Cootie Chronicles

Just came across a very nice blog post at http://cootiechronicles.blogspot.com/2008/11/accessorizing-your-toddler.html. Seems like just yesterday that my kids were off to school with their first Laptop Lunches... Love the photos!

Thanksgiving Bento

Here's a terrific Thanksgiving photo provided by Gina Flanagan at http://kidslunchboxcards.com.

Check it out:

Eco-Friendly Lunches

Obentec’s Laptop Lunches Provide Noontime Economic Relief

Daily restaurant lunches have become the norm for many in the workforce, but costs can add up fast with a typical meal often costing $6.50 per day or $1,000 - $2,000 per year. This may not seem like much in good times, but when the economy is uncertain, that’s a lot to fork over.

Americans are, thankfully, a resourceful bunch, and when it comes to lunch, resourceful often means taking up the brown bag—but with a 21st century bento twist: homemade lunches these days are stylish, fun, visually appealing, and eco-friendly too.

With the help of the Laptop Lunches line of on-the-go bento-ware, countless lunch-makers across the globe have turned what could be a dreary, self-pitying task into a delightfully delicious, nutritious, gourmet experience—for a fraction of the cost. Take the following menus for example:

Baked Pasta .75 Spinach Salad . 90 Artichoke Bruschetta .50 Dry-roasted Cashews 1.50 TOTAL $3.65

 

Navel Orange .45 Steamed Baby Eggplant .50 Sesame Dipping Sauce .35 Steamed Rice .30 Edamame (Steamed Soybeans) .37 TOTAL $1.97

To calculate your own lunch savings, visit www.dinkytown.net/java/LunchSaver.html. Simply type in your lunch expenditures, number of lunches per week you carry to work, and the expected period of time you plan on packing your mid-day meal, and you can determine what your savings is likely to amount to. And it’s easy to experiment with various scenarios.

But the savings doesn’t end with the lunch hour. Laptop Lunches brand bento boxes make it possible to save even more when you:

• Buy from bulk bins, which costs 30-50% less than single-serve items and generates less waste.

• Purchase seasonal, locally-grown fruits and vegetables for superior nutrition at a lower cost compared to produce shipped from afar.

• Stock up on foods you eat frequently, especially those that can be frozen or are non-perishable, resulting in fewer trips to the grocery store, which uses less gas.

About Laptop Lunches

Inspired by the Japanese bento box, the Laptop Lunch container features a hinged outer container, four inner food containers, a dip container, and a set of utensils. The insulated carrying case resembles a laptop bag with a handle, shoulder strap, ID tag, and water bottle. The Laptop Lunch User's Guide packs 96 pages of fresh ideas for making wholesome lunches. It features practical lunch menus, creative recipes, and strategies for improving lunchtime nutrition and reducing waste. They’re now available in five user-friendly colors: red, blue, pink, multicolor primary, and multicolor whimsical.

About Obentec, Inc.

Obentec, Inc. was founded by two moms, Amy Hemmert and Tammy Pelstring, whose mission is to provide fun, practical food containers and user guides that promote better nutrition and waste reduction. Laptop Lunches are available at www.laptoplunches.com and through select retailers nationwide.

Facebook Page

Laptop Lunches now has a Facebook page. Come join our group, share photos, and see what others are packing for lunch. You'll also see this special offer:

Obentec is pleased to offer Facebook members a 10% discount on orders placed online at www.laptoplunches.com before December 15, 2008. To take advantage of this offer, use discount code "facebook208" (no quotes) when checking out. Happy holidays!

Eating Well on a Budget

I just came across this very succinct and informative Stonyfield Farm article on eating well in an uncertain economy. (Unfortunately they failed to mention Laptop Lunches, the ideal tool for packing economical, on-the-go meals!)

If you're looking for economical, healthful eating tips, check out the article at www.stonyfield.com/Wellness/MooslettersDisplay.cfm?moos_id=116

Let us know what thoughts you have for eating well on a budget.

Photo Gallery

This morning I was thinking about the fact that the Laptop Lunches Photo Gallery is a great resource that many people may not be familiar with. We've been updating it regularly with the hope that it will provide inspiration to those of us who struggle to come up with fresh lunch ideas.

If you haven't visited our gallery, or if you haven't been there recently, be sure to check it out at www.laptoplunches.com/LaptopLunchPhotos.html. You can also get there from our home page at www.laptoplunches.com. It's about halfway down the page on the left.

Please let us know which photos you found particularly helpful or inspirational.

Have a photo you'd like to contribute? Please send it our way!

Amy

Welcome!

Welcome to the Laptop Lunches blog, a great place to find photos, lunch menus, recipes, and other resources related to lunchmaking, preparing delicious food, and caring for the environment.

You'll hear from various members of the Obentec team, the lunches we like, the Web sites we frequent, and useful resources we've discovered.

Here are two ideas for starters:

1. Subscribe to our rss feed to receive a weekly photo with a menu and preparation notes. (www.laptoplunches.com/rss/laptoplunches.rss)

2. Take a look at our lunch slide show for some lunchmaking inspiration.

And please check back frequently to find out what's new here at Obentec!

Amy