Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Wonder Burgers



This Week's Bento Lunch


Packed with vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants, we like to refer to black bean burgers as Wonder Burgers! They're easy to make, can be customized to please just about anyone's taste buds, and offer a wealth of health benefits. We hope you'll enjoy this week's bento lunch of Wonder Burgers and sides sure to leave you feeling great! 


Click here to view this week's full menu.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Feel Great Bento Lunch

This Week's Bento Lunch




This week's bento lunch is full of delicious foods that will leave your body feeling great! To cut back on the extra sugar, we chose to make our own granola, which was super easy and gave us the added control over what we put into our bodies. 



Click here to view this week's full menu.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Made in America Christmas


Healthy Holiday Bento


We just wanted to send a big THANK YOU out to everyone that has supported American manufacturing through the purchase of our Bento Sets and Bento Buddies this holiday season! 

According to, World News with Diane Sawyer"If each of us (Average Americans) spent just $64 on American made goods during our holiday shopping, the result would be 200,000 new jobs." Now, that's something to feel pretty good about. 

Click here to learn more about the effects of buying American made products and how you can get involved in spreading this important message throughout the holiday season.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/MadeInAmerica/.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Dinner Repackaged



This Week's Bento Lunch




The easiest way to make lunch is to repackage dinner, so this week we decided to do just that and found ourselves in a win-win situation. Dinner clean-up was a breeze and lunch made itself. Did we mention that it tasted great? Who wouldn't want a lasagna meal for lunch? 



Click here for this week's full menu.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Pleasing Portions


This Week's Bento Lunch




In an effort to get a jump start on our New Year's resolutions, we've been using our Bento Sets for both balance and portion control. Lunches like this week's have made it both easy and satisfying to take this first step toward living a healthier lifestyle. 



Click here to view this week's full menu.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Volunteering in Santa Cruz

“With good fortune comes the responsibility to give back." - Pelstring family

Feeling fortunate enough to be able to enjoy the great community that Santa Cruz has to offer, we decided to usher in the holiday season by challenging ourselves to go out and volunteer in November. Most team members chose to use this opportunity to put a little more time into the organizations they are already involved in but we also came together as a group to donate food and warm clothes to a local shelter which showed us what a big difference a small group of people can make by coming together.

This opportunity opened up some great conversations about volunteering and reminded us all how easy and rewarding it can be to give back either as an individual or a family. The Pelstring family is a great example of a busy family that works hard throughout the year to have a positive impact on the community in various ways. "We do different things including donating warm clothing to the homeless shelter in the winter time, delivering food to itinerant farmers during the holidays, beach and school clean-up days, participating on school committees and non-profit boards, and providing transportation for the ill to doctors' appointments. We truly believe that every little bit helps to make a better society that we all benefit from."

This challenge really opened our eyes to how easy it really can be to get involved on any level and what a great impact that involvement can have. As with many challenges, we hope this will stick as it seems to have with others. It turns out that, based on information compiled by www.volunteeringinamerica.gov, in 2011 Americans volunteered for 8.1 billion hours! To learn more about volunteering in America, check out this cool Infographic - Volunteering in America.


Thursday, December 1, 2011

Holiday Balance



After indulging a little over the holiday weekend, it felt great to get back on track with this week's wholesome bento lunch. Here's to a happy, well-balanced holiday season! 



Click here to view this week's full menu.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

What's Old is New Again

By Tammy Pelstring
Obentec Co-Founder


My book group just celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a trip to the City (as we Northern Californians like to call San Francisco).  On our drive up the coast we stopped in the sleepy little town of Pescadero for some of their famous artichoke bread and artichoke and green chili soup.   My “sisters of the page” and I spied a little thrift shop and decided to get our treasure hunting on.  I love fashion but hate to shop so I was glad that my friend Stacy was along.  Stacy has a successful eBay business where she sells name brand clothes that she finds at yard sales. She has a good eye and can quickly sort the wheat from the chaff.  She also knows my style so she is quick to point out things for me to consider.  We all found some great finds for around $6.00 per item and the proceeds all went to a wonderful children’s charity.  I call this a win-win.





My friend Lori found these wonderful button front sailor pants that fit her perfectly. She paired them with stylish pointy-toe heels and was ready for a night out on the town. 



My friend Bonnie rocks a hippy-chic look and found a fun flirty skirt and fitted H&M blazer for under $10.00.



I found the perfect holiday skirt, a silver metallic A-line dress from Banana Republic. This set me back a whopping $4.50.   I paired this with a fun necklace made out of vintage crystal buttons from the 1940’s.

I love giving new life to things that people have tossed out. For some reason the search and the find make it more rewarding.  Next time you need to spruce up your wardrobe, consider purchasing second hand or re-fashioned clothing items. 




Laptop Lunches on Martha Stewart!




Cool lunch packing ideas in the Laptop Lunches Bento Sets will be featured on today's Martha Stewart Show!

Be sure to check it out at 10am on the Hallmark Channel! 

Monday, November 21, 2011

Thanksgiving Leftovers

By: Marcus Boardman, Shipping Manager


In my opinion there is no better packed lunch then the ones that are packed in the week following Thanksgiving. Not only do we get to indulge in our favorite comfort foods for a night, but typically there are also PLENTY of leftovers. Normally in my family we would cover leftover dishes in foil at the end of the night and refrigerate. This works fine with turkey and potatoes, but gravy gets weird, fruit salad goes soggy, and stuffing can dry up. For these foods, I recommend lidded salad bowls, or our extra large containers (it doesn’t add much time to fruit salad, but you get a day extra, at least). Freezing gravy keeps it perfect for re-use. Just heat in a sauce pan, or hot water. If you are having fruit salad (that is just fresh fruit, no marshmallows!) freeze the left overs as well to make awesome ready-to- go smoothies. Just add water, milk or yogurt and pop it all in the blender.


My favorite thanksgiving lunches to pack are "Thanksgiving sandwiches" which consist of everything you've got left over piled on biscuits or your favorite bread, and "Thanksgiving sundaes" which consist of all your leftovers layered in a big bowl.


While some of us get to indulge in this holiday, many people out there don’t (especially with times as tough as they are). Take time to think about people you may know that may need a little something extra this season, and see what you can do. A packed meal, or invitation to join your family for a meal can be a huge step in making someone’s holiday season a little brighter. Happy Holidays!


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Dessert for Breakfast? Yes, Please!



Figuring out what to make for breakfast is always a challenge for me. I can always think of so many lunch and dinner ideas but when it comes to breakfast.....my mind goes blank.  I was excited to see this breakfast recipe from the people at Meatout Mondays (meatoutmondays.org). Meatout Mondays sends out a colorful weekly e-mail newsletter that delivers a delicious vegetarian recipe every....you guessed it, Mondays.  It was an easy to make twist on something familiar and my boys loved that they were getting to eat "cake" for breakfast! 

Carrot Cake Oatmeal
(Meatout Mondays archive recipes)

If you love the idea of cake for breakfast and working some veggies in too, this recipe is a must. It's really easy to make, and gives you the indulgence of carrot cake (complete with icing!) without the hassle or heavy feeling. It's the perfect start to your day.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk (or any other non-dairy milk)
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. coconut milk cream* (optional) I didn't have any coconut cream on hand but it tasted fine without
1/2-1 tsp. ground cinnamon (to taste)
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 large carrot, finely grated (1 heaping cup)
1/2 cup regular oats
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. crushed walnuts

Topping (optional): 1 Tbs. crushed walnuts, 1 Tbs. coconut milk cream* + 1/2 tsp. maple syrup (to drizzle on top), shredded coconut, cinnamon, and raisins

*Use just the cream off the top of a can of coconut milk or mix coconut butter with a bit of almond milk.

Directions:

    In a small pot, heat the almond milk, lemon juice, and coconut cream on medium heat.
    Stir in spices and salt until they're dissolved into the liquid.
    Stir in grated carrot and oats; cook for about 8 minutes or until oats are soft.
    Remove pot from heat, and stir in vanilla, maple syrup, and walnuts.
    Serve with the topping ingredients and/or whatever else you want to make your carrot cake oatmeal amazing.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Wrap and Run


This week's bento lunch

Wrap and Run



This week's lunch is great for those busy mornings when you're on the run but don't want to skimp on a nutritious lunch. Just grab your favorite ingredients, wrap them up, drop in some fruit, and you're on your way!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Kiko and His Bento Buddy


Here's a photo of our office mascot, Kiko eating out of his very own Bento Buddy:


We've heard from customers over the years who have bought our bento boxes for their four- legged friends. The lidded container is perfect for water and the other containers hold a variety of canine pleasing kibble.

As soon as Kiko sees his Laptop Lunch bento box, he knows it means "bye-bye" time and suddenly I become dog's best friend!


Thursday, October 27, 2011

An Apple A Day

This Week's Bento Lunch

An Apple A Day

Crisp, tart apples abound this time of year and can be prepared in a variety of ways. For many lunchpackers, fresh apples are a weekly lunch staple but, as the days cool, consider steaming your apples and seasoning with cinnamon. Add a side salad of arugula with Italian dressing, cherry tomatos, spanakopita, and cheddar soy crisps and you've got lunch!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Don't be Scared... It's Just a Monday Morning at Obentec




Can't wait to see what next Monday brings... Trick or Treat!

Thinking Outside The Box

Tammy and her creative lunch packing skills:


I was packing a lunch of salad fixings from the final harvest of a friend's garden and needed my XL and two large containers to bring my movable feast with me to work. I was excited to see how nicely the XL container and two large containers fit into the bottom compartment of my Plum Blossom Dual Compartment tote. How's that for "thinking outside the box"?

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Food Day Celebration Lunch


This Week's Lunch Photo

Food Day Celebration Lunch

Monday's Food Day was on our minds when we put together this week's bento lunch. We're looking forward to celebrating real food and supporting this important movement with local, healthy and delicious lunches such as this!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Last Bites of Summer

This Week's Bento Lunch

Last Bites of Summer

It's clear that fall is upon us, but here in California we can still find a few of our summertime favorites at the farmers' market. This weekend, market shoppers were sure to get their fill of summer's remaining bounty. We were happy to get our hands on some delicious blueberries and green beans for this week's bento lunch.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Photo Contest - Enter to win a $50 Laptop Lunches Gift Certificate!

Where in the world is your Laptop Lunches® bento?


  • Relaxing on a California beach?
  • Sitting on your desk in the UK?
  • Putting a smile on your child’s face in Kalamazoo?
bento picnic

Wherever it is, send us your photo and we’ll add it to our worldwide bento map AND put you in the running to receive a $50 gift certificate!

Get crazy, be creative, and have some fun! Help us fill in our map with bento photos from around the world, creating a picture of what it means to Re-think your lunchbox.

  • Entry Deadline: 10/17
  • Vote for your favorite photo before: 10/19
  • Winners will be announced: 10/20
bento map

Here's how to enter:

  • Take a photo of your Laptop Lunches® bento box and email it to us at info@obentec.com. Be sure to enter “photo contest” in the subject line and specify where the photo was taken (city, state/province, country).
  • We’ll post your photo on the Laptop Lunches® Facebook page, in one of two categories:
    • In the Box – Creative Bento Lunches

      Out of the Box – Fun, Interesting, and Unique Locations

  • Send your friends, family members, and co-workers to our Facebook page to “like” your photo when it's posted.
  • The entrant with the most “liked” photo in each category will receive a $50 LaptopLunches.com gift certificate!
  • All entrants will receive a 10% discount coupon for participating, so be sure to keep an eye out for a return email from us.
  • By submitting your photo, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of the Laptop Lunches® Photo Contest.


Thursday, October 6, 2011

On the Go Bento


This Week's Bento Lunch

On the Go Bento

This week's bento lunch will make the perfect on the go meal to be enjoyed during your weekend outings. Being able to enjoy your favorite fall activities and your favorite foods is always a possibility when you take your bento on the go!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Quick and Easy Bento Lunch


This Week's Bento Lunch

Quick and Easy Bento Lunch

Just because you're in a hurry doesn't mean you should skimp on nutrition. This week's bento lunch was quick and easy to make, nutritious and tasted great! What more could you ask for?

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Wholesomely Fun Bento


This Week's Bento Lunch

Wholesomely Fun Bento

This week we decided to jazz up our bento box by sprinkling some veggie confetti into our quinoa. This wholesomely fun, brightly colored bento lunch is the perfect way to officially say good bye to summer!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Refried Roll-Ups


This Week's Bento Lunch

Refried Roll-ups

Loved by both adults and children, this nutrient-rich lunch is fresh and delicious. Blueberries are in abundance this time of year, and they add balance to the orange, white, red, and green of the surrounding colors. Notice the variety of textures as well: crunchy jicama, juicy blueberries, crisp spinach, and creamy yams. It's got the word satisfying written all over it!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Back to School - Back to Bentos


This Week's Bento Lunch

Back to School - Back to Bentos

It's official, school is back in session! To kick off a new school year filled with nutritious and creative bento lunches, we decided to put a spin on the traditional sandwich lunch. Our hummus sandwich and sunflower seed sprouts paired with the sweet tastes of granola crunch and fresh summer cherries will give your family the great mid-day tastes they crave along with a wealth of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help you start the school year off right!












Thursday, September 1, 2011

End of Summer Bento Lunch


This Week's Bento Lunch

End of Summer Bento Lunch

Labor Day is coming up which, for many, marks the end of summer. This week's bento lunch was put together to make sure you'll be able to keep your energy up and get the most out of these last summer moments without skipping a beat, so get out and have some fun!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

No Sweets Challenge

Last week, we challenged ourselves to cut the sweets out of our diets. We seemed to have been stuck in a sweets rut with cookies and muffins often popping up in the office kitchen. Some office members even felt like they were addicted to the sugar they used as their afternoon pick me up, so it was good to take a break and take stock of what we were putting into our bodies.

The good news is that we made it through the week feeling great and enjoyed having fresh fruit waiting for us to snack on in the office. With all the fresh fruits available this time of year, it really wasn't too difficult to turn to watermelon and cantaloupe instead of cupcakes and brownies. For many, it was even a welcome relief!

The bad news is that the salt water taffy that showed up last week has been opened and is making its way around the office as we speak! It's all about baby steps, right?

Friday, August 26, 2011

A Thank You Gift For You


Thank you for helping us reach our 10,000th Facebook fan! We appreciate your support and will be including one of our extra large 2.0 containers with all orders placed at www.laptoplunches.com using the coupon code, "thankyou" before midnight on Wednedsay, the 31st!

Whether you're looking to take cereal with you in the morning or send a hearty sandwich with your hungry high schooler, our extra large containers provide that added versatility to satisfy any appetite.

Enjoy!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Sports Fan's Bento


This Week's Bento Lunch

Sports Fan's Bento

Now that the football and baseball seasons are overlapping, we decided to put together a bento box full of fun, healthy snacks that can easily be enjoyed while watching or playing your favorite sports. Go team!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Back to School Lunch Containers in FamilyFun Magazine

FamilyFun included a Back to School lunches feature with some great lunchbox recipes in their September issue. We were pleased to see that the FamilyFun lunch box containers used to highlight their back to school lunch ideas: salad on a stick and veggie pancakes were our own bento boxes! Don't miss the great photos, Back to School recipes, and Laptop Lunches bento boxes on page 63!



Thursday, August 18, 2011

Nutritional Punch in a Bento Lunch


This Week's Bento Lunch

Nutritional Punch in a Bento Lunch

Whether you’re busy getting ready for Back to School or enjoying your favorite summertime activities, this week’s well balanced bento is sure to leave you feeling both healthy and satisfied. Sunflower seed sprouts and red quinoa pack a strong nutritional punch, making them a great accompaniment to the satisfying deviled eggs they’re served alongside. Enjoy!






Thursday, August 11, 2011

From the Barbecue to the Bento Box


This Week's Bento Lunch

From the Barbecue to the Bento Box

Adding grilled asparagus and other veggies to fresh summer salads is the perfect way to enjoy your favorite barbecue tastes anywhere. With a side of cherries and peach bread for dessert, this week's bento made the perfect summer lunch.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Nutritiously Delicious Bento Lunch


This Week's Bento Lunch

Nutritiously Delicious Bento Lunch

Hummus is a great double-duty dip that is both nutritious and delicious. We added sundried tomatoes to our hummus to give it an extra burst of flavor and brought along carrot sticks and pita chips for dipping. Energy- packed trail mix and a sweet pluot rounded out this meal which left us feeling energized enough to tackle the rest of our day.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Veggie Fun


This Week's Bento Lunch

Veggie Fun

Want to have some fun with your veggies? Try rolling them up into a sushi roll! We paired our sushi roll with some fresh fruits and veggies from our farmers' market along with a PB&J to create a well-rounded, healthy, and fun bento lunch.

Friday, July 22, 2011

100-Mile Diet Recap

We're going bananas here!

Well, I wouldn't take it that far but now that we've just about completed this month's 100-Mile Diet Challenge, we are looking forward to adding some of our favorite non-local foods back into our diet... and bananas are on top of just about everyone's list.

Going into this challenge, we were all very nervous and everyone seems to agree that it was the most difficult challenge we've done so far, but it also may have been the most educational and rewarding. We've missed our apples and bananas but we are happy to have discovered some amazing local finds such as sweet corn from Salinas, squash blossoms, and delicious berries and have discovered tastes that we may not have explored if not under these circumstances.

This challenge also led us many of us to make new friends from within the foodie community and taught us about an amazing local food delivery service in Santa Cruz: http://santacruzlocalfoods.com/. Santa Cruz Local Foods provides an online marketplace filled with products from within 100 Miles of Santa Cruz. You shop online and either pick up your bounty at one of their pick up locations set up throughout the week or they will deliver them to you on bicycle. Their service is amazing and the vast array of local foods they offer is incredible. They took a lot of the legwork out of this challenge for us and made it possible for even more of us to be successful throughout the week and for that, our bellies are thankful!

Moving beyond this challenge, we will all put a lot more thought into our food choices and will try to support our local farm community as much as possible. Eating locally does come with a price tag but having the chance to be further involved in our local community and economy and filling our bodies with fresh, local foods is a pretty great return!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Santa Cruz Bento Lunch


This Week's Bento Lunch

Santa Cruz Bento Lunch

This week our office has been trying to stick to a 100-mile diet as part of our monthly challenge series. This challenge has led us to get creative with local products and has given us an even greater appreciation for the fresh tastes of our town. We hope you'll either enjoy this Santa Cruz lunch or get creative with some of your local favorites.

Friday, July 15, 2011

100-Mile Diet Challenge


This weekend, the Laptop Lunches staff members are likely to be found at one of the several Farmers' Markets around town. As part of this month's weekly challenge, we will be on the hunt for foods that were grown within 100 miles of Santa Cruz. Yes, that's right, we've chosen to follow the 100 mile diet for 1 week... and we are nervous!

Of course, we all choose to support our local economy as much as possible and we are lucky to live in a community abundant with locally produced goods but, after some thought, we've realized that many of the staples in our diet cannot be found locally. We will definitely be missing our coffee, tea and bananas but we are also excited to learn more about local products and to discover new flavors and possibly even a local can't-live-without product or two.

To learn more about the 100-mile diet, visit the following link: http://100milediet.org/faqs.

Strength is in numbers, so please let us know if you're in!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Potluck Bento


This Week's Bento Lunch

Potluck Bento

Summertime means potluck time for us; and we love potlucks! To help bring some of the fun spirit of summer with us to the office, we decided to put together a couple of our favorite potluck dishes for this week’s bento lunch. Here’s to great summer memories every day of the week!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Sweet Bento


This Week's Bento Lunch

Sweet Bento

It’s important to indulge a little bit every once in a while, so this week we chose a bento box that is sure to satisfy just about anyone’s sweet tooth. Although this bento is full of treats, we chose to use wholesome goodies, so we hope you’ll enjoy the indulgence!

Thursday, June 30, 2011

4th of July Goodness


This Week's Bento Lunch

4th of July Goodness

In anticipation of the upcoming holiday weekend, we decided to fill this week's bento with goodies that can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner or an evening picnic under the fireworks. Happy 4th of July!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Variety Pack


This Week's Bento Lunch

Variety Pack

If you believe that variety is the spice of life, then this bento was made for you. Sweet, sour, salty and tart; this bento’s got something for all of your test buds!

Friday, June 17, 2011

One More Box of Mismatched Sets Available Now!


We've got great news! We were able to put together one last box of mismatched 2.0 Bento Sets. The case of 24 runs $348... That's $14.50 per set!
If you know of any groups that might be interested, be sure to let them know! Click here for more details.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Springtime Snacking


This Week's Bento Lunch

Springtime Snacking

Summer's right around the corner, the weather is warming up, and cold snacks are a must; so this week we put together a bento snack pack. With a combination of fresh fruits, veggies and protein packed nuts, this snack pack will help you enjoy your favorite warm weather activities without skipping a beat!


Monday, June 13, 2011


We're offering free DVD's!

Laptop Lunches is pleased to announce that we are currently offering a free copy of the Healthy Lunch for Kids DVD with all product orders of at least $100!

This DVD is filled with information and ideas for packing healthy lunches for your kids year round! Supplies are limited, so don't miss out!

Friday, June 10, 2011

Having Fun Being Active

For this month's weekly challenge, we have been on the move! We've increased our daily exercise by 30 minutes and are feeling great! Although we are a busy bunch, we've found that increasing our activity level has been fairly easy to fit into our schedules by making small adjustments to our normal routines.
We've been challenging our dogs to power walks and hikes, riding our horses, tending to our gardens, deep cleaning our houses, and having dance parties with our toddlers!
Some staff members have also taken it a step further and have tried new exercises to amp up their regular routines. Power walking, stretching, running, lifting weights, and yoga have been some of the most popular of the traditional activities. In keeping with trying something new, a couple of us will be trying our first Bikram yoga class this weekend, so wish us luck!
This month's weekly challenge has been very enjoyable so far and has reminded us that being more active can be easy, fun and great for those around us. We are all looking forward to an active weekend and hope you'll do the same!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

A Bento Favorite


This Week's Bento Lunch

A Bento Favorite

We've got avocado sushi in our bentos! We love sushi around here and were very pleased to see it in our bento lunches this week. Accompanied by a green salad, orange slices and a cookie for dessert, this sushi lunch has gone straight to the top of our favorites list!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Getting Active

Last month's challenge of going out for a 10 minute break each day inspired us to take our daily activity a step further. For this month's challenge, we've decided to add 30 minutes of activity to our routines. So, starting Monday, we'll be spending a little extra time running, walking, skipping, hula hooping, swimming, playing catch, riding our bikes, or anything else we can think of doing to get our bodies moving. Increased physical activity is important for both our minds and bodies, so we're looking forward to starting the month out on the right foot and hope you'll join us. We can't wait to hear about everyone's favorite activities!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Back to Basics Bento


This Week's Bento Lunch

Back to Basics

When was the last time you had a tuna sandwich? Although tuna sandwiches were a common fixture in many of our childhood lunches, we realized it’d been a while since we actually had one. Tuna is loaded with protein and omega-3’s which makes it a very nutritious food, so we hope you’ll join us in bringing back this oldie but goody!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Bento Snacks


This Week's Bento Lunch

Bento Snacks

Do you like to snack? We sure do! In an attempt to satisfy our snack cravings, we decided to pack some our favorites for lunch this week. We hope you’ll like what we’ve put together but feel free to change it up based on your own preferences. Happy snacking!


Thursday, May 19, 2011

Super Fast Bento Lunch


This Week's Bento Lunch

Super Fast Bento Lunch

Looking for a quick and easy, yet healthy and tasty lunch idea? You’ve come to the right place! This week we kept our bentos extra simple and convenient without compromising health. In fact, our whole wheat pita pockets are filled with hummus, which is considered to be a super food… It’s super fast food!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Taking a Break Challenge

We've checked another of our weekly challenges off our list and we think this one is going to stick!

Through this challenge we found that taking a couple minutes to check out during the day to enjoy a little extra activity as well as some fresh air really did pay off by giving us more energy and increased concentration throughout the afternoon. Our breaks kept us from getting too bogged down or burnt out and left us with a sense of accomplishment as we took the time to do something for ourselves. We live in a fast paced society which has us constantly juggling responsibilities and wearing different hats, so it's nice to take all hats off, leave the balls behind and take a break.

We hope you have and will continue to enjoy your breaks as well!

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Whole Grain Goodness


This Week's Bento Lunch

Whole Grain Goodness

Whole grains contain a number of vitamins and antioxidants that have been proven to have a positive impact on our overall health, so it’s important to get at least three servings a day. To help meet this recommended daily allowance, we decided to make a batch of whole grain pancakes for lunch. That’s right; as long as you use healthy ingredients even a treat like pancakes can be good for you!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Taking a Break Challenge Check In

I'm feeling pretty good right now. I just got back from my afternoon break and it's a beautiful afternoon in Santa Cruz. I walked over to the weekly Farmer's Market and picked up a couple fresh lemons to use for dinner and now I'm back feeling refreshed and energized as I finish the day's work. It's amazing what a 10-15 minute break can do for a person!

While some of us choose to go on power walks; some prefer to just linger outside enjoying the fresh flowers and beautiful sunshine; or even staying inside to paint. No matter what the activity, the consensus is that making it a priority to take the time to check out and clear our heads has made a huge difference.

Mid-way through this month's weekly challenge, it is safe to say that we are all feeling more productive, focused and energized since making it a priority to take time for ourselves during the work day.

If you've joined us in this month's challenge, please let us know what you've been doing on your break and what effect that has had on the rest of your day!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Taking a Break

Have you read the research that's come out regarding sitting all day? If not, you can learn more here.
The bottom line is that sitting all day is very bad for our health, so this month we're challenging ourselves to take a 10 minute break every day. During our 10 minutes, we can go for a walk, stretch out, nap, meditate, or just about anything else we can think of other than sitting at our desks.
Although this may sound simple and breaks are always encouraged in the Laptop Lunches office, actually taking 10 minutes to get away on a daily basis can be difficult for just about anyone and doing so at all is a foreign concept to some of us, so this will be a challenge.
We're looking forward to getting started on Monday and hopefully feeling more energized and productive throughout the week! As always, we encourage you to join us and look forward to hearing what everyone is doing during their breaks.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Ultimate Veggie Burger


This Week's Bento Lunch

The Ultimate Veggie Burger

Hamburgers are commonly hailed as the ultimate all-American food, but for a meal on the run, veggie burgers are a great substitute. Veggie burgers can be easily tailored to appeal to anyone’s tastes and will maintain that great taste throughout the day. We loaded our burgers with some of our favorite veggies, grains and herbs which made for quite the gratifying mid-day meal.


Friday, April 29, 2011

It's a Wrap!

This Week's Bento Lunch

It's a Wrap!

Stuck in a sandwich rut? We recommend wrapping it up! Sandwich wraps are extremely versatile and can be quite delicious. Whether you throw in leftovers, follow a recipe, or create your own signature wrap, we hope you'll enjoy this sandwich alternative.