Want to protect your health and make your own lunch box but are afraid of the hassle? Learn these preparation tips to get twice the result with half the effort

The core of the three-layer bento is to divide the bento into three boxes. "It's hard enough to fill a small lunch box, let alone prepare a three-layer lunch box early in the morning!" It's shocking just to think about it. In fact, it is much easier than you think to pack bento into one, two or three boxes according to their types.

[1 Rice + main dish + side dish is the basics of bento]

First box of rice

The first box is a space for rice. Separate the rice from the dishes to avoid mixing them together, and add color or shape to the rice. Color can be expressed through beans such as chickpeas, edamame, and peas, or colored rice such as black rice, green algae rice, and turmeric rice. The shape can be created through models in shapes such as triangles and circles. You can also use sesame seaweed rice seasoning powder, fried eggs, etc. to embellish it, or use the seaweed, cheese, ketchup, etc. in the seaweed rice roll to depict various cartoon characters.

Second box of main course

The second box is the main dish, which is the space for the main dishes. First, put lettuce or basil leaves on the bottom of the bento box, and place the grilled, stir-fried, stewed or deep-fried meat or seafood on top. This way, you don't have to worry about the sauce or oil spilling, and the portion will look more substantial. Cut the main dish into equal sizes and place them upright in the lunch box. Finish with parsley powder or finely chopped green onions, basil leaves, sesame seeds, etc.

The third box of side dishes + dessert

The third box contains side dishes and desserts. The ingredients and seasonings of the side dishes should avoid being repeated in the main dishes. In addition, the color matching between the first and second boxes of lunch boxes also needs to be considered. In the third lunch box divided into three compartments, put vegetable dishes such as cold dishes, pickles, and stir-fried vegetables into two of the compartments, and put salads or fruits as desserts in the remaining compartment. Vegetable dishes that easily turn yellow and release water need to be seasoned in advance and put into the lunch box on the day of preparing the lunch. This is also the only way to maintain the color and deliciousness of the dishes.

【Recipes planned for one week】

There are some tips for preparing a three-layer bento on busy mornings before work. Start planning your meals for the week now.

STEP 1 Plan your weekly menu in advance

Prepare lunchbox dishes for the week ahead on Sunday nights every week. From planning the menu, shopping for ingredients, organizing ingredients to making side dishes, everything has to start on Sunday night. First of all, you need to plan out the menu and record it in a notebook before shopping. When making a menu, you must first decide the key ingredients for each week. This is done to make proper use of all the ingredients and avoid wasting them.

STEP 2 Six side dishes + five main dishes

The weekly menu must consist of six side dishes and five main courses. Two of the six side dishes are rotated daily, while five main courses are prepared that morning and packed into lunch boxes. The purpose of preparing side dishes every two days and the main dish every day is to be able to check the ingredients of the bento at all times and avoid duplication of ingredients.

STEP 3 Buy food once a week

Once you have drawn up a menu, you can start shopping for ingredients. Before shopping, of course, you have to check what food is left in the refrigerator and make a list of what you need to buy. The shopping expenses for a week are based on 30,000 Korean won (about 1,000 Taiwan dollars, which can be reduced according to Taiwan's prices. 600 yuan is used for the main course, and the remaining 400 yuan is allocated to the side dishes.) Vegetables are purchased at traditional markets where small quantities can be purchased, and meat is also purchased from meat stalls where you can specify your own portion. The remaining ingredients are best purchased at supermarkets during limited-time promotions.

Color combination of at least three colors

When planning a menu, create one with three or more colors. Red , yellow and green are basic colors.

At least three colors

White

White vegetables contain anthocyanins and flavonoids that can lower cholesterol and help fight cancer . It is also a color that can make the bento more colorful.

Red

Red can increase appetite. Red vegetables and fruits contain lycopene, which has anti-cancer effects, and anthocyanins, which boost immunity . It’s also a color that makes food look more appetizing.

Yellow

Yellow can make the bento look richer. Yellow fruits and vegetables such as pumpkin, corn, and banana not only contain carotene, which can prevent aging and help fight cancer, but also have high content of vitamins and minerals.

Green

The green vegetables and fruits that often appear in the lunch box play a great role in promoting our body's metabolism , detoxification, fatigue recovery , etc. It can also make the bento look lively.

●Brown, purple, black

Anthocyanins in purple and black vegetables and fruits help prevent aging, boost immunity and improve memory . In addition, this kind of color can easily suppress appetite and help lose weight .

This article is from Caishi Culture's "Weekly Bento: Eat well from Monday to Friday! "5-day bento meals for a week ╳ 45 variations ╳ 98 dishes"