Wooden Bento Lunch Box

Pack a cute lunch and make everyone in the cafeteria jealous with your sweet custom bento box!

Bento boxes are super cool, but SO expensive online! I made this one from materials I had around the house; it was practically free! It took me less than two hours to make, and I don't have much woodworking experience.

Why pay $60 for a bento box when you can make one at home for FREE?

NOTE: The included photos are from the construction of multiple bento boxes, the first bento I made was a trial box constructed with plywood, the others with poplar.

Step 1: Materials

• 1/4" untreated, non-toxic scrap wood (the better the wood, the prettier the box)
• gorilla glue (it's food safe after cured!)
• sandpaper
• paint and shellac OR mineral oil

See... who doesn't have this stuff laying around?

NOTE: Research the wood you are using to ensure it is safe for use with food.
These links may help:
http://www.mimf.com/archives/toxic.htm
http://www.mnwoodturners.com/New_Member_Docs/Toxic_Woods_Chart.html

Comments

[susanchen2011]

I believe it is delicious and healthy.

[AoshiShinomori]

Is it okay to spraypaint the inside then coat it with Mineral Oil???

[bshin1]

This is really great! I've been looking for a way to create my own bento box - and this is just what I've been looking for. Do you think it would be possible to paint the box? Thank you! ^^

[wizgirl]

Cool, I hope you make one! Just make sure the paint is food-safe.

[Dulaman]

How did you figure your dimensions off of mls?
I'm not any to great with math, so I'm a bit confused ^^'
the site you linked to put me at 600-700 ml, could you suggest how to find the right box dimentions?

[wizgirl]

Hi megatherium,

This is how I figured the size: Convert milliliters to cubic inches. You can use google if you don't want to do the math by hand, just enter "600 mililitres to cubic inches" in google.

600 milliliters = 36.61 cubic inches

So, you want :

height x width x length = 36 cu in

The dimensions of the box I made are:

1.5 in x 6 in x 4 in = 36 cu in

To determine the dimensions of your box, just modify these three numbers until you get close to the desired volume. Hopefully this helps! Please post some photos if you make a box.

[Dulaman]

thankyou so much! I might get around to making one if I can find some wood laying around :) thanks for the great instructable.

[fireraisr]

a note to would be makers, certain woods can leach toxins into your food and make you sick. Be sure to only use untreated wood of a species you know to be toxin free, pine is always a safe bet.

[wizgirl]

thanks, i'll add a note to the instructable also.