The pots are an individual serve, and instead of transferring rice in a bowl from the pot, the rice is served in the pot to be eaten directly from it.

The term bento is derived from the Chinese term biandang (便當, pinyin: biàndāng), which means "convenient" or "convenience".

Bento historically stars rice or noodles as the foundational starch, accompanied by a protein or two like fish, eggs, or meat. These two main focal points are accented with a variety of pickled and cooked vegetables, and a few bites of fruit, creating an easily balanced meal for healthy eating away from home.