Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Bento Box Saves School Lunch! Onigiri Rocks!


zarfkitty

Recommended Posts

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular

Kassandra, that looks fantastic! Where in Target are those Bento-ish Boxes located?


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



  • Replies 96
  • Created
  • Last Reply
confusedks Enthusiast

They are in the tupperware container aisle. It's not usually on the aisle with "disposable" containers, but the aisle with "real" containers. If I remember correctly it was only about $8.

Kassandra

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular

Thanks so much! I'm gonna go to Target tomorrow!!! I can get one for every member of the family for the same price as buying one fancy one!

2boysmama Apprentice

I've been watching this thread for a while, and the Bento box looks really cool. I'd be more inclinded to get the "copycat" at Target a pp was talking about (I have two kids I send food for and I can't see shelling out $30 a pop). My question is this - my boys are in daycare and I have to send breakfast, lunch, and 2 or 3 snacks....I love the idea of the compartments but it looks like I would end up using plastic baggies anyway for the other meals, plus having them carry two bags or something (one for the laptop lunch, one for the rest of the stuff)...any ideas?

missy'smom Collaborator

Do you have any asian markets near you? You can pick up smaller obentos with removable compartments for alot less and could get one for lunch, one for breakfast and one for snack if needed. For my son I used the diposable gladware(it's a different brand but I got them at the supermarket) type with two sections and put his lunch in one side and snack on the other. This was for camp and was not a meal that would be warmed up in the microwave. (I don't like microwaving in plastic) In the past I have used foil cupcake liners or other small plastic containers to separate foods in a container without compartments. I choose a container that is an appropriate size for the amount of food my kid can eat and pack it full and don't sent liquidy or really saucy stuff and haven't had a problem with food migration or flavors mixing.

Rubbermaid Take Alongs are what I was talking about above and what's the picture.

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular

I bought 4 of the Target Pseudo-Bento Boxes ("Sorta-Bentos??"), and they are great! They even come with their own skinny freezer-pak blue-ice thingie! Only thing is, I think I'll have to bag or wrap the sandwich anyway, as I can't see how the blue-ice thingie wouldn't leak condensation all over the sandwich.

However, I'm thrilled to find out that the whole thing fits neatly in standard insulated lunch bags! (And I bet this will help avoid that awful lunch-box-spill-odor!!!)

Cheri A Contributor

I bought one today too! And also some toothpicks! I am not sure if I'll freeze that blue thing. I've had those type things leak out last year. I may just use it as a shelf. I was glad to find out that it will fit in our lunch boxes too! :)

Today for lunch, Carleigh had fresh apple slices and cinnamon toast cut into a heart and a circle with a side of baby carrots.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



confusedks Enthusiast

Mmm...this is all making me hungry. I'm excited for the school year to start so I can take my fake bento (from target) to school. I bought a purple arctic zone lunch box thing and it fits in the lunch box perfectly. I know some people are skeptics about the blue ice thing, but it really does keep the food really cold which is nice because it's about 100 degrees here in L.A.

Kassandra

P.S. Does anyone have any books for ideas for bento boxing?

missy'smom Collaborator

There's a book called Bento Boxes, Japanese Meals on the Go by Namoi Kijima. It's in English but uses some Asian ingredients. It has photos of everything and recipies are geared toward just the right amount for an obento- one or two servings.

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
I am not sure if I'll freeze that blue thing. I've had those type things leak out last year.

I'm definitely gonna freeze the blue thing--my kids like rolled up ham-and-cheese--but I'm either going to put the blue thing in a zipper bag, or the ham-and-cheese-roll-ups in a zipper bag. Or maybe both (which kinda defeats the purpose of getting non-disposable containers, doesn't it? :rolleyes: ).

confusedks Enthusiast

Lol. That does kind of defeat the purpose. I'd try putting the ice in a bag, it makes more sense.

Kassandra

2boysmama Apprentice
Do you have any asian markets near you? You can pick up smaller obentos with removable compartments for alot less and could get one for lunch, one for breakfast and one for snack if needed. For my son I used the diposable gladware(it's a different brand but I got them at the supermarket) type with two sections and put his lunch in one side and snack on the other. This was for camp and was not a meal that would be warmed up in the microwave. (I don't like microwaving in plastic) In the past I have used foil cupcake liners or other small plastic containers to separate foods in a container without compartments. I choose a container that is an appropriate size for the amount of food my kid can eat and pack it full and don't sent liquidy or really saucy stuff and haven't had a problem with food migration or flavors mixing.

Rubbermaid Take Alongs are what I was talking about above and what's the picture.

Oh thanks for that! I'll have to check out one of the Asian markets - I didn't even think to look there. :huh:

Cheri A Contributor

I washed my bento-like box today and was bummed to turn it over and find out that it's made in China <_<

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
I washed my bento-like box today and was bummed to turn it over and find out that it's made in China <_<

Are Zip-loc bags made in China?

Cheri A Contributor
Are Zip-loc bags made in China?

I just checked mine. They are made in the USA.

I forgot to respond about the 2 kids and breakfast, lunch and snacks. I think I'd just use a regular lunch box wih containers to fit more. Or, as someone else said, maybe use the divided plates. Wow, that's a lot of meal packing for you!

2boysmama Apprentice
I just checked mine. They are made in the USA.

I forgot to respond about the 2 kids and breakfast, lunch and snacks. I think I'd just use a regular lunch box wih containers to fit more. Or, as someone else said, maybe use the divided plates. Wow, that's a lot of meal packing for you!

It is....and now that my one year old is refusing baby foods and wanting table foods, it'll be double...actually more because I pack my lunch and DH has decided he wants me to pack a lunch for him too! :blink:

gfpaperdoll Rookie

Where are the bento boxes made? I am leary of China & plastic. Heck I am leary of anything made in China that might come near my food...

Also, I guess ya'll did know that it came out a year or so ago that those vinyl lunch boxes with the plastic on the top that depicted an action hero or something were all very high in lead, inside the lunch box & outside

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Also, I guess ya'll did know that it came out a year or so ago that those vinyl lunch boxes with the plastic on the top that depicted an action hero or something were all very high in lead, inside the lunch box & outside

Yikes, I didn't know that! :blink:

zarfkitty Explorer

from laptop lunch website:

11. I have heard that some plastics can cause health problems. Should I be concerned about that?

* At Obentec, Inc. we are extremely concerned about toxins in our food and in the environment. Thus we take great care to ensure that we use the safest materials available. For this reason we manufacture our lunch containers here in California using plastics (polypropylene and polyethylene) that are FDA-approved for food use. We do not use any binding agents or plasticizers in the process. We do not use any materials that are suspected carcinogens or endocrine disrupters.

* Most parents currently pack lunches in plastic wrap, plastic bags, and single-serve plastic packages, including PET water bottles, which are considered far less stable than their reusable counterparts. Plastic may not be the perfect solution, but it does offer a stylish, affordable, non-breakable alternative for families wishing to move from a disposable to a reusable system.

19. I recently read a press release about children's lunchboxes containing lead! Is this for real? What about Laptop Lunches? Have they been tested?

I assume that you're referring to the Center for Environmental Health's press release entitled "A Back to School Warning: Children

gfpaperdoll Rookie

Thanks for the post, looks like I will be a new customer !!!!

gfpaperdoll Rookie

zarfkitty, I just saw that you are in Austin. ThatChickAli is a new dxd person that also lives in Austin, she is getting ready to go to college in Lubbock. If you have time, would you PM her to offer any support? Thanks, I was in austin one weekend & took her through the Grocery store...

I sent her the link to the Austin support group, but not sure if she has contacted them...

buffettbride Enthusiast

I know the Laptop Lunches seem pricier than other ones, but they really do seem sturdier, and the intent is to get many years of use out of them. Plus, it supports other moms who work to keep the food for their kids healthy as well. It seems to be a quality product backed by people who care about the product, too.

Not to say anything bad about folks who choose to purchase something like it elsewhere at all because even a different version of the theme still makes it easier and better to pack lunches for our Celiacs. :)

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - cristiana replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      5

      Feel like I’m starting over

    2. - knitty kitty replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

    3. - Wheatwacked replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      8

      Related issues

    4. - NanceK replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

    5. - Wheatwacked replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      5

      Feel like I’m starting over


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,294
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    laurallee
    Newest Member
    laurallee
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • cristiana
      Hi @Scatterbrain Thank you for your reply.   Some of these things could be weaknesses, also triggered by stress, which perhaps have come about as the result of long-term deficiencies which can take a long time to correct.   Some could be completely unrelated. If it is of help, I'll tell you some of the things that started in the first year or two, following my diagnosis - I pinned everything on coeliac disease, but it turns out I wasn't always right!  Dizziness, lightheaded - I was eventually diagnosed with cervical dizziness (worth googling, could be your issue too, also if you have neck pain?)  A few months after diagnosis I put my neck out slightly carrying my seven-year-old above my head, and never assigned any relevance to it as the pain at the time was severe but so short-lived that I'd forgotten the connection. Jaw pain - stress. Tinnitus - I think stress, but perhaps exacerbated by iron/vitamin deficiencies. Painful ribs and sacroiliac joints - no idea, bloating made the pain worse. It got really bad but then got better. Irregular heart rate - could be a coincidence but my sister (not a coeliac) and I both developed this temporarily after our second Astra Zeneca covid jabs.   Subsequent Pfizer jabs didn't affect us. Brain fog - a big thing for people with certain autoimmune issues but in my case I think possibly worse when my iron or B12 are low, but I have no proof of this. Insomnia - stress, menopause. So basically, it isn't always gluten.  It might be worth having your vitamins and mineral levels checked, and if you have deficiencies speak to your Dr about how better to address them?    
    • knitty kitty
      @NanceK, I do have Hypersensitivity Type Four reaction to Sulfa drugs, a sulfa allergy.  Benfotiamine and other forms of Thiamine do not bother me at all.  There's sulfur in all kinds of Thiamine, yet our bodies must have it as an essential nutrient to make life sustaining enzymes.  The sulfur in thiamine is in a ring which does not trigger sulfa allergy like sulfites in a chain found in pharmaceuticals.  Doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition (nor chemistry in this case).  I studied Nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology.  I wanted to know what vitamins were doing inside the body.   Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Not feeling well after starting Benfotiamine is normal.  It's called the "thiamine paradox" and is equivalent to an engine backfiring if it's not been cranked up for a while.  Mine went away in about three days.  I took a B Complex, magnesium and added molybdenum for a few weeks. It's important to add a B Complex with all eight essential B vitamins. Supplementing just one B vitamin can cause lows in some of the others and result in feeling worse, too.  Celiac Disease causes malabsorption of all the B vitamins, not just thiamine.  You need all eight.  Thiamine forms including Benfotiamine interact with each of the other B vitamins in some way.  It's important to add a magnesium glycinate or chelate supplement as well.  Forms of Thiamine including Benfotiamine need magnesium to make those life sustaining enzymes.  (Don't use magnesium oxide.  It's not absorbed well.  It pulls water into the intestines and is used to relieve constipation.)   Molybdenum is a trace mineral that helps the body utilize forms of Thiamine.   Molybdenum supplements are available over the counter.  It's not unusual to be low in molybdenum if low in thiamine.   I do hope you will add the necessary supplements and try Benfotiamine again. Science-y Explanation of Thiamine Paradox: https://hormonesmatter.com/paradoxical-reactions-with-ttfd-the-glutathione-connection/#google_vignette
    • Wheatwacked
      Your goal is not to be a good puppet, there is no gain in that. You might want to restart the ones that helped.  It sounds more like you are suffering from malnutrition.  Gluten free foods are not fortified with things like Thiamine (B1), vitamin D, Iodine, B1,2,3,5,6 and 12 as non-gluten free products are required to be. There is a Catch-22 here.  Malnutrition can cause SIBO, and SIBO can worsen malnutrition. Another possibility is side effects from any medication that are taking.  I was on Metformin 3 months before it turned me into a zombi.  I had crippling side effects from most of the BP meds tried on me, and Losartan has many of the side effects on me from my pre gluten free days. Because you have been gluten free, you can test and talk until you are blue in the face but all of your tests will be negative.  Without gluten, you will not create the antigen against gluten, no antigens to gluten, so no small intestine damage from the antigens.  You will need to do a gluten challange to test positive if you need an official diagnosis, and even then, no guaranty: 10 g of gluten per day for 6 weeks! Then a full panel of Celiac tests and biopsy. At a minimum consider vitamin D, Liquid Iodine (unless you have dermatitis herpetiformis and iodine exasperates the rash), and Liquid Geritol. Push for vitamin D testing and a consult with a nutritionist experienced with Celiack Disease.  Most blood tests don't indicate nutritional deficiencies.  Your thyroid tests can be perfect, yet not indicate iodine deficiency for example.  Thiamine   test fine, but not pick up on beriberi.  Vegans are often B12 deficient because meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy are the primary souces of B12. Here is what I take daily.  10,000 IU vitamin D3 750 mg g a b a [   ] 200 mg CoQ10 [   ] 100 mg DHEA [   ] 250 mg thiamine B1 [   ] 100 mg of B2 [   ] 500 mg B5 pantothenic acid [   ] 100 mg B6 [   ] 1000 micrograms B12 n [   ] 500 mg vitamin c [   ] 500 mg taurine [   ] 200 mg selenium   
    • NanceK
      Hi…Just a note that if you have an allergy to sulfa it’s best not to take Benfotiamine. I bought a bottle and tried one without looking into it first and didn’t feel well.  I checked with my pharmacist and he said not to take it with a known sulfa allergy. I was really bummed because I thought it would help my energy level, but I was thankful I was given this info before taking more of it. 
    • Wheatwacked
      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals.  Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D.   By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease.  You got it from your mom or dad.  Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms of dementia.  I know that for the 63 years I was eating gluten I got dumber and dumber until I started GFD and vitamin replenishment and it began to reverse.  Thiamine can get used up in a week or two.  Symptoms can come and go with daily diet.  Symptoms of beriberi due to Thiamine deficiency.   Difficulty walking. Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet. Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs. Mental confusion. Pain. Speech difficulties. Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Tingling. Any change in medications? Last March I had corotid artery surgery (90 % blockage), and I started taking Losartan for blood pressure, added to the Clonidine I was taking already.  I was not recovering well and many of my pre gluten free symptoms were back  I was getting worse.  At first I thought it was caused a reaction to the anesthesia from the surgery, but that should have improved after two weeks.  Doctor thought I was just being a wimp. After three months I talked to my doctor about a break from the Losartan to see if it was causing it. It had not made any difference in my bp.  Except for clonindine, all of the previous bp meds tried had not worked to lower bp and had crippling side effects. One, I could not stand up straight; one wobbly knees, another spayed feet.  Inguinal hernia from the Lisinopril cough.  Had I contiued on those, I was destined for a wheelchair or walker. She said the symptoms were not from Losartan so I continued taking it.  Two weeks later I did not have the strength in hips and thighs to get up from sitting on the floor (Help, I can't get up😨).  I stopped AMA (not recommended).  Without the Losartan, a) bp did not change, after the 72 hour withdrawal from Losartanon, on clonidine only and b) symptoms started going away.  Improvement started in 72 hours.  After six weeks they were gone and I am getting better.  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.