Grain | Two-Tier Wooden Bento Box

An oval two-tier bento box turned from dark wood, with a flat lid that lifts clear and an elastic band that holds the whole thing shut. It is the only lunch box in the shop that looks like something you would leave out on a table rather than put away in a drawer.

Each tier is a shallow oval tray, which suits the way this kind of box is meant to be packed: things laid side by side rather than piled up. Sliced fruit, cold noodles, dumplings, something pickled in a corner. The wood takes the edge off a cold lunch in a way steel and plastic do not, and it does not sweat the way a sealed plastic box does, so bread and rice keep a better texture.

Wood asks for slightly more care in return. Wash it by hand, dry it properly, and keep it away from the dishwasher and the microwave. Do that and the colour deepens rather than fades.

• Two stacking oval wooden trays with a flat lifting lid
• Elastic band holds the stack closed in a bag
• Shallow trays suited to laying food out rather than stacking it
• Hand wash only; dry before storing
• Not suitable for the dishwasher or the microwave