Back-to-School Prepartion with a Parenting Secret Weapon for Healthy Lunches

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Zojirushi America Corporation

As summer vacation rolls to an end, students are preparing to head back to learn! With online classes slowly starting, moms and dads across the country are getting ready to prep meal so that the kids can enjoy a delicious meal and remain focused and energized throughout the day.

And while most kids may not head back to school physically, it doesn’t mean that parents can’t help them with their new school supplies and getting back into their usual school routine! With Mom or Dad (or both) at home working while the kids are taking online classes, we definitely understand how important it is to make lunch ahead!

We believe that the ideal lunch is delicious, healthy, and different from day-to-day, so they don’t get bored of eating the same thing. The challenge sometimes is to find meal ideas to meet this criteria, are easy to make in the morning, and will keep well until lunchtime — especially if the meal is best served hot or cold, and not room temperature. Our stainless steel food jars have been helping parents prepare delicious, versatile, and healthy meals, keeping them perfectly hot or cold for lunchtime, because of their vacuum insulation.

What does vacuum insulation mean? It means that air between 2 walls is removed, to create a vacuum. When there is a vacuum, heat can’t escape through conduction, keeping hot contents hot and cold contents cold.

Did you know that our company name in Japanese is Zojirushi Mahobin? Mahobin means “magic bottle” or “vacuum insulated bottle”! You can learn more about this feature here.

Usually, when hot foods begin to cool it creates a suction within the container, making the lid hard to open. But fear not, all Zojirushi food jars have a built-in pressure release valve on the lid. Just remove the lid cover, and gently push down on the valve with a toothpick to relieve the pressure, and voile, the lid is much easier to open. This helps the kids enjoy their lunch without any mess or fuss.

We understand that every parent lives a busy life, so instead of always making lunch from scratch, you might just want to send them off with leftovers from last night’s dinner from time-to-time. Preheating or pre-chilling your food jar before filling it with your food or beverage will ensure the temperature won’t drop (or rise) when you put the food in, in turn, keeping it hotter or colder for longer. Vacuum insulation too good that your food or beverage is too hot to eat or drink? In that case, allow it to cool a bit before putting it in the food jar.

For all of these reasons, we’ve named these containers our product of the month. They come in an assortment of sizes and colors. You might love them so much that you end up buying extra for you and your partner!

Learn more about this magical container here:

https://youtu.be/eC9FihCvCzM

Other highlights:

Eliminates the use of wasteful disposable containers, or the use of a microwave or refrigerator
Dimples on the lid make it easier to grab and open
Clear-coated finish reduces fingerprints and makes cleanup easy
Made from BPA-free plastic and stainless steel
Good for hot meals, soups, oatmeal, cold desserts and beverages and more

Here are some of our favorite recipes to kick-off the school year with a one-week meal plan:

On Monday, you can start off with hot Pollo Tortilla Soup. This hearty Mexican-inspired soup is full of flavor, yet fun, easy and filling for the kids to eat during their lunch break. Our recipe also includes a quick-hack for fresh tortilla chips that you can pack separately and they can throw into the soup for added crunch. We recommend you let it sit for 15 minutes after it’s done cooking before pouring into the containers, and that it is consumed within six hours of making.
For Tuesday, make your salads heartier by adding ramen noodles as a base, with fresh karashi This Chilled Out Ramen Salad is so delicious and perfect for the warmer months. Also, you can throw all the ingredients into the food jar, close the lid and shake to mix it without any additional fuss.
On Wednesday, let’s take the kids to Italy! Our Saucy Pasta recipe features broccoli, bacon and onions, and is part soup, part pasta, full delicious. We love making this for dinner, and heating the leftovers in the morning.
Another fun cold dish for Thursday’s meal: Shrimp Escabeche! Inspired from the beach-days in the summer, this dish will be such a delight for the kids at lunch. Marinate the chilled shrimp in a garlic and oregano vinaigrette overnight, and pack it with minimum effort and time.
For Friday we recommend a power-packed Adventurous Couscous Medley. Quick to whip up by heating some onions, carrot, mushrooms, green peas in chicken broth, and adding the couscous in at the end to round out the dish – a healthy and delicious way to end the lunch week duties.

Did you try any of these recipes or make up your own? Be sure to share with us on social by tagging your photos on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram!

From us here at Zojirushi, we hope that all of you are continuing to remain safe and healthy!

Meet the Newest Members of the Zojirushi Family and July’s Product of the Month: Hello Kitty Rice Cooker and Stainless Mug

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Zojirushi America Corporation

We are so excited to announce our collaboration with Sanrio to launch our two new Hello Kitty housewares, the Hello Kitty Rice Cooker and the Hello Kitty Stainless Mug.

This partnership marks Zojirushi’s first-ever licensed collection and coincides with Sanrio’s 60^th anniversary, celebrating the heritage of two iconic Japanese brands and their milestones through these fun limited-edition products.

Let’s take a closer look at the two products and their features:

The Hello Kitty Rice Cooker (NS-RPC10KT)

The Hello Kitty Rice Cooker is a gorgeous white exterior with one-of-a-kind Hello Kitty illustrations in 360 gold print. It’s a necessity for all Hello Kitty fans – so kawaii!

Along with the ability to cook up to 5.5 cups of rice, this rice cooker will feature many Zojirushi standards, such as:

Easy one-touch operation with an automatic system that keeps the rice warm once it’s done cooking,

A patented triple heater system that works intuitively to always generate the ideal temperature for the best tasting rice,

A detachable and washable inner lid,

Easy-to-clean nonstick coated inner pan,

A hinged lid with easy-to-open handle, as well as a lock tight lid with push button release and a removable dew collector. The rice cooker also comes with a measuring cup, spatula, and a spatula holder as accessories, which are BPA-free

The rice cooker is adorable and also thoughtfully constructed to not only make the cooking part easy, but also the clean-up. For example, during the boiling process, starchy foam may adhere to the inner lid and become dirty. The inner lid is designed so it can be removed and washed thoroughly. Especially if you add any ingredients other than rice (such as condiments) when cooking, wash thoroughly to prevent odors. The inner pan is nonstick coated for easy cleaning, because we all know how time consuming it is to clean off sticky rice! When cleaning or washing, we advise not putting forks, knives or other cooking utensils in the inner pan to avoid scratches. Please only use the rice spatula that came with your rice cooker to keep the pan from scratching and deteriorating.

The Hello Kitty Stainless Mug (SM-TA48KT)

While the Hello Kitty rice cooker will only be sold in white, the Hello Kitty Stainless Mug will be offered in two colors – black and white – both featuring the same unique-to-Zojirushi gold print.

If you own, used, or have encountered any of our vacuum insulated stainless products, you know how they EXCEL at keeping beverages hot or cold…we’re not exaggerating. Enjoy the temperature retention for up to 6 hours for all of your liquids!

In addition to powerful temperature retention and a lovely design, they also offer everything you love about Zojirushi’s vacuum insulated stainless products, such as 6 oz capacity made of high-quality 18/8 stainless steel , a 2-step lid release process , which prevents excess condensation, a stopper that completely disassembles for thorough cleaning , Easy-to-clean double layer nonstick coated interior , nonstick coated

interior for enhanced durability, An air vent so drinks flow smoothly ,

and a safety lock to prevent the lid from opening accidentally.

Look at that beautiful 360 gold Hello Kitty design!

Zojirushi has other products that also have floral or other designs on our products. We take care in using materials and application methods that prevent the designs from coming off, but don’t rub or scrub hard when washing. Please be gentle. This tip works to keep both the rice cooker and stainless mug’s exterior design in pristine condition.

Are you as excited as we are?

The Hello Kitty Limited Edition Collection is exclusive to the U.S. and Canada, and features a never-before-seen Hello Kitty pattern. This pattern was designed specifically for Zojirushi, and the items will only be available through select retailers in North America, beginning in early July 2020 with plans on restocking the collection in early September.

Missed out on the release? Make sure to sign up for our Zojirushi 101 newsletter for the month of July, and take our survey for a chance to win a product from the collection!

Don’t forget to also try out these delicious Hello Kitty recipes from this month’s Zojirushi 101. The perfect meals to make with your new Hello Kitty rice cooker! We feature 2 delicious Japanese dish-inspired meals with the iconic mascot, such as Hayashi Rice.

Be sure to show off your Zojirushi x Hello Kitty housewares with us on social by tagging your photos on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram! #Zojirushi #ZojirushixHelloKitty #ZoFan

Product of the Month – Stainless Tumbler SX-FSE45

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Zojirushi America Corporation

Happy June, Zo fans!

With summer right around the corner, the weather is definitely starting to heat up! Here in California, one of our favorite things to do in this nice weather is to go outside for a stroll, go on a bike ride at the beach, or even just hang out with our family in the backyard! Fittingly for June, the month of Father’s Day, our fathers will always be one of our favorite people to spend quality time like this with.

With the holiday right around the corner, we’re going to share one of our favorite products that Dad can enjoy both on his leisurely days off, and at work!

Our Product of the Month, the Zojirushi Stainless Tumblers (SX-FSE45) has become one of our favorite desk top accessories, for not only its convenience during our morning commute to work, but for its variety of cool features that we’re sure not only you will love, but Dad will love too for Father’s Day.

Need some more reasons on why our Stainless Tumbler is named Product of the Month:

First is for its variety of colors for the whole family!

These tumblers come in four vibrant and sophisticated colors with a beautiful matte finish. We have one for each member of our family, each with a different color. This makes it easy to remember whose drink is who’s without mixing up our treats in the morning shuffle.

Second is, of course for its amazing temperature retention.

In addition to different colors, each of our family members enjoys a different morning beverage to start their day: hot coffee, tea, cold green juice, ice water, and so much more. Whether you love hot or cold drinks, this tumbler has that magical Zojirushi vacuum insulated technology to keep your beverage at the perfect drinking temperature for hours after pouring.

Like many of our favorite Tumblers and Bottles, this Stainless Tumbler is perfect to hold on-the-go!

We think it should be equally as important to keep your beverage at an ideal drinking temperature and be able to carry it without it being too hot or too cold. These tumblers are made to be perfect to the touch as you carry it on the go! So, if you prepare to take some ice-cold water with you, this tumbler has you covered. It’s vacuum insulated, minimizing condensation. Even when filled with iced water, the outside doesn’t sweat. Dad won’t get in trouble with mom even if he forgets to use a coaster. If warm beverages are more your thing, you’ll never have to worry about that too-hot-to-touch feeling ever again…even when filled with hot coffee, the outside stays cool, making it safe to carry! Perfect temp on the inside, perfect temp for the touch. Totally a win-win situation in our books.

We can’t forget that this Stainless Tumbler also includes a removable stainless mesh strainer.

Especially for all our tea lovers out there, this tumbler also features a unique lid that comes with a removable stainless steel, mesh tea strainer for direct brewing and sipping straight from the tumbler—simply add tea leaves directly to the tumbler and pour water. After letting the tea steep, you drink from the tumbler and you can enjoy your beverage while the strainer holds back the tea leaves. If you aren’t drinking tea, you can easily take the strainer out. How versatile!

Beyond straining tea, the lid also serves a few other purposes: it’s spill-resistant and reinforces temperature retention. But how, you might ask?

The lid helps block heat from escaping up, so the heat retention is much better compared to tumblers, mugs or cups without a lid. It’s also spill-proof so no need to worry about spilling and splashing while walking around.

So now that we’ve talked all about the Tumbler’s vacuum insulated technology and design, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Like all Zojirushi products, our Stainless Tumbler is no exception to being extremely easy to clean.

The exterior matte finish makes scratches and stains less visible, and minimizes odors and stains. The interior features a 7.5cm wide opening at the top of the container making it easy to use your hand to clean inside the tumbler. Additionally, the lid also fully disassembles so you can thoroughly wash the tumbler and reuse it with no issues.

And last, but definitely not least, our Stainless Tumbler is safe for the family, and the environment.

These tumblers allow us to enjoy our favorite drinks in a reusable manner with no waste – say goodbye to paper cups at work, so we can enjoy Mother Nature and not add to the pollution. And while being better for the environment, the stainless steel construction is paired with BPA-free plastic so it’s safe for the whole family.

Are you interested in learning more about our product of the month? Watch our full product demonstration video here:

And if you’re looking for inspiration on what to make in your tumbler, here are some of our favorite drink recipes for you to try next:

Cold Buster Smoothie

Oh So Soy Latte

Share more about adventures with your family, Father’s Day traditions, and your favorite beverages and traditions with us on social by tagging your photos with #Zojirushi on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram! And if you’re interested in learning more about our tumblers for your next Father’s Day gift, be sure to check out our online retailers.

Product of the Month – The Flip-and-Go Stainless Mug (SM-QHE48/60)

Posted on April 13, 2020 by Zojirushi America Corporation

Happy April, Zo fans! It’s finally here! You’ve been asking for it and we designed it! Introducing our new Flip-and-Go Stainless Mug (SM-QHE48/60)!

This new mug features a flip-up handle and includes our superior vacuum insulation. It comes in two sizes – 16 ounces and 20 ounces – and in four AMAZINGLY beautiful colors – Cobalt Blue, Teal, Hibiscus Red and Purple Dusk. (Trust us when we say that we’re ready to get them in all colors!).

This mug has so many of our smart design ideas built into it. The solid flip-up handle flips up when needed and folds down when not in use. When it’s up, the handle can be used to hold or hang the mug and when it’s folded down, the handle conforms to the curves of the mug so it doesn’t get in the way when you’re drinking.

Along with the new handle, the flip-open lid also keeps the sip area covered, clean and easy to sip from. The lid also features a two-step lid release which prevents excess condensation on the stopper from splashing when you open the lid.

By using a special manufacturing technique to round the bottle opening so that it’s smooth to the touch, we’ve made this mug even more versatile because you can drink directly from it without the lid! No scraped lips (or hands when you’re cleaning it!).

Our new Flip-and-Go Stainless Mug also comes with our classic vacuum insulation technology. In addition to keeping beverages hot or cold for hours, the vacuum insulation also prevents condensation from gathering on the exterior of the mug, keeping it clean and easy to hold.

The SlickSteel® polished stainless steel interior resists corrosion and repels stains and overall, the mug is lightweight, compact and oh-so-portable! Like our other mugs, the 1 5/8” wide mouth opening accommodates full-size ice cubes, making it easy to fill and clean.

The stopper also disassembles for thorough cleaning.

Of course, like all Zojirushi products, we designed our Flip-and-Go Stainless Mug to be safe. All areas that come into contact with food and beverages are BPA-free. An air vent in the mouthpiece allows beverages to flow out smoothly without gushing and overflowing. Perfect for hot drinks! And a safety lock prevents the lid from accidentally opening. Yay! No spills.

Our Flip-and-Go Stainless Mug (SM-QHE48/60) is perfect for your every day, wherever you may go! We hope you love it. Don’t forget to tag your photos with #zojirushi on Instagram!

Common Bread Baking Problems

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Zojirushi America Corporation

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You’ve bought the best breadmaker, and you’ve got great bread making recipes. But it’s just not working out! We understand the frustration of your loaf not quite being picture perfect! Don’t worry, we can help! Let’s first make sure our ingredients are fresh, then explore some common bread baking problems, and the steps that can be taken to correct them.

Bread Baking Problems and Solutions

Collapsed or Sunken Loaf (Rising and Falling)

Cause: too much yeast, sugar or water, too little salt, or high altitude.

Here’s what you can try doing to improve your loaf: Reduce your yeast by 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon to start with, and using cold water. If you see an improvement but it’s still not quite there, continue to reduce incrementally. Alternatively, you could try increasing salt, or decreasing your sugar or water.

Short, Dense, and/or Dark Loaf

Cause: typical of too much flour (or other dry ingredients) or not enough liquid; less often a result of too little yeast, too little sugar, too much salt, or old ingredients.

Here’s what you can try doing to improve your loaf: Reduce your flour* or increasing your liquids. You can always check your dough during the KNEAD cycle to make sure the texture isn’t too dry.

Lopsided Loaf

Cause: typical of too much flour (or other dry ingredients), not enough liquid, or recipe size is too small

Here’s what you can try doing to improve your loaf: Reducing your flour* or increasing your liquids. If you’re using your own recipe, you may need to increase the recipe size. The minimum loaf size for our 2 pound bread machines is 1 1/2 pounds (BB-CEC20 and BB-PAC20), and 1 pound for our 1 pound machine (BB-HAC10).

Lumpy Loaf

Cause: Typical of too much flour (or other dry ingredients) or not enough liquid

Here’s what you can try doing to improve your loaf: Reducing your flour* or increasing your liquids. Check the dough during the KNEAD cycle—if it appears knotty or lumpy, you can add a tablespoon of water at a time until a nice, round ball of dough forms.

Unmixed Ingredients

Cause: The kneading blades were not installed properly, or kneading blades have worn out.

Here’s what you can try doing to improve your loaf: Installing kneading blades before adding ingredients to the baking pan. If you suspect they have worn out, take the baking pan out of the bread machine and place the kneading blades on the metal shafts. Then, try turning the blades with your finger. Do they catch the shafts and make them rotate? If one or both doesn’t, it’s time to replace them.

Add Ingredients Didn’t Mix

Cause: Typical of too much flour (or other dry ingredients) or not enough liquid.

Here’s what you can try doing to improve your loaf: Reducing your flour* or increasing your liquid. When the dough is too dry, add ingredients like nuts and raisins cannot penetrate the dough ball.

*The weight of a cup of flour can fluctuate significantly depending upon how the flour is measured. Using the measuring cup as a scooper, or pouring flour into the measuring cup will result in more of the ingredient being used than our recipes call for. You can reduce your flour using one of two methods:

Volumetrically: Fluff your flour with a fork or a whisk to loosen it; then, spoon it into your nested measuring cups, and level off without tapping or shaking.
By weight: Weigh your flour with a digital kitchen scale (128g/4.51oz per cup for bread flour; 120g/4.23 oz for whole wheat flour, and 125g/4.41oz for all purpose). This method yields the most consistent and optimal results, and conveniently cuts out the guesswork.

Still having trouble, or don’t see your baking problem listed here? Please contact our customer service team for assistance or give us a message on our Facebook.