Two very different Japanese bentos, both contest winners, both made with love.

Posting here slowed down this past week, but never fear! Starting on the 2nd, I'll be kicking off a Getting Started With Bento Making series. If you're interested in incorporating bento lunches into your daily life, be sure to tune in.

In 2007, I made a series of resolutions aimed at improving my health and fitness, not to mention losing weight. I can't say I followed through on all of those resolutions, but one thing that did stick was making bento lunches at least a couple of times a week. As I wrote earlier, it has helped me to lose some weight, as well as eat healthier all around. I hope you'll join me as I continue my healthy-bento adventures in 2008!

A reader left a great comment on the last post. I'm quoting part of it here:

But, honestly, the thing I love about bentos is the zen-factor: it makes me excited about eating and I always spend time in the morning really thinking about what I’m putting into my body. It’s very calming. I feel like I spoil myself everyday.

I couldn't agree more with that. Planning bento lunches for yourself makes you feel like you are really taking care of yourself - something we are apt to forget when we are running around conducting Life in general. It's as important, or even more so, than planning and making bentos for your family. It's a way of pampering yourself during the course of your day spiritually as well as physically. Nothing can beat that!

Like a lot of web-monkey types who sit in front of their computers all day, I work from home at least several days a week. But I still make a bento lunch in the morning for myself whenever I can. Why bother? you might ask. There are lots of good reasons for it, but here are my top five.