The Takenaka Bento Boxes are simple, and that's what we like about them. They come in a bunch of fun colors, and they're not too big — which makes them ideal for packing lighter lunches.
West Elm collaborated with Takenaka this year, and their versions are bigger than the regular Takenaka box (7.6 inches wide vs. 6.25 inches). But either size is very reasonable: large enough to get in a salad or a few side dishes, yet small enough to fit at the bottom of your bag. (No extra carrier required!) All in all, a great choice for a simple, yet pretty lunch container!
SPECS
• Made of 100% polypropylene
• BPA- lead- and- phthalate-free
• Available in two sizes
• Microwave and dishwasher safe
• Made in Japan
Buy It! Takenaka Bento Boxes, $19.99 - $24.99 at West Elm. Also at Zakka Shop ($24) and Amazon ($26).
Related: Monbento: A Stylish Way to Compartmentalize Your Lunch
(Images: 1. West Elm; 2-4. Zakka Shop)
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I recently read that polypropylene is leaching in food containers. There is a study underway to see how it affect consumers who ingest it over long periods of time. It was discovered as science labs were getting skewed results from test tubes made with the stuff. Plastic is pretty gross, BPA is just one of many concerns.
Cute, but I'ma need a heck of a lot more than that for lunch.
Really? A quick gross calculation says the double-tray design holds about 2,400 milliliters. That's 3 times the size of the typical Japanese "man-sized" Bento (800ml) and 4 times the typical size of the "woman-sized" (600ml). I have the same problem with this one that I had with yesterday's Monbento. They're all adorable dishes, but it seems like they're being upsized for Westerners.
Agreed. These are getting on for picnic size in the bento box world. On the other hand, the lunch shown seems to have been picked to look good in a photo. I'm quite happy with a 600-700 ml bento box, plus the occasional extra, such as a small thermos of soup or a pudding cup, but the lunch in the photo would not keep me going till dinner time. These are more like western lunch boxes that have been styled like a bento.