Bento boxes are basically Japan's answer to a packed lunch which generally contains rice (sometimes dyed in different colors), fish or meat, with pickled or cooked vegetables as a side dish. As with sandwiches, bento boxes can also be bought ready-made, but unlike in western cultures, these are not just meant as meals, but as pieces of art. To the Japanese, making Bento is considered an art, as this cluster clearly points out.
Implications - The culinary world has seen a recent influx in the incorporation of art and design into food presentation. Consumers worldwide with an appreciation for art and other cultures will be attracted to items and services that offer a customized and exotic experience. Businesses can appeal to customers by combining practical products for everyday use with individualized creative customizations.
10 Beautiful Bento Box Innovations
10
Japanese Lunch Art
Bizarre Bento Boxes
9
Edible Cartoons
Face Food Bento Boxes
8
Spooky Bento Boxes
10 Halloween-Inspired Mini Meals
7
Edible Album Covers
Obacchi Jacket Bento Meals
6
Lunch Box for Dogs
Dora Bento Pochi
5
Bento Artistry
Creativity Expressed Through the Art of the Japanese Lunch Box
4
Family Bonding Through Bento
In Japan, 'Bento Day' Lets Kids Learn to Make Healthy Lunches
3
Competitive Lunch Box Creations
Star Wars Art in the Bento Challenge
2
Edible Album Covers (UPDATE)
Bento Box Art
1
Festive Bento Boxes
Seasoned Seasons Greetings Depict Rice as Snow
Related Ideas
Japanese-Inspired Portable Tiny Homes
Baluchon Designs the Portable Bonzai Tiny Home
Luxe Lunchtime-Inspired Accessories
The Louis Vuitton Sandwich Bag Elevates an Ordinary Item
Time-Stamped Dietary Items
Cycle.me Unveils 7-Eleven Limited Edition Food Products
Exquisite Mooncake Gift Boxes
The Chic Habitat Boasts Three Mid-Autumn 2023 Gift Sets
Chef-Made Bento Boxes
Erewhon and Sushi Club Collaborate on a Bento Box by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa
Modern Magnetic Food Containers
The Cliik Food Storage System is Crafted with Tritan Plastic
Tailor-Made Van Camping Systems
The 'CampBoks' Camping Box Elevates Van Living
Sakura-Inspired Snack Boxes
Sakuraco Launches the Beauty of Sakura Box in March
Minimalist QSR Packaging Designs
This Updated McDonald’s Japan Packaging Includes 70 Updates
Ergonomic Instant Noodle Forks
Nendo x Nissin The Fork Supports Easy Eating of Instant Noodles
Absurdly Tiny Culinary Bags
Knorr's Mini Bouillon Bag Can Hold a Single Stock Cube
Bento-Inspired School Lunches
DoorDash and Jessica Biel Debut Ready-Made Lunch Options for $25
Street Food-Inspired Rice Bowls
Ben’s Original Just Added Four New Street Food Rice Dishes
Instant Noodle Advent Calendars
Koka's Unique Christmas Countdown Shares 12 Comforting Meals
Heat-and-Eat Pouched Meals
These New Ben’s Original Favourites and Lunch Bowls are Easy to Enjoy
Eco-Friendly Bath Essentials
Bebo Seeks to Reimagine the Packaging of Kid's Bath Products
Branded Electric Lunch Boxes
The Crock-Pot GO Lunch Box Warms Meals on Demand
Cute-Themed Collectible Bags
Sugoi Mart Launched its Kawaii Lucky Bag, Featuring Japanese Goods
Moon Festival-Inspired Snack Boxes
Tokyo Treat Boasts a Moon Festival Theme with Its Latest Box
Comic Strip Milk Bottles
Seki Milk Created Artful Bottle Designs to Encourage Dairy Consumption
Youtuber Lunchboxe Collabs
Mrbeast, Logan Paul and Ksi's 'Lunchly' Aims to Make School Lunches Fun
Festive Holiday-Themed Calendars
Bokksu Unveiled Two New Luxurious Holiday Advent Calendars
New York-Inspired Picnic Series
Nik Bentel's New York Picnic Series is Whimsical & Eye-Catching
Ninja-Inspired Curated Snack Boxes
Tokyotreat Embraces the Taste of Japan with a Ninja Theme
Strategic Dining Concept Updates
These New Pepper Lunch Menu Updates are Extensive
Playful Sushi-Inspired Suitcases
These Sushi Suitcases by Yujeong Shin Includes Three Styles
Festival-Inspired Japanese Snack Boxes
TokyoTreat's Subscription Box is Themed & Limited-Edition
Microwavable Bao Buns
Laoban's Bao Buns Make Quick, Elevated Anytime Meals
Japanese Snack Subscription Boxes
ICHIGO Inc.'s Sakuraco Contains 20 Curated Artisanal Snacks
Repurposed Pasta Boxes
Barilla & Marie Kondo are Sharing How to Reuse Packaging
Revived 90s Lunch Kits
Lunchables Lunch Kits are Arriving Back in Canada After a 15 Year Hiatus
Fridge-Decorating Trend Guides
The Takeout Published a Professional Chef's Guide on Fridgescaping
Elevated Festival-Inspired Snack Boxes
Sakuraco Celebrates the Autumn Moon Festival with Snacks
Pasta Box Tickets
Barilla Turned Pasta Boxes into "Togetherness Tickets" on World Pasta Day
Box-Like Innovative Apartment Designs
Photon Studio's Designs the Box in the Box Apartment
Transformative Pizza Box Tables
Pizza Hut Introduces the Moving Box Table Packaging
Fish Lover Snacking Sets
The Tinned Fish Serving Set from Fishwife Blends Snacks and Accessories
Vegetarian Korean Rice Balls
Trader Joe's Jumeokbap Boasts Authentic Flavors for a Snack
Vibrant Freezable Lunch Boxes
Packit® Launches the Playtime Lunch Boxes Line
Hot Pot-Flavored Burgers
These Lotteria Burgers Come in a Variety of Options
Hybrid Heating Countertop Cookers
The Conceptual 'Chefbox' Multifunctional Cooker is Intuitive
Upcycled Rice Rolls
UNLIMEAT Kimbap Features Plant-Based Bulgogi or Tuna
Premium Mooncake Boxes
1983 Bakery's Recognizes the Significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival
Snackable Back-to-School Lunches
Little Spoon's Lunchers are Nutritious Meals for Big Kids
Pickle-Themed Snack Kits
The HelloFresh Pickle Box is Packed with Tangy and Sweet Snacks
Microwavable Mini Shrimp Baos
Trader Joe's Mini Shrimp Bao Deliver Global Flavors in Minutes
Customer-Driven Retailer Recipe Contests
The 7-Eleven Hawaii Recipe Contest is Interactive
Free-From Frozen Bowl Meals
Bettr Bowl Meals are Balanced, Affordable and Homemade-Inspired
Sustainable Produce Packaging
These Cascades Eco-Friendly Produce Baskets are Recycled
Regionally Inspired Meal Kits
HelloFresh & Colavita's Ciao, Italia Recipes Share a Taste of Italy
Animation Studio Cookbooks
Insight Editions Presents the Studio Ghibli Bento Cookbook
Traditional Food Preservation Containers
The 'Twist' Food Storage Container Has a Hidden Chamber
Origami-Inspired Lunch Boxes
The FoldiBox 2 Box has a Flatpack and Technical Design
Intricate Food Waste Teahouses
Mitsubishi Jisho Design Uses Food Waste Materials for Its Pavilion
Japanese Bento-Inspired Stationery
NOOE's Bento Jot Offers an Efficient Storage Solution
New Year-Inspired Snack Boxes
TokyoTreat New Year's Box Offers Special Snacks for the Season
Meal Preparation Lunch Boxes
The memobento is a Stylish Way to Simplify Meal Prepping
Longevity-Boosting Frozen Meals
Blue Zones Kitchens Makes the Blue Zone Diet Accessible
Premium Frozen Ramen Kits
Ramen Raijin Frozen Ramen Kits Capture Authentic Flavors
Leaf-Inspired Colorful Trays
The LEAF Tray Joins the GOODS' EVERYDAY OBJECT Series
Organized Gaming Storage Cabinets
Bauhutte Presents a Special Cabinet for Game Accessories
QSR Fashion Capsules
The KFC X BOXLUNCH Collection Captures the Essence of a Fried Chicken Legacy
Flavorful European Burger Lineups
McDonald's Japan Recently Unveiled Its European Burgers Lineup
Convenient Asian Cuisine Collections
This Master Cook Collection Includes Noodles, Kits and More
Spicy 3D-Printed Bouillons
The Sugar Lab's Kimchi Bouillons Add Savory Flavor to Soups
Hyperrealistic Food Art Exhibitions
Japan House London Presents Looks Delicious! Installation
Anime-Collaborative QSR Menus
McDonald's Japan Joins Kiki's Delivery Service on New Burgers
Accessible Ready Meal Boxes
Parsley Box Specializes in Delivering Ready Meal Boxes to the Elderly
Convenience-Focused Lunch Boxes
The W&P BYO Lunch Bundle is a Convenient and Stylish Solution
Restaurant-Inspired Salad Kits
Fresh Express Hot or Cold Salad and Noodle Meal Kits are Versatile
Cross-Cuisine QSR Bento Boxes
The McDonald’s Makunouchi Bento Was Debuted for April Fool's Day
Customizable Spice Packs
Spiceology's Build-a-Box Promises to Elevate One's Cooking Experience
Sustainable Modular Desk Trays
A Team of Designers Join on a Minimal Tray Collection
Customizable Cookie Boxes
Molly Bz Allows Customers to Build Their Own Cookie Boxes
Compostable Sushi Packaging
BioPak's Sushi Tray Line Encourages Sustainable Restaurant Packaging
Make-at-Home Rice Burgers
Kyuramen Just Added New Japanese Rice Burgers That You Can Build at Home
Japanese Culture-Honoring Vases
Ryosuke Fukusada and Ceramic Japan Design the WATOJI Series
Lifestyle-Imbued Jewelry Collections
Buccellati to Launch Picnic Sets with New Collaboration
Miniature Cylindrical Flower Vases
W DESIGN Creates the HANAKUBARI Vase with Japanese Influence
Elevated Sandwich Catering Menus
The Jimmy John's Catering Menu Has New Premium Sides
Blend-at-Home Smoothie Boxes
BlendBox Helps to Make Healthy Eating Easier for Busy People
Promotional Build-Your-Own-Box Meals
Taco Bell Canada Debuts Customization & a Workwear Giveaway
Enthralling Japanese Dining Experiences
Nobu Chicago Boasts Artistic Japanese Elegance
Expressive Beer Packagings
'Buqui Bichi Brewery' Debuted a New Set of Packagings for its 5 Flavors
Modern Boxed Mexican Meals
Tocaya Individual Boxed Meals Come in Three Entree Options
Veggie-First Children's Meals
Lil’ Gourmets Meal Pouches Make Feeding Kids Vegetables Easy
Pro-Grade Self-Standing Kitchens
The Brio Kitchen Box Shows Off Ample Capabilities in the Field
Buildable Dinner Boxes
DIG's Dinner in a Box is Affordably Priced and Serves Four
Japanese-Inspired Fish Burgers
Burger King Malaysia Introduced the 'Hokkaido Salmon Burger'
Collaboration Retailer Snack Boxes
The Japan Crate Snack Box is Available from Giant Foods
Authentic Tin Sake Cups
Metaphys Designs the New Set of Stackable Sake Kitchenware
Locally Focused Visionary Tableware
IKEA's Design Lab Presents the New Products of Place Campaign
Brutalist-Inspired Serene Restaurants
Future Simple Studio Reimagines the Sushibox Establishment
Ready-to-Eat Vegan Meals
These Jar-Borne Warm Meals Are Nutritious and Deliciously Meat-Free
Hand-Crafted Wooden Stationary Boxes
chengshe.design Designs the ONEBOX with Fidgeting Elements
Hourglass-Shaped Kitchen Containers
Vladimir Fer Designs the Grains of Time Storage Container
Plastic-Free Sushi Trays
BioPak's Latest Innovation is Eco-Friendly Sushi Trays
Gourmet Meal Vending Machines
The Robot Chef Chulchul Box Offers Hot Gourmet Meals in 90 Seconds
CBD Packaging Boxes
These Custom CBD Boxes Enhance the Customer Experience
Eco-Friendly Insulated Lunch Bags
CALPAK's Insulated Lunch Bag is a Stylish & Practical Solution
Sophisticated Mid-Autumn Festival Lines
MarieBelle New York Ccelebrates a East Asian Tradition
Summer-Themed Subscription Boxes
Bokksu's Summer Collection Features Unique Japanese Snacks
Cardboard-Inspired Ceramic Household Art
Jacques Monneraud Designs the Cardboard Collection
Brand-Aligned Graphics
Bento Highlights Lets Users Craft Polished, Professional-Looking Graphics
Clean Microwavable Meals
Good To-Go's Microwavable Meal Cups Simplify Favorite Recipes
Curved Stacked Wooden Boxes
Studio Entrandan Designs the Box Set with Wooden Details
Hybrid Regional Cuisine Burgers
The Burger King Japan Kyoto Whopper Has Hachidaime Gihey Rice
Topping-Packed Salad Bowls
The Bonduelle Bistro Loaded Bowls Have 12-Grams of Protein
Culture-Fusion Restaurant Designs
Dorothée Meilichzon Designs the Henri Restaurant in a Hotel
Re-Designed Holiday Tins
NEOM's Re-Imagined Packaging Boasts Quality and Style
Pink Sushi Boxes
Dept. Sushi Serves Up Sushi in Chic, Vibrant Boxes
Pirate Bento Games
Luffy’s Bento Panic Creates an Appetite for Board Game Play
Vegetarian School Lunch Menus
Revolution Foods Emphasizes Health-Conscious Eating in Schools
Cardboard Box-Transformed Furniture
Max Lamb Presents the Box Exhibition at Gallery Fumi
Asian Cuisine Seafood Products
Young's Seafood Taste of Asia Range Includes Four Options
Bake-in-Pack Sandwich Products
The Country Choice Savour It Range Prioritizes Convenient Cuisine
Customizable Party-Size Snack Boxes
Sugarwish Intoduces a Party Size Option of Its Service
Affordable Lunch Combos
Domino's Japan Offers a Versatile Pizza Bento with 8 Pizza Options
Japanese Soy Milk Pouches
Peace Emphasizes Japan's Unique Tofu-Making Traditions
Curated Cheese Experiences
Curdbox Will Certainly Delight Cheese Enthusiasts
Pottery-Inspired Artful Notebooks
Sutta Design Creates the Dynamic Kintsugi Art Notebook
Vegan Autumn Mooncake Boxes
Tea Stories Presents a Limited Edition Autumn Mooncake Box
Convenient Seafood Protein Pouches
The StarKist Product Range Has Expanded with New Offerings
Artfully Designed Boxed Wines
Wedge Designs a Box Packaging for Wine Brand Ami Ami
Veggie-Filled Meal Kits
Ready Pac Bistro Meal Kits Come in Three Delicious Flavors
Contemporary Tea Packaging
Chaiboy's Tea Tells a Story Through Its Design
Elevated Sushi Offerings
Kura Sushi Revolving Sushi Bar Introduces New Menu Items
Eco-Friendly Kids Lunchware
Duck Duck Books and Duck Duck Eco Goods Unveil a Lunchware Collection
Colorful Mid-Autumn Festival Treats
Phoenix Sweets Specializes in State-of-Art Handmade Gift Sets
Plant-Based Foodservice Sashimis
NH Foods is Launching Plant-Based Tuna Sashimi in Japan
Inclusivity-Centric Back-To-School Campaigns
Sistema Launched a Back-To-School Survey
Lebanese Food-Inspired Bakery Designs
MA Studio Draws a Culinary Influence for Common Breads
Game Day Gyoza Appetizers
Ajinomoto Japanese-Style Gyozas are Arriving at Costco in the Northwest
Imaginative Pared-Back Art Supplies
Woset Designs a Range of Stationary and Furniture for Kids
Microwavable Seafood Bowls
Scott & Jon’s Microwavable Salmon Bowls are Nutritious and Convenient
Nature-Inspired Design Objects
Students at Tecnológico de Monterrey Design the Plant-Based Series
Springtime QSR Picnic Meals
The Pizza Hut Japan Teritama Hut Melts are Perfect for Hanami Season
Japanese-Style Hotdogs
Japadog Hotdogs are a Fusion of Umami Flavors
Restaurant-Quality Asian Cuisine Meals
These Authentic Asia Frozen Meals Come in Seven Recipes
Stunning Cause-Supporting Dishes
PrayerBowls Are a New Product that Support Global Change