Ideas for rounding out and filling tiffin-style bento containers. I have some weird stumbling block when it comes to how to fill each container of the thermal tiffin-style bento I have - putting a leftover stew in one container is a no-brainer. But -- what do I put in the second container, the one that's meant for soup, if I don't have any soup to hand? I can't do a salad if I'm having something warm, because it'll heat the salad too. And what about the two snacky containers on the top? Chips don't work because they're too big to fit; cookies don't either. Most fruit needs to be cut, and sometimes I want something savory anyway.

I could come up with my own answers if I had more time for meal planning, but...I don't. The ur-things I'm seeking are things I can assemble in the morning when I've just woken up and am brain-dead, and poking my head in the fridge and thinking, "Hm...I'll reheat the lamb stem from last night for the main part, but...what to grab to put in the rest of it?"

@empress Check out Just Bento for some inspiration ideas - you could have a small roll, some lightly steamed veg, beans, fruit as you said (but don't most bentos require it to be cut up anyway?), eggs, carrots... The possibilities are endless.

I always need tips for lunch at work. I eat out way too much and have been trying to bring lunches but I cannot do sandwiches for more then a day or two before they start to be trashed after a bite or two. I have a real problem with getting bored with lunches. Any ideas to vary it up?

I need ideas for lunches that I can eat on the subway without being horribly inconsiderate to my fellow riders. I'm a student teacher and spend about three hours per day on the train, and it's often my only chance to eat lunch. Any ideas for neat and tidy foods, preferably without strong smells?

Most of the time my lunches consist of leftovers from dinner (this works out well when you're cooking for one).

My problem is containers. I'm using a mix of the ziploc and rubbermaid cheapies, as well as a couple of older tupperware pieces and re-used sourcream/yoghurt containers, but a lot of them are starting to bite the dust. I need something durable, dishwasher and microwave safe, versatile, store well, leak-proof, and (naturally) affordable.

The twist-n-lock containers fit a lot of those criteria, but tomato dishes really stain and scar the plastic when heated.

Jamina: the problem I've had with a lot of the bento-themed web sites sites is that the food is almost exclusively Japanese. I do like Japanese food, but my kitchen skews more to Italian. So for me to be able to spontaneously throw together a meal from the Just Bento site would require more of an overhaul of my kitchen!

Basically, I think the ur-site I'm looking for is...an Italian-cuisine version of Just Bento.

my problem is cooking enough so that i have leftovers to take to work with me in the morning! i portion out the servings but my bf always inevitably turns to me and says, "is there any more?" so my leftover lunch usually goes into his tummy for dinner.

i usually end up cooking something quick in the morning because i also don't like to use the microwave at work, especially with the plastic containers.

i usually do rice and chicken meatballs/tsukune (with corn, carrots, peas) or a zaru soba with shredded chicken and red cabbage and mirin-soy dressing. i also do some omusubi with tuna and maybe some furikake sprinkled on it, and pack with some takuan. this is great because leftover rice is better for it. it definitely is japanese-centric but my kitchen is pretty well-stocked for this and it lends to packing very well. it's also usually the only way i get to eat asian food on a regular basis as bf is a meat-and-potatoes texan!

Amazonww : I pretty much did what you do currently, but eventually switched over to using Pyrex containers because they are durable, more versatile, don't stain and a worthwhile investment. The lids are good, but the containers really can't get sloshed around. I would highly recommend glass containers. I know there are some locking lid glass containers.

I would start to check places like target and tjmaxx/homegoods if you just want to pick a few pieces.

I am a vegetarian and would love to get more ideas besides salads and quiches that are portable and refrigerate well! I do love a good vegetable sandwich, but my creativity has been lacking in that area recently--any new ideas or combinations?

ideas for incorporating more vegetables into lunch? i'm looking for more than just carrot sticks (which i hate) or a salad. like selfmanic above, i get bored with the same things day after day.

@Amazonww: I'm a big fan of the Corningware Grab It. It's a DW/MW/oven/freezer-safe bowl that holds about 12 or 15 ounces and comes with a snug-fitting plastic lid. Its best feature is its flat round handle that stays cool in the MW and allows you to carry your nice hot lunch back to your desk with some degree of dignity. Also, the lids are under warranty for 1 year. I have 10 of these things and have replaced only one lid.

They seal pretty well, but I wouldn't swing it around wildly. In my years of lunch-carrying, I don't recall any Valdez-level spills. But I carry my lunch in an oilcloth lunchbag just in case.

I think they cost about $7 each, but I got all of mine on sale (but not all at once). Totally worth it.

I also would love ideas for more variety in the lunches I take to work. I get bored very easily. Lunch is possibly my favorite meal of the day.

I find lunch the hardest meal to plan for, by far. Lunch planning tips would help me a lot!

The Corningware microwavable mug with the lid is good too.

http://www.kohls.com/upgrade/webstore/product_page.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524778387533&pfx=pfx_shopcompare&cid=shopping3&mr:trackingCode=C1186FB2-76B7-DE11-93DB-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

My biggest problem with lunch is finding healthy snacks and sides to go along with it. I'll often pack a sandwich or some leftovers like pasta or a grain salad and then find myself hungry without anything to eat. That usually means I have to resort to getting a cookie or pastry with my afternoon coffee and I'd like to cut back on that. So, snack or side ideas would be great!

Oh - also - some not dorky looking lunch bags that will fit inside other bags.

I want to know about hearty healthy lunches that I can make in a big batch on Sunday that will keep throughout the week! I am tired of my standard "lunch pile" (stir fried veggies with rice and tofu). Especially salads.

I use Lock and Lock containers and I love them. I never microwave in plastic though--it sketches me out. I transfer to a ceramic bowl. My current office has lots of dishes for us to use but at my old job I kept a big soup bowl in my desk!

katherine07452: I have been making a great vegetarian sandwich lately that I had been buying at a sandwich shop: almond butter, goat cheese, avocado, red onion and celery. I really like the combination - I highly recommend it!

I'd appreciate some ideas/guidelines for creating sauces to put on sandwiches. For instance, we'll usually make toasted sandwiches of leftover pork, shredded apple, and cheese. It's a decent sandwich, but once I worked out a sauce using bottled honey mustard dressing, mixed with a little honey and apple cider vinegar, it became a really good sandwich.

@empresscallipygos Check out Biggie's site lunchinabox.net. She packs lunch for her son, but pulls recipes from a number of cuisines. And her thing is pulling it together fast in the morning.

I love the bento boxes and tiffin tins but the only way I have to heat things is a mocrowave at work. Are there any bento that work in the microwave?