Bento

School's just about a shuteye away, and I've started thinking about what to eat for lunch in school. Just Bento seems to offer the perfect solution for me--to satisfy hunger, save a bit, AND lose weight. Maki clarifies that you don't need the pretty lacquered boxes from Japan to make yourself one: "Bento, or obento to use the honorific term, is a meal served in a box. Beyond that basic definition though, just about anything goes as to what kind of box or container is used, as well as what is put inside that box."

She also offers a handy tip how to choose the right lunch box, especially if you aim to watch what you eat: "Generally speaking, for a tightly packed Japanese-style bento, the number of milliliters (ml) that a box can hold corresponds roughly to the number of calories it holds. This is why so many Japanese bento boxes, in particular the cute ones with anime characters and things on them, are tiny - they’re meant to be used by kids and young girls on perpetual diets." Even your basic white plastic, non-leak container will do. Unless, of course, you're under 7 years old, it'll be wise to stay away from fancy bento boxes.

That said, I'm eyeing her Bento box #1, which has deep fried tofu with green onions and oyster sauce, a quail egg, and some blanched green beans and carrots. Simple and filling. Very pretty, too.