It’s near the end of year exams for the students in Singapore. The weekend will be a great time to unwind and cool off from all that study-related stress. The kids are bound to want to head out for a day of outdoor activities. A lot of parents often give into the temptation of heading to the nearest Macs for lunch and buying our children what they want. But honestly, you know what’s better? A delicious packed lunch made with love.
So after a morning out playing at the zoo or botanical gardens, it’s going to be fun to sit down to a homemade picnic. Not only will it be memorable time for your kids to have the chance to eat out in the open, it will be a meal that parents can choose to pack with whole-foods.
With Aw’s Market’s freshly butchered meats and next day delivery, prepping a lunch can be easier than ever. Our website offers custom ways of butchering your meat purchase. And the best thing about buying fresh? No need to thaw.
*Ugh yeah, we all know the trouble of having to thaw an entire kilogram of chicken*
Here are 6 easy ideas for bentos suitable to bring along on your next weekend escapade.
1. Chicken Teriyaki to-go by RasaMalaysia
This recipe we love because it is so simple. In fact, you wouldn’t have to do much if you already had our fresh 2pc Chicken Thigh [request debone] or fresh 3pc Chicken Thigh Boneless.
The sticky yummy teriyaki sauce coating the browned and crispy thigh skin is perfectly salty and sweet. Not sure how a young’un would say no to something so heavenly.
2. Gyudon (Stir-fried beef shabu with rice) by Woksoflife
Another simple recipe. If you love beef, you should already know how easy-to-make Gyudon is. Luscious pieces of fatty beef coated with it soy marinade is the perfect thing to go with rice. It keeps well and tastes exceptionally good after a full day of activity.
We suggest making it with Aw’s Market USDA Boneless Shortrib Shabu to get an extra luxurious bento after an exhausting day out.
3. Korean Pork Ribs with Radish Salad by FutureDish
The actual recipe calls for a boil down of 1 hour but as time-strapped parents, we suggest leaving the sauce on roiling boil with the lid off until sauce is slightly thicker. This recipe will particularly appeal to children who love dig into their food with gusto. The moreish pieces of pork ribs will leave their minds and tummies especially satisfied.
Of course, if you want especially juicy and tender pork ribs, look no further than the pork small ribs that Aw’s Market offers. You can choose to have our butchers chop into small pieces or keep as a whole piece depending on your preference. We like how Daniel and Katie have used long unchopped ribs. If you wish to have that then do ask for our butchers to “Keep as a whole piece”!
4. Ketchup Prawns by Noobcook
Ketchup prawns are a perennial Singaporean favourite. Sweet, salty, tangy, with that old-school ketchup flavour that reminds us all of our childhood. We suggest to omit the chili padis and replace with red capsicum if your children can’t take spicy food.
Cook it with succulent pieces of large fresh tiger prawns to make it more value-for-money. No need to pay Zhu Chao restaurants when it is so easy to make your own!
5. Veggie-packed meatballs by PanosEats
For easy eats, meatballs are the way to go. It can be eaten easily with a fork and no mess. It may even be shaped into burger patties if you wish to.
This particular recipe just hits all the right spots because it hides veggies inside a juicy parcel of meat. The kids would never know!
Opt for Aw’s Market’s grass-fed beef mince from Australia to get meatballs with a generous punch of flavour. One might choose to mix in pork or chicken mince to get a leaner meat ball.
6. Braised Pork Belly Bento by JustOneCookbook
Braised meat just do well in packed lunches because every strand of meat is just so so so flavourful! If you already have braised meat in your fridge, this will be a perfect lunch to put together, all in under 15 minutes.
Tip: A recommendation on a good South East Asian braised pork recipe as an easier alternative - Rasa Malaysia also has a simple and great one (though we suggest adding in a sup bunjut packet to get the oomph of the five-spice flavour).
For a soft and melt-in-your-mouth texture, we believe fresh pork works much better than frozen. Fresh pork belly from Indonesia’s Bulan Island is a hot favourite amongst the older generations because it is believed to be more tender and less pungent.
All of the recipes above would be even better if made ahead just like the pork belly. They all store well in the fridge or freezer and heat up easily.