How can I find time to make these super-arty lunches

annie-c

Gingernutmeg wrote: »

I'd imagine that the rice they use is sushi rice, which is 'stickier' than the long grain stuff and so will hold together.

In my food hygiene training I've always been taught that rice is one of the most 'high risk' foods and so shouldn't be reheated. It can contain something called bacillus cereus which can make you ill, and so we're told never to reheat rice, and if we intend to serve it cold (not recommended) then it should be chilled asap and only kept out of refrigeration for three hours before being disposed of. Every EHO I've ever known has told me the story of people thinking they've had a dodgy curry/chinese when in fact it's the improperly reheated rice ...

However, it seems to me that there are an awful lot of Japanese/Chinese/Korean people who must be eating cold/reheated rice every day and it doesn't seem to be doing them any harm. So, I'd imagine that if you used fresh rice, added the rice vinegar/vinegary pickles/seasonings that are popular in Asia, and you were fairly scrupulous about your food hygiene and (most importantly) had a cool lunchbox, then you *should* be ok. The author of the Lunch in a Box website makes and freezes onigiri (rice balls) and from what I can gather microwaves them again before putting them in a box, and she's still alive lol! (She does have some good tips on food hygiene too ) I'm working myself up to trying this as it goes against all of the food hygiene rules I've always been taught, but like I said there are an awful of people eating this daily and they don't seem to be dropping like flies. The Japanese people I've known have always been some of the most scrupulously hygienic people I've ever met, and you can buy antibacterial bits and bobs for bento boxes if you're worries. I wouldn't try it with any of the 'high risk' groups though - the very young, the elderly, pregnant women and those with compromised immunity, just in case.

Advice from the Food Strandards agncy is that the danger with rice is not that it can't be reheated but that it shouldn't be left at room temp for too long:

http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/keepingfoodsafe/asksamcooking/#A220063


I've heard that reheating rice can cause food poisoning. Is this true?

It's true that you could get food poisoning from eating reheated rice. But it's not actually the reheating that's the problem – it's the way the rice has been stored before reheating.

Uncooked rice can contain spores of Bacillus cereus, bacteria that can cause food poisoning. When the rice is cooked, the spores can survive. Then, if the rice is left standing at room temperature, the spores will germinate into bacteria. These bacteria will multiply and may produce toxins (poisons) that cause vomiting or diarrhoea. Reheating the rice won't get rid of these toxins.

So, the longer cooked rice is left at room temperature, the more likely it is that bacteria, or the toxins they produce, could stop the rice being safe to eat.

It's best to serve rice when it has just been cooked. If that isn't possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible (ideally within one hour) and keep it in the fridge for no more than one day until reheating.

Remember that when you reheat any food, you should always check that it's piping hot all the way through, and avoid reheating more than once.

So I guess it would depend on how cool you can keep your bento stored?

Gingernutmeg

Our local EHO is on a mission to ban any kind of reheated rice from restaurants lol - I think he must have been ill from eating it once. I agree that you can reheat rice BUT in my professional capacity (I've worked as a chef, a baker and in a delicatessen) it's something I'd never do and something that I've always been advised against. I just feel it's too risky a thing to do, and when working I've not been willing to take that risk.

Personally, it's something I might do - the 'trick' is to squash the rice out on a tray or plate so that it all cools as rapidly as possible. Obviously, you need to make sure that your fridge is working correctly too. My worry with bento boxes is that most don't seem to be insulated at all, and if you're taking cooked rice in it, you really, really do need to ensure that you keep the box as cool as possible, especially in weather like this.

HopeElizzy

Gingernutmeg wrote: »

The Laptop Lunchboxes are fairly neutral, just bright colours and no pictures/characters on them. They are expensive though, although I do like the fact that you can buy replacement 'bits' if anything goes.

I really like the look of these - do you think I could find small containers myself and make one? Has anyone tried to do this yet with any success?

Last term I found some small containers that I originally used for portioning out baby milk powder when we went out and used them. As you can see they all go together to make a tube though not very practical to slot into dd's lunchbag as then there wasn't much room for her drinks bottle. She did seem to eat more when I sent it this way as I always seem to receive sandwiches back uneaten, euwww! :rolleyes:

These ones had biscuits in one, dried fruit and then a dip in the third one which I'd have sent carrots and celery, to dip with, in her lunchbox.

Thanks for all the ideas on here.:T

TillyTrippit

HE thank you for that idea - it's amazing that once you get started on this thing how you look at pieces of plastic in a very different way!!!
Our Laptop luncboxes arrived today - DH is wandering around shaking his head at how on earth his wife and two daughters could possibly be so excited at the arrival of what he sees as 'fancy bl**dy Tupperware - never a one for a craze and bright pink plastic!!

However, we have read the accompanying book and are planning some days out so that we can give them a test run before they're back at school!!

Take care,
Tilly
xx

frugalsar

Oh theese are sooo cute, i must immediatly have all the cutesy bits and pieces!!!! Only problem is my kids have school dinners! hmmm? Will be great for a saturday though as usually I give them a little 'picnic' of anything I need to use up anyway- this is going to make it much more fun!!!!!! Kids have tons of little cutters and gadgets for thier playdoh and I collect packaging off all sorts in a big box for crafts anyway so i'm sure we can work something out - our local chinese always use plastic tubs and plastic sauce pots that we keep which are going to be perfect - I Must get the hello kitty egg mould off ebay though cos it's soooo cute!
Also more pictures everybody I love looking at them!

JAMIEDODGER

my dd laptop lunchbox came this morning:) she sooo excited. bless. have made up her lunch for nursery in it. will take a pic and post later!

JAMIEDODGER

i think this is it...



she has:

frankfurter chopped up
grapes
strawberries
cucumber
raisins
yoghurt covered raisins
breadsticks and philladelphia (in the dip tub)
carrot and apple muffin

and milk to drink

jo1972

TillyTrippit wrote: »

Our Laptop luncboxes arrived today - DH is wandering around shaking his head at how on earth his wife and two daughters could possibly be so excited at the arrival of what he sees as 'fancy bl**dy Tupperware - never a one for a craze and bright pink plastic!!

:rotfl: Tilly, this made me laugh. Kinda the same response I got from my DH after I mentioned it to him! Right, got back from hols today and only got 2 weeks to buy the bits and learn how to make a nutrious and actually nice tasting lunch for me ds. How's everyone else going, any pictures you can post for ideas??

jo1972

Bumping for any new ideas/pics??

It's nearly the new term now, I've not personally packed a school lunch box before as my eldest had school dinners but now the time is upon me as ds loves his healthy food.

Other than bentos, anybody got any good tips to make a healthy lunchbox, particularly making it fun but not silly enough for him to get bullied over!?

annie-c

From Morrisons yesterday I bought a set of 12 mini food savers which would be ideal for Bento boxes. They were in the 'seasonal crap' aisle (you know, DVDs, wicker laundry baskets etc). Bundled up in white net bag, there are 12 mini tupperware lidded containers with neon green, orange, blue and pink lids in square, rectangle round and flower shapes. Assorted sizes, the smallest is 50ml and the largets 100ml.

I bought them to take calorie counted portions of seeds and dried fruit to work, but if I ever get round to doing bento I think they will be ideal for dips, yoghurt etc.