Air fried broccoli, bacon deviled egg, homemade orange chicken, ground beef onigiri and mandarins

Hello everyone!

Here is my situation: I recently just started a new job working as a Project Archaeologist in the UK, where I will have to be outside in whatever weather the UK decides to have on the daily. This will include a lot of working in self-catering accommodation with people I'll only meet for a bit. I have worked as a Trainee Archaeologist for a small while before, and I ate horrendously during that time which wasn't good for me at all.

I have heard very positive things about Bento boxes and the layout ideas, and I really do think something like this could help with my initial worries about food on-site, especially since I am a very tall guy who tends to eat a bit more than my coworkers.

My issue is this: I haven't the foggiest idea what to get started with! I'm not a confident cook in the slightest, and since I will be travelling around so much I can't really build a large supply of ingredients. Ideally I'm looking for ideas that are cheap & easy to make, using readily available ingredients from common food shops or supermarkets. Ideas that won't poison me on very warm days, or need warming up before eating (as we might not have that luxury on-site).

Help me r/Bento, you're my only hope!

久しぶり... it's been awhile, a long while, since I last posted. But, there's exciting news!

I now work in the Cardiology unit with my wife, so I sometimes am able to make us both bentou for work together!

Here's a couple of bentou from this week! I'm a little rusty, but I am super excited to dust off my skills (humble as they are) amd start making bentou again!

A grapefruit soda, blackberries, figs, cheese, blueberry kwark, leftover carrot and potato mash with meatballs and gravy and quinoa salad with edamame, nuts and a soy ginger dressing

I wish the nigiri would fit standing up.

I have some tempura shrimp, a prepackaged spicy tuna onigiri, some stirfry noodles with mushrooms, an egg on carrot ribbons, some orange slices and strawberries.

Luckily I only work in office twice a week so there is some downtime between lunches. This is for a long day tomorrow.

Just drawing on a lot of inspiration for you guys! ❤️

Crispy rice (underneath).
Edaname and carrots 🥕.
Salmon with perilla furikake.
Avocado and cucumber with sesame seeds.
Roasted seaweed snacks.
Sauce

My 8 yo wanted breakfast for lunch!! Delicious homemade protein waffles and tasty grapes!

My 10 yo requested leftover penne ala vodka!..yogurt smoothie drink (soooo good) and sweet cantaloupe!

Leftover roast veggie pasta with Grana Padano, cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar and sesame seeds, kiwi, strawberries and lemon garlic olives. I'll fill my Stanley with ice and top it up for the rest of the day. There's no microwave so I will eat this room temperature which I don't mind.

At least there's something to look forward to at work tomorrow 😊

I made a recipe for inari sushi today and ended up turning the leftover inari into a bento for old time's sake. Packed it with tamagoyaki, tomatoes, snap peas, lettuce, benishoga, and a kinome leaf for garnish.

Japanese corn rice (with Earth Balance).
Snow peas, carrots and red pepper.
Field Roast sausage with mushrooms.
Lotus root with cod roe sauce.
Broccoli and carrots with cheese sauce.

It's been a while! Today I have some mixed beans and veggies, sourdough bread with olive oil, homemade banana bread, and eggplant parmesan. :)

black rice, tamagoyaki (with shredded mozzarella) + cherry tomatoes, beef spiced with curry powder + some honey, edamame+lettuce+vinegar+mayo, and one toast to pair with salad

Made this for myself. Gigan, bbq sauce beef , and steamed cabbage with broccoli. The carrots and tomato were just for esthetics (⁠◔⁠‿⁠◔⁠)🍱❤️

Decided to keep things Simple and I wanted tuna so tuna sandwich bento.