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Playing with food: Making charming bentos to bond with your family

SINGAPORE — Rice and three dishes on separate plates ... Who says what you eat always has to look this conventional? These women have made it their mission to beautify the food they serve to their loved ones, and it’s not just mere embellishment or garnishing either. The dishes they serve are often intricately made, with decorations that come down to thinly cut seaweed eyebrows and miniscule carrot noses that are smaller than your pinky nail. The end product ends up so cute, you almost can’t bear to eat it.

SINGAPORE — Rice and three dishes on separate plates ... Who says what you eat always has to look this conventional? These women have made it their mission to beautify the food they serve to their loved ones, and it’s not just mere embellishment or garnishing either. The dishes they serve are often intricately made, with decorations that come down to thinly cut seaweed eyebrows and miniscule carrot noses that are smaller than your pinky nail. The end product ends up so cute, you almost can’t bear to eat it.

CHARACTER FUN

Jean Yap began making character bento sets and buns for her children, aged four, six and eight, three years ago after spotting creations by Japanese bloggers.

She gets inspiration from social media, drawing ideas from ingredients other people use, how they plate items or the characters they portray, but she would add her own twist to it. “I would never make an exact replica of someone else’s piece because there’s no creativity in that,” she added. Yap, who is in her 30s and goes by the Instagram handle @bentodays_, has a healthy fan base herself, with over 77,000 followers.

When she first tried them out, sets didn’t turn out the way she visualized, which was frustrating, she told TODAY. For example, she used noodles for shapes that would look better with rice, or sushi rolls’ ingredients turned out oddly positioned when she sliced them.

“I learnt from the mistakes I made, then I’ll try to re-create the bento again,” she added.

She now makes one set almost every day. Cartoon characters such as Totoro, Rilakkuma, Baymax, and Brown regularly feature on her meals. “This has become a hobby to me, much like how other people may enjoy painting or knitting. I make bentos because I enjoy the process and of course it brings satisfaction when something I make turns out well.”

Her hobby has also helped bring her closer to her children, who would play with her leftover ingredients and dough, using cutters to make their own creations. She added: “My youngest child seems to have the potential to be a future food artist!”

RECIPE FOR BONDING

Homemaker Oh Bee Bee (@honeybeesweets.sg), said her food creations have also strengthened the bond between her and her two children, aged 13 and 11, whom she involves as much as possible. “I try to bake with them, teach them how to prep ingredients and even let them stir fry some simple dishes. This way they will appreciate homecooked meals and even start to love cooking as well,” she said.

Oh, who began packing lunches for them three years ago, cited her family as her biggest motivation. “They are always willing to try my food, even when it didn’t quite turn out as nice as I had hoped. Their encouragement spurs me to make more delicious creations for them,” said the 43-year-old self-professed “experimental cook”.

“Everyone can make a meal, but to step it up and make a more presentable one will make some difference,” she said. “It cheers my family up.”

Her kids, for one, are delighted when they receive cute bentos, and the sets evoke envy among their classmates as well, she said with a laugh.

Besides bentos, she also makes other cute food items such as bee-shaped or Harry Potter-inspired nigiris, chocolate chip bear pancakes and banana choco buns in the shape of koalas.

Still, Oh says mums shouldn’t be too hard on themselves if they can’t come up with the stuff she does. “We all know how busy working mothers are, so don’t blame yourself too much even if (you only cook) occasionally. No matter how simple the prepared meal is, it is the thought and effort that matters. Your children will remember and thank you for it,” she added.

For fundraising manager Shirley Wong (@littlemissbento), creating bentos and character foods is a chance to forge a closer relationship with her mother, as well as produce precious memories. The pair have made bentos and baked together, and her mother, being a good cook, is a huge inspiration when it comes to what she crafts, said the 33-year-old, who is married with no children.

“Since I was young, my mother has never stopped me from going into the kitchen. I remember standing on the stool…watching her cook when I was young. Our almost daily trips to the wet market was also a huge eye opener for me (as) she taught me how to recognise and choose the different produce,” she said.

Wong had started making bentos in 2009 because as a full-time dancer then, she had to pack lunch and eat in the studio in between training sessions. Being a huge fan of Japanese culture, she thought it would be fun to merge these together, and began experimenting with cute bentos two years later.

Her mum, ever an enthusiastic supporter, would share her creations with friends online, or buy bento gadgets and kitchen tools for her when she sees them, said Wong. “Her love for me is evident in her support for my bento making journey,” she added.

This Mother’s Day, Wong will be making something special for her mother - a floral bouquet made from bread. “She enjoys bread so I hope this would be a lovely surprise for her, as it’s a gift that can be eaten too!”

Oh too, will be spending Mother’s Day with her own mother who had just recovered from a bad fall recently. “I am truly thankful that my mother is well and almost back to her own self again, so spending this day with my mother, who has taught me to be a strong and independent person, will be extra meaningful to me.”

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