USB-powered lunchbox warmer

I came across this today at the blog Tokyo Mango: a "USB-powered lunchbox warmer from Thanko [that] will keep your meal at a constant 60 degrees Celsius until you're ready to eat it."

Once again, I am delighted and awed by Japan's bento brilliance. No need to use a microwave or even get out of your chair. Just plug your lunch in to your computer when you get to work, and it's there, hot-n-ready, at lunchtime!

How cool is that? And, more importantly, when is it coming to America? Here's the Thanko product page, all in Japanese, unfortunately.

To-Go Ware Survey

Now's the time to ask for exactly what you want in lunch containers for you and your kids! This just in from the friendly folks at To-Go Ware, makers of these great stainless-steel tiffin-style lunch containers:

"We are doing some product innovation and line extensions to offer folks better options for non-plastic, reusable food containers. To help us create these new products, we've compiled a survey to help articulate some of the needs and wants of consumers."

Here is a link to the survey. At the end of the survey you'll find a 40% off coupon for To-Go Ware!

Vote for Vegan School Lunch Options

This just in from FARM (Farm Animal Rights Movement):

Out of more than 7,000 social reform proposals submitted to the Change.org website for presentation to the Obama Administration, our Vegan School Lunch proposal has gained 17th place! Only a couple thousand more votes are needed to place us within the top ten that will be presented!

Their proposal would "require USDA to facilitate healthful plant-based (vegan) school lunch options to promote public health, freedom from hunger, environmental quality, nonviolence, and kindness to animals."

This round of voting ends at 5pm ET on Thursday, January 15. To vote, here's what to do:

• Sign up with your name and e-mail address on the Change.org website.


• Visit FARM's vegan school lunch proposal, and click on the number to cast your vote.

Smart Bacon Sandwich

Shmoo picked and packed his own lunch again today. My little boy is growing up! He even went with me to the store and hand-picked the Brussels sprouts, so today this was all him.

First, he fried some Smart Bacon and made a BL without the T (he still doesn't care much for fresh tomatoes, but lettuce is now okay). We packed it in a Lunch Skin from 3greenmoms. These washable bags are made to take the place of disposable bags in the lunch box. Shmoo complained that the pattern was "too girly", but it's the only one they sell right now.

Next, I helped him cook some Brussels sprouts and pack them in a little Gel-Cool Bento Box. (Brussels sprouts are still his favorite vegetable.)

Finally, although he thought that was enough, I insisted on some fresh fruit, so he added two darlin' clementines for dessert.

Here's the Lunch Skin folded up and ready to go. Look, it even has a place to write your name -- handy when you have a kind who tends to misplace things at school.

Verdict: He ate it all up and (what a relief!) remembered to bring the bag home. The bag was easy to turn inside-out and wash; now it's hanging on my plastic bag drier, waiting to be used again. 4 stars.

Shmoo's New Lunch Box

Well, is everyone enjoying being back to school and work after the holidays? Shmoo went off to his partnership school today (he attends a once-a-week school for home-schoolers), and was excited to finally be packing a lunch in his new Red Kitty Bento Set from I Love Obento. His favorite animals are cats and tigers, so he loves the cat on the outside of the box.

He packs his own lunches now, with a little prep help from mom. Today he chose vegan chik'n nuggets, potato salad balls filled with mixed veggies, baby carrots, and edamame. In the top tier he packed strawberries and kiwi. I had mixed the fruits together, but he insisted on separating them and placing a plastic divder in between (and that's why we were late to school, honest...)

Here's the bento all put together and nestled into its matching bento bag. It turned out that the top tier sits farther down into the bottom container than we thought, so we had to take out some of the baby carrots and rearrange things.

Verdict: I was worried; would that little bento box really hold enough food for a 10 year old? Shmoo reassures me that it was more than enough to make him full; he couldn't even finish the last potato salad ball. But still, the first thing he said when I went to pick him up was, "I'm hungry!" 5 meows.

Interview at Vegan Nutritionista

Hey all! A brand-new interview with yours-truly has just been posted over at Vegan Nutritionista if you'd like to check that out. The website also has a lot of other interviews and interesting info. (I had no idea Ellen Degeneres was a vegan!)