KUALA LUMPUR: Rather than spending a lot of money on expensive fast food and to help prevent nutritional deficiencies, parents have started preparing bento meals.
Bento is a Japanese word meaning lunchbox and has become a craze among parents as it is one of the best ways to cut costs while still providing wholesome food for their children.
Administration executive Jamilah Mohamed Noor, 34, came up with the idea to prepare lunch boxes for her family when her eldest son entered primary school and had a problem with spicy food.
“I started in 2014, when my son entered Year 1,” she told the New Straits Times.
Jamilah said that she saved more than RM200 a month as her family would eat breakfast at home and eat the food that she had prepared for lunch.
“Other parents give their children RM6 for breakfast and tea. I give my children only RM1 for emergencies, as I have already prepared their meals for the day.
“I try to be creative, especially with fruits and vegetables, which children don’t normally like.”
Jamilah is also the founder of the Facebook group Kelab Bekal/Bento Malaysia.
The group is a platform for parents to share tips on suitable dishes for lunch boxes and exchange recipes.