bento meal Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/bento Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/bento Written by Laura Payne Laura Payne is a freelance writer whose work covers many topics. She is a former Wayne State University linguistics instructor. Laura Payne, Sanat Pai Raikar Sanat Pai Raikar is a quizmaster and writer based out of Bangalore, India. His first quiz book, Three's A Quiz, was written from memory. Sanat has cofounded Quizarre, which provides quiz, crossword,... Sanat Pai RaikarAll Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Jul 2, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents bento, a Japanese-style single-serving meal traditionally packaged in a lacquered multi-compartment container called a bento box and served for lunch. The meal typically includes a starch of either rice or noodles, along with a protein, such as fish, meat, or eggs, accompanied by pickled vegetables and fruit. The concept of a bento-type midday meal dates to the late Kamakura period (1192–1333) when hunters, farmers, fishermen, and other outdoor workers would take unpackaged, cooked, dried rice called hoshi-ii in a bag to eat for lunch. The use of boxes to store and transport meals did not occur until the Azuchi-Momoyama period ...(100 of 839 words)

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