Hi..my name is Robin and I've been enjoying reading JustBento, and playing with the idea of making bentos. I've made a few of the sides, and I sometimes remember to make a pot of rice (not sushi rice though...) but for the most part, my bentos are just leftovers. I want to learn to make enough lunch so I don't go scavenging for more food later in the day. Also, I want to know how you pack it tight enough so that the food actually looks as attractive when you sit down to eat is, as it does when you leave the house.

I've been making bento meals on and off for several years now, and I'm eager to share recipes, inspiration, and pictures with the community here. Bento brings together lots of bits which are important to me: yummy food, beauty, and thriftiness form the core. Culturally, I'm Danish & American, and many of the places I've lived had definitely rubbed off on me --particularly Italy & France.

I just reallised I hadn't introduced myself yet. I'm Alice, "number i" (Yes I know, I'm geeky) on the flikr group since the site wouldn't let me have Alice. I'm 17 years old and I'm trying to help my brother lose weight and myself eat healthier through bento's. It's not going well but then I only started last week and I have exams starting next week so It'll probably work out once those are over. I hope I can get on well with everyone here, even if I do come across as a little strange.

Hello everyone! I am Courtney and am an expat living/working in London for now. I am 41 and am primarily vegetarian though I do eat seafood occasionally. I asked for (and received!) a bento box for Christmas so I am very new to this. My reasons for bento-ing are: portion control ~ to help lose a few pounds. health ~ the canteen at work has no concept of healthy eating besides offering fruit. fun ~ I like the idea of trying to come up with a cool lunch.

i`m from socal and i started eating bento-style a few months ago. oh, and by that i mean than i try to use bento proportions as well as containers for most of my meals on a daily basis. i think i started after i realized that i've been eating too much fast food and going out to restaurants so often. since i started making bentos, i'e managed to eat healthier and save more money. with the challenge, i'm hoping to get better at making my meals, save more money (of course) and start getting closer to a healthier weight. i can't wait to start ~~

Hi Everyone

Just wanted to say hi! I've been doing bentos for about eight months now, and it sure has been a great way to spice up my lunch life! I'm an illustrator who does ballet dancing as a passionate hobby, and I think coupling the two together is a great health regimen. I love learning how to cook new things, so bento has been a great channel for that. My favorite new thing I've learned to prepare are Inarizushis... and they are delicious. Nomnom. Anyway, hello! Glad to meet the other people taking the Bento Challenge with me!

Everyone calls me Red, care to guess what color my hair is?^_^ I'm a Pastry Chef here in Portland, Oregon. As butter and chocolate find their way into my belly more often then they should, I came here in my quest to eat healthier, without sacrificing flavor or fun! I'm excited about the bento challenge, as my lunches tend to revolve around what is easy to make at work - lots of fries and pork chops - eek! I'm looking forward to talking to all of you more in this wonderful forum! Seeya.......!