A new semester has started, classes are filled with fresh faces, and I have a problem. I’m in classes from 8am to 7pm, with one large break at 2pm, and an hour from 5pm-6. Most of those days, I’ll probably arrive at 730 to use the printer & print out assignments, notes, etc. So, I basically have a 12 hour day on campus.
In the last year, my body has taken a beating. Since August, I’ve been doing Jenny Craig & lost a bit of weight. Now, I can’t eat their food because of my wheat/garlic/life allergies.
So, somehow, I need to eat three meals at school without spending a dime on campus… except for maybe a dollar cup of coffee to get me through the first few classes. As it is, I already have to carry my laptop, two text books, binder, and notebook in my back pack. Along with all the little things that add up — keys, wallet, laptop charger, pen case, etc. Where will my food go?
Fortunately, for students in my department we have access to a fridge and freezer, along with a microwave. Still, things get crowded and I hate being wasteful with my money by buying frozen meals or canned soups. I need actual balanced meals!
Image credit: babykins! on flickr, from a bento fan group.
So, I had a thought. I remembered seeing a craft blogger share her lunches, one of those expensive “laptop” lunches. Since I hardly have $8, let alone $50, I started searching ebay for other bento boxes. I found one that fit my budget, it’s a two tier bento with a spot for a napkin and chopsticks. It’s large enough for me to eat a full lunch at 2pm, then have a large snack at 5pm & have dinner when I get home around 7:30. For breakfast, if I don’t eat at home, I’ll eat something in the car, like farina. Between my morning classes, like in the example photo before, I’ll have a yogurt and fruit. I’ll just keep those in my back pack. I also always have two clementines in one of the side pockets of my pack.
I like the idea of bento boxes being a way to create art from your meal, but I probably wont ever do that. I’m more into the ability to organize my food into a small container while making a balanced meal. For Christmas, my mom got me several different silicone baking cups, much like the cups that are sold to go with bento boxes. I’ll probably use one or two of the baking cups to separate things in my box. I’m also considering finding a lock-n-lock container to decorate to make my own bento.
Hopefully, using this bento-method to my meals will help me to keep eating healthy, while still being attentive to my allergies. I need to get into the habit of making my meals the night before, including breakfast. Expect a blog post here and there about the recipes I’ve tried and what’s been working for me!
