By Malia Butler

Onigiri is a handheld snack made from steamed rice, typically formed into a triangle ball or a shape of choice and often wrapped in nori (seaweed). A bento box is a single-portion meal, either homemade or store bought, packed into a container portioned off. Onigiri and bento boxes are well known in Japan. When I made bento boxes and onigiri for the first time, I learned that presentation is key. In Japan before people eat, you have to appreciate the presentation of your food, by looking at the decorations and the thought put into it. “Before eating you have to eat with your eyes,” which is what Ms. Miwako Felix said from the “Table for Two” organization. Another thing that I learned is before eating a meal you have to say “itadakimasu,” and after a meal you have to say “gochi sou sama deshite.” The reason they do this is to show appreciation to farmers, vendors, and cooks.

Something that I learned that affected me personally is that when making bento boxes they focus on nutrition. When making bento boxes, every meal has to be balanced, so in order to do that they use the 3:2:1 ratio. For the 3 part, this is used as a base. People often use it for steamed rice. For the 2 part, this is used as a main dish, usually meant for a various amount of protein. For the 1 part, this is used for a side, often used for different types of vegetables. Both the 2 and 1 part of the ratio can help with keeping someone energized throughout the day, because each have a specific amount that can keep you energized. Based on this experience, I learned how to make a balanced meal. This can help me on my daily life, because as an athlete it can help me to have energy for sports.