"Handmade bento" that has various merits for working people. Roughly speaking, you can save money, adjust the amount and nutritional balance, and have free breaks.

Do you make lunch boxes?
Do you make lunch boxes?

The problem is the trouble of making. People often say, "With the leftovers from the previous day", but especially if you live alone, you won't get any leftovers unless you cook on the premise of a lunch box. Also, since I don't cook in the first place, there are no leftovers. I want to take a day off on weekends, so I can't make it. For some reason, I think there are many people who haven't stepped forward.

Why don't you rely on "canned food" only for the main dish of your lunch?

Why canned?

The main side dish is the most important and time-consuming part of the lunch box. I can't do without it, but I want to save time and effort. It's expensive to buy only side dishes at convenience stores, and if you go out anyway, it's faster to buy a bento. So it's canned.

The big attraction is that it can be stored for a long time even in an office without a refrigerator, and the price of mackerel cans is as low as about 100 yen.

Mackerel cans available for 100-200 yen
Mackerel cans available for 100-200 yen

In addition, although it does not take up much space, it has a large amount when placed on a plate. There are plenty of fish dishes that are difficult to eat in everyday life. You don't have to carry it around, so you don't have to worry about "soup leaks" around your lunch box. And so on.

I hope you have a plate for canning
I hope you have a plate for canning

Morning preparation takes 3 minutes

The main dish is canned and safe, so all you have to do to prepare your lunch every morning is to pack rice and vegetables such as salad in Tupperware. It only takes 3 minutes.

This is all I bring from home
This is all I bring from home

Vegetables such as lettuce, mizuna, and petit tomatoes are easy to tear by hand or stuffed as they are. There is no washing.

Convenient petit tomatoes and lettuce without a kitchen knife
Convenient petit tomatoes and lettuce without a kitchen knife

An example of a bento box that is mainly canned

・ Boiled mackerel miso

A classic mackerel can. Boiled in water or soy sauce is also healthy, but the best rice is boiled in miso. Try each manufacturer to find your favorite taste.

Bento with mackerel cans as the main
Bento with mackerel cans as the main

Among them, my favorite is Ito Foods' "Delicious Mackerel" series. The design of the can is simple, and you can place it around your desk without any discomfort. The price is 150 yen to less than 200 yen at the supermarket.

Stylish can design
Stylish can design

Doesn't stand out at your desk
Doesn't stand out at your desk

There are about 4 lumps of mackerel with a moderate taste in the smooth soup. The capacity including the juice is 190g (6.7oz), which is enough to eat. Both quality and quantity are comparable to set meals at izakaya.

If you are reluctant to eat as it is from a can, it is a good idea to have a canned tapper or plate in your office.

It is convenient to have a plate dedicated to canning
It is convenient to have a plate dedicated to canning

You can see a lot
You can see a lot

・ Thai canned Inaba

Inaba's Thai series has a reputation for authentic taste while being canned. The price is around 150 yen at the supermarket.

Inaba Thai Curry Series
Inaba Thai Curry Series

This time, we will have lunch over rice with "Chicken and Thai Curry Yellow".

Paka
Paka

Spicy scent
Spicy scent

It's so hot that your mouth is numb. Still, the mellow sweetness of coconut milk is also effective, and it has a rich taste. There is a lot of chicken in it, and there is also a response to eating.

The capacity is 125g (4.41oz), which is about one serving of rice. It's a little small for curry, but it's the right size for people who have too much curry at restaurants, or who are on a diet but want to eat curry.

However, I still want to warm the curry, so I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have a microwave at work.

Summary

By using canned foods in this way, you can save money compared to eating out or buying a bento box, even if you are not as good as a completely handmade bento box. The important thing is to get in the habit of bringing your own lunch, even if it's only part of it. If you get used to it, you may become fond of cooking if you gradually increase the handmade rate by making simple dishes instead of salads.