Zojirushi 101 July 2012 Issue

Stuck without a microwave at school or at work? Tired of tuna sandwiches and potato chips every day for lunch? There are alternatives to boring lunches and ways to enjoy that great dish you made last night again--bring it with you and keep it hot!

Let Zojirushi Lunch Jars help you expand your lunches beyond the everyday plastic wrap and paper bags. Available at the end of this month, we'll be adding some exciting new colors to our Lunch Jar collection to make eating take-out from home the best meal of your day! With the right equipment, preparing your bento lunch is easy--compartmentalize all your dishes and keep them hot or chilled for hours. Take one of our Vacuum Bottles and bring a drink, too!

To get you started on the irresistible road to the most entertaining lunches ever, here are some classic dishes done bento style.


	A typical Japanese "character bento" lunch for kids, we use rice balls to make penguins. Serve with hot green tea. (Character Bento=Chara-ben (pronounced Kyara-ben))

	Stainless Steel Lunch Jar:

	Room Temperature*
	➊	Japanese Rice Cakes

	➋	Teriyaki Chicken Meat Balls, Quail Eggs and Carrot Stars

	Keep Dishes HOT*
	➌	Penguin (shaped) Rice Balls

	➍	Egg Drop Soup with Fu (Dry Baked Gluten) and Scallions

	Stainless Steel Vacuum Bottle:

	➎	Hot Green Tea


	A Tex-Mex treat, we've got slow-cooked chili and cornbread. Complete the meal with some hot coffee or tea.

	Stainless Steel Lunch Jar:

	Room Temperature*
	➊	Strawberries and Oranges

	➋	Corn Bread

	Keep Dishes HOT*
	➌	Hearty Slow-Cooked Chili

	➍	Green Chile Tomatillo Soup

	Stainless Steel Vacuum Bottle:

	➎	Hot Coffee or Tea


	Make a Western "Chara-ben" by shaping your sandwiches. Chilled Gazpacho and iced water round out this healthy meal.

	Stainless Steel Lunch Jar:

	Room Temperature*
	➊	Fresh Cherries

	➋	Teddy Bear and Rose (shaped) Sandwiches

	Keep Dishes CHILLED*
	➌	Red Skin Potato Salad

	➍	Gazpacho

	Stainless Steel Vacuum Bottle:

	➎	Iced Water


	All your chilled favorites in one complete meal; light but appetizing for a hot summer day. Bring along some iced tea or coffee.

	Stainless Steel Lunch Jar:

	Room Temperature*
	➊	Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

	➋	Ratatouille

	Keep Dishes CHILLED*
	➌	Shrimp Pasta Salad

	➍	Cold Asparagus Soup

	Stainless Steel Vacuum Bottle:

	➎	Iced Tea or Coffee

*Zojirushi lunch jars are divided into two sections: the bottom portion is vacuum insulated, while the top portion is kept at room temperature. Different models come with different numbers of inner bowls. See the TECHTALK 101 section below for more detailed information on how they retain heat.

•	Two Meals Bring breakfast and lunch together. Multiple compartments and insulation means you can have your hot breakfast burrito and your hot soup for lunch without any extra containers to carry. (Some lunch jars may not come with a soup bowl.)

•	Separate Ingredients No more soggy sandwiches. Keep your ingredients including fresh tomato slices and lettuce in separate containers. Construct your sandwich later and everything is fresh. Fajitas for lunch? Steak and cooked vegetables stay hot and so do your tortillas--without getting wet. You've even got room for chips.

•	Portion Control If you're on a strict diet, you can control everything by portioning out the parts of your meal. It's easy to pre-measure the night before and pack them into your containers. If they're chilled salads, they go right from refrigerator to lunch jar and nothing wilts until lunchtime!

•	Picky Eaters Can't stand your foods touching each other? Are you a very neat eater at the buffet line even when you only have one plate? The beauty of a Lunch Jar is having a place for everything without a need to carry separate containers. It's all there and it all fits together--completely sealed and worry free. Now how great is that?

We're sure you can find even more reasons to use these versatile Lunch Jars. Write to us and let us know!

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	Four microwaveable inner bowls		Forked spoon with cover



	Large bag can also hold beverages and snacks		5 year warranty on vacuum insulation**

** Zojirushi America Corporation warrants only the thermal insulation of certain vacuum insulated products against defects for a period of five years from the date of original retail purchase

See more Zojirushi Stainless Steel Lunch Jars



Classic vacuum bottles in classy colors	Built-in tea leaf holder and strainer for on-the-go brewing	SlickSteel™ technology

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Bottles

The Hinomaru Bento

For some Japanese, the classic Hinomaru bento may recall memories of abject poverty, but for most it is regarded fondly as the most basic of lunches and a symbol of the whole bento culture. On a bed of white rice rests a single red pickled plum (umeboshi), right in the center. The name is taken from the Japanese flag because that is exactly what it looks like.

Post WWII Japan was a time when many people lived sparsely. When all you could afford was plain rice to eat, the pickled umeboshi in the center was the single luxury that helped make the rice more appetizing. Today many bento boxes are crammed with all sorts of ingredients and side dishes, but a traditional Japanese style bento will always reserve a section for a bed of white rice and a bright red pickled plum in the center.

Next month we feature Japan's food culture. Take a virtual gourmet tour of the land where Zojirushi was born, as we get into exclusive recipes made with more of our products.