6 Freezable Bento Box lunch Ideas - Japanese Bento Recipes for Beginners

How to make bento boxes (lunch boxes) that can be frozen whole!
Six easy and tasty bento (lunch) ideas!
We will teach you the secret of how to freeze and thaw them without losing flavor even when frozen. Don't miss out on shelf life and points to avoid ;)

#bento #lunchbox #japanesefood #japanesecooking

【CHAPTER】
00:00 Intro & Three-color Bento (Chicken Teriyaki with Egg & Veggie)
03:31 Tonkatsu & Salmon Bento
06:17 Karaage & Tamagoyaki Bento
10:02 Omu-rice Bento
12:29 Hamburger Steak Bento
15:42 Maki Sushi (Sushi Rolls) Bento

1. Three-color Bento (Chicken Teriyaki with Egg & Veggie)

Ingredients [for 2 servings]
・Rice (as much as you want)

Chicken teriyaki
・5.3 oz (150g) Chicken
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・1-2 tsp Flour
・1 tbsp Sake
・1 tbsp Mirin
・1 tbsp Soy sauce
・1/2 tbsp Sugar

Egg soboro
・2 Eggs
・1 tsp Mirin
・1 tsp Mayonnaise
・1/2 tsp Oil

Komatsuna stir-fry
・5.3 oz (150g) Komatsuna (or Spinach)
・1 tsp Sesame oil
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・A pinch of Garlic powder
======================
2. Tonkatsu & Salmon Bento

Ingredients [for 2 servings]
・Rice (as much as you want)

Tonkatsu
・3.5 oz (100g) Pork loin
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・1-2 tsp Flour
・2 tsp Flour
・2 tsp Water
・3 tbsp Panko
・Oil for frying
・Tonkatsu sauce

Japanese-style salmon
・Salmon slice cut
・A pinch of Salt
・1 tsp Sake
・1-2 tsp Butter
・1-2 tsp Soy sauce

Kimpira
・6.3 oz (180g) Gobo (Burdock)
・2 oz (60g) Carrot
・1 tsp Sesame oil
・1.5 tbsp Soy sauce
・1 tbsp Mirin
・1 tbsp Sugar
・A pinch of Dashi powder
・A pinch of Salt
・1 tbsp White sesame seeds
======================
3. Karaage & Tamagoyaki Bento

Ingredients [for 2 servings]
・Rice (as much as you want)

Karaage
・7 oz (200g) Chicken
・0.8 cup (200ml)
・10g Salt
・10g Sugar

・2 tsp Grated ginger
・2 tsp Sake
・1.5 tsp Soy sauce
・A pinch of Sugar

・1 tbsp Flour
・1.5 tbsp Potato starch
・Oil for frying

Tamagoyaki
・2 Eggs
・1 tsp Sugar
・1/2 tsp Potato starch
・1/2 tsp Water
・1/2 tsp Mayonnaise
・1/2 tsp Oil

Broccoli salad
・5.3 oz (150g) Broccoli
・1 tsp Olive oil
・1 tbsp Shio kombu (Salted shredded kelp)
・1-2 tbsp Dried bonito flakes
・A pinch of Sugar
======================
4. Omu-rice Bento

Ingredients [for 2 servings]
Ketchup rice
・4 oz (110g) Cooked rice
・1.7 oz (50g) Sausage
・1 oz (30g) Onion
・1 oz (30g) Carrot
・2 tbsp Corn
・1 tsp Oil

・3 tbsp Ketchup
・2 tsp Sake
・1 tsp Sugar
・1/2 tsp Consomme
・1/2 tsp Soy sauce
・1 tsp Butter

Thin omelet
・1 Egg
・1/2 tsp Oil
・Ketchup

Broccoli salad
・3.5 oz (100g) Broccoli
・1/2 tsp Sugar
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・A pinch of Dashi powder
======================
5. Hamburger Steak Bento

Ingredients [for 2 servings]
・Rice (as much as you want)

Hamburger steak
・4.6 oz (130g) Ground beef+pork
・1 oz (30g) Onion
・1 tsp Oil
・2 tbsp Panko
・1 tbsp Beaten egg
・2 tsp Milk
・1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
・A pinch of Salt
・1 tsp Sake

Sauce
・1 tbsp Ketchup
・1 tbsp Mirin
・1 tbsp Sake
・1 tbsp Tonkatsu sauce
・1 tsp Butter

Carrrot stir-fry
・1 oz (30g) Carrot
・1/2 tsp Sesame oil
・A pinch of Salt and pepper

Kabocha squash stir-fry
・2 oz (60g) Kabocha squash
・1 tsp Sesame oil
・2 tsp Mirin
・1 tsp Soy sauce
・1 tsp Sugar
======================
6. Maki Sushi (Sushi Rolls) Bento

Ingredients [for 2 servings]
Sushi rice
・11.6 oz (330g) Cooked rice
・25ml Rice vinegar
・11g Sugar
・3g Salt

Shrimp tempura
・4 Shrimp
・1-2 tsp Flour
・2.5 tbsp Flour
・1 tbsp Potato starch
・3 tbsp Water
・Oil for frying
・1 tbsp Mentsuyu

Egg for maki sushi
・1 Egg
・1/2 tsp Mirin
・1/2 tsp Mayonnaise
・1/2 tsp Oil

・1 oz (30g) Komatsuna (or Spinach)
・1 oz (30g) Crab sticks (Imitation crab meat)
・Nori seaweed

Bell pepper stir-fry
・3.5 oz (100g) Bell peppers
・1/2 tsp Sesame oil
・1/2 tsp Soy sauce
・1/2 tsp Sugar

Komatsuna salad
・2.8 oz (80g) Komatsuna (or Spinach)
・1 oz (30g) Chikuwa (Fish paste stick)
・1/2 tsp Sesame oil
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・A pinch of Dashi powder

[islandgirl]

This is one of the best comprehensive cooking to freezing to reheating videos on here. People always show meal prep but don't talk about whether the ingredients are appropriate for freezing and what the textures are like after thawing/reheating.

That's something that always bothered me about reheating, there are just some ingredients that don't work.

Thank you so much!

[jasminey]

I'm a big fan of Japanese bento/cooking videos and this is probably the singular, most useful one I've ever come across for a "no-time to cook every day, but still wants to have home cooked once in a while" single, working person... Thanks for being also 1) being so minimal in your cooking equipment as the amount of disposable bags and cute separators used by others honestly makes my heart hurt, 2) also practical with your equipment and methods so we don't have to wash the whole kitchen..., 3) so considerate to show and taste test for us what works for freezing and what doesn't ❤ definitely subscribing from today!

[mariadimarco]

The first dish looked amazing. I can't wait to try it in the near future :) I'm trying to cut out eating out all the time, it's unhealthy and a bad habit.

[julieta.zubeldia]

I didn't know you could freeze egg and rice 😮. I was convinced that it changed the texture.
I will try it

[eduardoindigo]

I didn't know bentos could be frozen and I love japanese food :D <3<3<3

[darkchoco]

Thank you for the idea! With this freezable bento, my family can have home cook delicious meal anytime! Love it❤

[joyfaithlove]

I love all your bento box ideas! This one especially is so well thought out and helpful for those who might need to freeze their meals. The small bentos are adorable too!

[samanthadean]

For the omu-rice bento, can you use any sausage or did you use a specific kind?

[juliannehuh]

I am a Korean and as I get older, I like to eat Japanese food as they are easy to cook and healthy too

[AJZwart]

I just found your videos today, and I am SO happy i did! Your videos are very informative, great for making ahead for busy people (including me), easy to follow, and I love your Japanese to non-Japanese suggestions! This helps so much for us that ate
are overseas and dont or can't get these ingredients.

Question: What is something that could work instead of the Burdock root? Sadly, I cant find it by me.

[heyitssheena]

I just found your channel!
Your recipes are so easy to do and follow! Now I have lots of dishes to add on my weekly menu ❤

[Tradewindsvintagehi]

I agree with your husband. I love butter and shoyu on rice, even on popcorn❤

[AprilYHWH]

Wonderful meals and information; love the tip about mayonnaise and mirin for the eggs and brining the chicken. Thank you!

[ExplodedStuff]

This is very good. Thankyou for showing it to us.

[christinepefley]

Your bento boxes look so pretty and neat. Thank you for the video and the inspiration!

[mikaellarsson]

Very nice, Sayaka! What a good idea to make frozen bento boxes. I especially like the hambaga, you cook it so well, very Japanese compared to just fried raw meat. Interesting with the burdock, it is rarely eaten in Europe anymore. My favourite root in Japan is mountain potato, yamaimo, especially in a creamy gratin with bonito/tuna flakes on top. Kabocha is a bit sweet for my taste and I have never seen it in Romania although it should grow well. But we get lots of other squash, pumpkins etc. I love to add pieces of lightly boiled pumpkin in a salad with mayo and maybe shrimps, had and did it many times in Japan. Arigato again!

[victoriavidaud]

I love freezer bento! Are these okay if you can’t heat them before serving? I don’t have access to a microwave during my classes at my college, so thaw to eat bento would be great if you have recipes 😊

[bpsitrep]

Those look delish !!! Going to try them all. Easy to make which is what I need. Thank you.

[moss]

I want to try this recipe to take to school this week! ありがとうございます！

Also, what kind of rice is used?

[readyainefire]

I’m super late but (and this may be a stupid question) I’m planning on making these for school and I’m under 21. With the alcohol it should still be safe for me to have right? I just want to be sure lol.