Lunch with love

I used to bring a packed lunch to school, and the best days were always when my mum put something extra special in it - a joke or a note, some chocolate or some unusual fruit. I was reminded of this when my mom sent me an article from the Guardian about Mimi Ito's bentoblog, an online photojournal of her children's lunchboxes.

These aren't just any lunch boxes. They are impeccably organized bentos along the lines of the traditional Japanese boxes, but filled with a mixture of Japanese and American foods and with an emphasis on fruit and vegetables. As they say in the article, it's hard to believe that her children eat so many vegetables, but I can see the appeal of the presentation to children. Lots of little compartments, each with a different treasure. I just wish someone would make me a bento box every day, but I will have to live with my bento envy for now.