little hanging off the sides. It works perfectly. If you want to have a bigger sandwich without cutting it up to fit in a container, you can always just remove some of the inner containers to make room.
Jennifer, I notice that Schmoo often has different flavored soy yogurts in his lunch. Where do you purchase all the different flavors?
And it sounds like it's spooned from larger portion containers (instead of from single serving containers)...I have only been able to find single serving soy yogurts at Trader Joe's.
Thanks in advance!!
I like to get the quarts of Silk unflavored yogurt (you might have to specifically request it, I had to do that at my local store) and then add some frozen fruit for flavor. The quarts are about $3.50, much cheaper than buying the same amount in Silk's single-serve packages.
>>when he has grapefruit sections in his lunch box, do you just peel the grapefruit and section it?
I slice it in half and score it (cutting through the grapefruit skin then running the knife around the edge), just as you would when serving it for breakfast. Then I scoop all the grapefruit out with a spoon.
>>Pears turn brown too don't they?
A little bit, but not too much. Someone recommended sprinkling pear slices with raspberry vinegar, which sounds nice, but we've never been bothered by the little bit of browning.
And the apple tastes a little bit like orange, but the taste is nice and not too strong.
>>Jennifer-- maybe you could put a FAQ link on your sidebar?
Yes, I've got that on my "to do" list. Now if only there were two of me I could get it all done!
>>How do you pack a sandwich?
The Laptop Lunches FAQ talks about different ways to pack a sandwich, too.
>>I notice that Schmoo often has different flavored soy yogurts in his lunch. Where do you purchase all the different flavors?
We buy mostly Silk brand soy yogurts (we don't have a Trader Joe's here). The different flavors he likes (lime!) come in individual containers, so I buy them sometimes. I prefer to buy the larger container of plain or vanilla and flavor it myself by adding fruit.
I'll just echo some of the other comments. I bought one of those laptop lunch boxes, and the containers are kid size so tend to pack smaller portions, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.
On the other hand, I pack larger variety of things. I used to use just a ziploc container of leftovers. Now I have leftovers, some crackers, some veggies (with a little dip) and a snack bar or some fruit.
I'm enjoying it. Plus, it looks great.
hi there! I absolutely love all your blogs. long-time fan. :)
I'm also vegan and have found great inspiration from the food you make. You helped inspire my new blog, actually! I hope one day when it's more impressive you'll be able to check it out.
keep cooking, everything looks absolutely fantastic.
Are the containers dishwasher-safe? I'm ready to purchase one if so!
Yes, they are dishwasher safe.
>>how many lunch boxes / inner container sets do you use for Schmoo's lunches? Do you wash them out every night or rotate?
Well, originally I ordered one set. But I quickly realized that with my son's habit of leaving things behind at school, having an extra would be a good idea. I bought an extra set of inner containers and that's the set-up I would recommend for younger kids -- one lunch box with two sets of inner containers.
Later the company actually sent me another lunch box to say "thank you" for all the business that's been sent their way from my blog, so you'll see quite a few different containers in my pictures. :-)
And yes, I wash them out every night (we don't use a dishwasher, so I wash them by hand).
Jennifer, thanks for answering my question! And that's wonderful that they gave you a free lunchbox!
Carole, I e-mailed Laptop Lunches right after I posted here. It's good to hear that you've had positive experiences with their customer service.
I really enjoy your lunchboxes, i have discovered you thanks to Lucy in Scotland. It's so helpful, my son and I are the only Vegan at school,and sometimes we run out of ideas for lunch.you are a great inspiration.
keep the excellent work.
Beatrice.
I have told many people about this blog and I have a friend who has ordered three of them for her three daughters! She said it's all my fault, but I prefer to blame Jennifer, LOL.
And just as a side note, I've been a vegetarian for ONE YEAR!! WHOOO HOOO!!!
I was the one who asked about soy yogurts...thanks to Jennifer and Jenny for the ideas! I love the idea of mixing plain/vanilla soy yogurt w/ frozen fruit. Will have to try it after this round of soy yogurt is finished off. Much appreciated!
Jennifer, keep up the great blog!!
My question is how do vegans eat while on vacation outside of the US. I can't imagine trying to explain that you don't eat any animal products to someone that doesn't speak English and is not used to dealing with vegans. Is it as big of a hassel as I imagine it to be?
Hehe I love how they made so many lunch boxes with heavy metals in them... :)
R2K
It varies a lot by country.
I've had difficulties finding varied vegetarian meals in France and Germany, since both those countries *really* like their meat. Before leaving for vacations, I usually memorise the local phrase for 'I'm sorry. I don't eat meat' and hunt around online for veg friendly restaurants.
That said, there are plenty of countries where it is *much* easier to follow a vegetarian diet than the United States.
I've found it easier to follow a vegetarian diet in the UK than the US, just because a higher percentage of the population are veggie.
And then there are countries where huge chunks of the population follow a vegetarian diet for religious reasons, like India.
In fact, when I'm in a country that doesn't really cater well to vegetarians, I tend to hunt out ethnic restaurants for exactly this reason. Even if the vegetarian options in traditional American or French venues leave me underwhelmed, I know that the local Indian or Ethiopian restaurant will have something I can eat. :-)
If you don't want to keep cutting open your citrus fruit every time you pack a fruit that browns, there's another option. Just purchase a small container of citric acid from the canning section of your local grocery. Add a spoon of it to a cup or two of water and dunk your fruit in.
I love laptop lunches, but my working husband refuses to carry one around because they are too . . . how shall I say this . . . childish looking? I think he wouldn't mind, but he would never hear the end of it from his coworkers who eat hotdogs out of a paper sack everyday.
Hello JenniferShmoo,
You posted previously that you liked your Kleen Kanteen metal waterbottle, and gave a link to that website. You also mentioned you had one of those metal stacking bento-like boxes made by the same company(http://www.kleankanteen.com/to-goware.html) that you sometimes use. The metal carrying container appeals to me more than plastic, and as a bonus also might be something I can send my husband to work with. It would also double as a storage container that is oven safe (since we don't use the microwave to reheat food due to nutrient loss) for warming leftovers. However, I'm worried that it is too flimsy or small.
Could you please tell me your thoughts on this metal bento box versus the plastic laptop lunchbox kit? Does the metal one hold more contents? Are the lids secure enough to send something like soup? Thanks for your advice.
I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog and am delighted that you take time out of your day to share with your loyal readers your latest food inspirations.
I cant wait to see what you made today!
Bathrooms
Rockets
the metal container from kleen kanteen holes an enourmous amount of food my partner and i use it for bringing foor to potlucks and we use it on trips we just share the one we don't need two seperate ones and always have plenty of food, and it is very sturdy and not at all flimsy i love the container, i plan to buy more to use for storring leftovers and stuff
Just a follow up on eating vegan while travelling- while in Santaigo ,Chile for a shoot, I thought I'd have no problems finding vegan fare. Wrong! Very meat and seafood focused there. So, I learned how to say no meat, no cheese, no milk in spanish and "soy vegetariano" or whatever in Spanish. I discovered a great vegan friendly veg restaurant online which was in walking distance of the hotel. Go to www.ivu.org and do some prep work for the regions your travelling to and you'll be amazed at what you'll find. And as always, I love the blog-thank you, thank you, thank you for the inspiration and the continual promoting of fabulous compassionate vegan fare!
Kelly,
There is a great segment in Vegan with a Vengence(cookbook) on how to stock your pantry if you're a vegan. I highly reccomend it!
For me?
Always in my pantry: many different kinds of canned beans; whole grain pastas; quinoa and other grains like couscous; rice; canned pineapple; canned coconut milk; canned tomatoes of all types; vaccuum-packed tofu of various densities; nutritional yeast; dried legumes such as lentils.
Always in my fridge: Fruits and vegetables of all kinds; fruit juices; curry paste (vegan); jellies; Earth Balance; peanut butter/nut butters; tahini; whole wheat tortillas/pitas
Junk Food (a must, of course) Tings; ZenSoy pudding; Clif Bars, Larabars; tofurkey jerky; vegan chocolate chips
Ok, that's a quick list off the top of my head. I'm sure it's incomplete, but I think it's a good basic snapshot of stuff I have around the home. Then again, I love to cook! Hope you pursue your goal!
Thanks, bug, for the klean kanteen review! I did mention noticing it on their site, but I don't have one myself.
It sounds huge! I think it would be perfect for packing large salads or other low-calorie foods that you need to eat mass quantities of to get full, or for people with really big appetites. :-)
http://www.kleankanteen.com/to-goware.html
Here's another site that carries the stainless steel food container, plus bamboo utensils:
http://www.to-goware.com/products.php
Very pretty!
I've started a flickr group for people who want to share photos of their packed Laptop Lunchbox. Join us!
http://flickr.com/groups/laptop_lunches/
are there any larger versions of the laptop lunch set? as a mostly-raw vegan, i need a lot of food to stay satisfied, and i know the laptop set wouldn't be nearly large enough. on a typical day (7 am to 5 pm), i'll bring to work:
- 3/4 cup dry cereal
- 1 individual soy yogurt cup w/ 1 tbsp ground flax
- 1 apple
- 1 orange
- 1 banana
- 1/2 cup grapes
- 1/2 cup baby carrots
- 1 cup cucumber, celery, and/or broccoli
- 1/4 cup hummus
- 3 dried plums
Sorry, Anonymous, it only comes in one size. I think the 2-teir stainless steel food container would be perfect for you (see the two links above). It sounds like it holds a ton!
How does Shmoo carry the soup container to school with the Laptop Lunch set? I just bought 2 Laptop Lunch sets (thanks to your blog and a new addiction ;-) That company must be getting a HUGE amount of business from you!). One is for my son and the other is for me. I really like it thus far but it does take some thought process of what to put where (and what to pack since I can't pack applesauce and rice the same day since they'd both need lids). I also really wish that there was a container of glass (with a lid) that would fit in there, for people who have access to a microwave and don't want to haul a thermos around.
Anyway, I'm looking at the box that fits neatly into the insulated bag. And it seems it'd be rather inconvenient to try to haul a soup thermos around too. Too bad they don't have a slightly bigger bag that the thermos could slide into (I didn't want to get the huge over the shoulder purse bag).
angela,
i sincerely respect what you're saying, but when you take into account the $ saved on tin foil, plastic baggies, saran wrap, etc. (not to mention the environmental cost), when you use a system such as this, you'd actually be saving $ in the end. also, because the food appears *so* much more appealing to kids, they actually eat more (honestly!) so there's less $ wasted with food wastage. here's a tupperware version that's $7.50 - that's about the price of a typical kid's lunch box. it's bright, light, and durable. plus, there aren't any seperate pieces that could easily go missing.
best,
chrys.
whoops, sorry. here's the link to the tupperware version:
http://www.stackitstoreit.com/servlet/the-44/Tupperware-Lunch-N-Things/Detail
I'm also a happily married, childfree, "mostly vegan" eater -- I know, "mostly" means I cheat. But hey, we do our best! And I also have those Laptop Lunches things on my web site as an affiliate product. I think they are so cool! Do you think we were twins separated at birth??? ~Monica
Hi, I read all the comments and only saw one comment about the lack of lids on this thing! This is the only issue that keeps me from buying this system, because I just can't believe the box lid actually *seals* everything. Can you or someone else expand on this topic? Thanks!
Yes, all the containers are really sealed into place by the lid of the lunch box. However, if you are packing something very liquid like puddings or canned fruit, place them in the one larger container with a lid. I also sometimes cover things with a layer of plastic wrap for some extra airtight sealing, although it's probably not really necessary.
Hope that helps.
: )
Hi Jen -
I was just about to buy a laptop lunch with the carry case and but I don't like the plastic drink holder (or the large amount of plastic in general but can't seem to find a non-plastic alternative). I noticed that you often pack a thermos, if you leave out the plstic drink thing can you fit your thermos in with the lunch box? Thanks!
No, I'm afraid thermoses are too big to fit in the carrying case. I packed the thermos in my son's backpack instead.
i was just about to purchase the bento box for my two little ones but i now notice iloveobento.com. they have way cuter containers, but i am not sure if they have the safe, non-leaching plastic that bento box has. does anyone know about the safety of their bento lunch system?
thanks a million.
So overall, which are you happier with, the Laptop lunchbox or the JBox that you recently purchased? I see that the JBox is a bitmore, but does look a lot cooler(neater...I...mean...) (yes I know, functionality is more important than looks...).
On the subject of cooler, which one seems to insulate better?
If I had to choose between those two I would stick with the Laptop because it holds more. But the JBOX bento is certainly more stylish.
Overall, though, I'm still most impressed by my To Go Ware stainless steel container. I love that it's not plastic and that it has enough room for a generously sized salad or a big serving of something for an adult.
Oh, and none of them would insulate a lunch worth a darn; they all need to be placed inside insulated cases with an ice pack. The JBOX bento came with a nice case and two ice packs. The Laptop System cases are sold separately, so I guess the cost evens out more when you take that into consideration.
I want to invite you all to check out the Happy Tiffin stainless steel food containers, http://happytiffin.com
We have very precise dimensions (inches) and capacities (ml) listed for each product so you can tell the sizes. We also have taken multiple photos displaying what fits in a small, medium, or large size tiffin.
As for insulation - using the small ice packs placed in the second to top of a 4 tier tiffin does a pretty good job of keeping your lunch cool.
I have a question and I apologise if I missed it here.What do you use to create the flower,heart and diecut shapes on veggies food.Is of it made of metal, and where did you buy them?
Thanks,
Rubi
Hi, Rubi!
Yes, they are little metal cookie and vegetable cutters. I get mine online at sites like amazon.com. Do a Google search for "decorative vegetable cutters" or "garnishing tools" and you'll find a lot of them.
Hello! :) If anyone wants some easy recipe ideas Compassion Over Killing has an 'Easy Vegan Recipes' pamphlet that they give out for free through their website, http://www.cok.net/lit/recipes/. I highly recommend the vegan 'mac & cheese.'
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