The Naked Truth: the salacious secrets of Bento presentation

Hello Ladies, Gentlemen, Dames, and Dollfaces everywhere!

Now, to me, it’s part of the human animal to read into everything – and I mean everything, for some hidden meaning. We’ll analyze an offhand comment or an email to death, or agonize over an outfit, wondering what something ‘really means’.

It’s an obsession. An unhealthy, totally fruitless endeavour, undertaken in the hopes of seeing what we want, and reading past what we don’t. And I, my dears, am here to thoroughly enable this addiction.

Whether you’re a plain-jane, a sensible-sally,  or a cutesy- chloe with your bento box, there’s more to the way you dress it up and take it out than what meets the eye.

 Plain-Jane

(credit: Freeimagefinder.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I don’t want to shock anyone, but in my experience, Plain-Janes tend to actually be Plain-Johns. Usually, these bento boxes are filled with left-overs slopped in from the night before, with little care in terms of arrangement, health, or portion sizes. With Plain-Janes, let’s just say it’s a wonder there’s a bento at all. Now, let’s be honest – everyone has been Jane at one point or another, rushing around in the morning after a whirlwind night, trying to put something – anything, really – together. So let’s not knock the girl (or boy), for a less than stellar arrangement, but give them a hand for attempting it instead. Bento can be daunting!

Slightly scatterbrained, Plain-Janes are not what their name describes – in fact, generally, they’re anything but. Partying, playing sports, participating in volunteer activities, pursuing their dreams – Jane’s enthusiasm is shown in her (or his) love of life – not left-overs. Their adventurous personalities and driven nature might mean their bentos tend to leave a lot to be desired, but in all other things, Plain-Janes tend to be powerhouse players, willing to go to the edge.

Sensible-Sally

(Credit: Justbento.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Folks, this girl is busy. She is too busy for your nonsense, too busy for your chit-chat, and certainly too busy to spend an additional half hour cutting rabbit ears into apple slices or specially molding Onigiri (rice balls) and punching faces into nori for her lunch. This doesn’t mean that Sally doesn’t care – or that she doesn’t like nice things.  Sensible-Sally Bentos are still remarkably healthy, colourful, and portioned, with a few easy embellishments to set off the delicious meal manufactured by her.

A Sensible-Sally is the Katherine Hepburn of the Bento world,  snappy, bright, and sassy, without being overdone, because this girl works hard, and plays hard, and doesn’t need you to approve of her capability or her choices. Especially not when it comes to her lunch. You could take her on, if you felt brave enough, but with this girl, it’s best to have her as a friend, rather than an enemy.

Dependable, capable, snarky and smart, she’s no show-off, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t shine.

Cutesy-Chloe

( credit: http://www.aibento.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where you looking for Audrey Hepburn? Well, you’ve found her. Adorable, polished, and charming, Cutesy-chloe’s take joy in the whimsical side of life – and it shows in their Bentos. From Hello-kitty Onigiri, panda food-picks, and flower-shaped food-cutters, this is a girl who goes all out. Whether on bento or a birthday party, this girl is devoted – some might even say a little obsessed. But, she’s got energy to burn, and is easily bored, so time-consuming, detailed tasks keep her mind sharp and her hands busy. Cutesy-Chloes are, more to the point, creative chloes. They love composing their bento so it looks just right – everything beautiful and appealing.

And, maybe, just maybe, they’re a little bit ‘look at me!’, but, if you made a work of art, wouldn’t you want to show people? A Cutesy-Chloe may be a little extravagant, or a little wierd, with an addiction to andy warhol-style pop art and anime, but nonetheless, they’re warm, caring individuals with addictive personalities – watch out, because you might just get hooked.

 

 

I know me, I tend to be a little bit of all three, depending on the day – though I’m deffinitely leaning towards 60% Sensible-Sally and 40% Cutesy-Chloe, on average. That’s right, I bento and tell. So which kinda girl are you? Let me know!

XOXO,

Betty.