Tuesday Megalinks

Baltimore Sun: Lunch Lessons
Move over, Lunchables – bento boxes are on the move. According to the Sun, parents across our great nation are taking more of an interest in the health and creativity of their kids’ midday meals. Neat trends report followed up by a few solid tips. (Thanks to Slashfood for the link.)

Black Napkin: A Peek Into Per Se’s Kitchen
100% pure, unadulterated kitchen porn, from the culinary equivalent of the Playboy Mansion. Look at that “Finesse” sign above the kitchen door and tell me you don’t want it RIGHT NOW. (Thanks to Eater for the link.)

Culinate: Why you need a food processor
Food processors are often left off lists of kitchen must-haves because they tend to be expensive and bulky. I myself didn’t own one until about five years ago, when my forbearers (Ma and Pa) bought me a small blender/f.p. combo for Christmas. Instantly, it was like, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE? Now, everything is possible in my kitchen, from pestos to purees to … oh man, so much stuff. If you can swing it, I highly suggest adding one to your collection.

Daily Mail: How a cash-strapped teacher beat credit crunch by living on £1 a day for a YEAR after drunken bet
Hm. Okay, I’m pretty frugal, but this is my second worst nightmare (after being trapped in an elevator with 100 8th-graders and a tarantula): last year, U.K. teacher Kath Kelly drunkenly wagered her friends that she could survive a full year on 365£. Though I’m sure she woke up the next morning thinking, “WHAT THE CRAP DID I DO,” she won the bet. This is her story. (Thanks to Alanna Kellogg of BlogHer for the link.)

Epi-Log: How to Keep Track of All Your Nutrition Info
I use Calorie King to calculate the numbers for the recipes on this site, but Nutrition Data seems like a good alternative. Readers? Has anyone tried it yet?

Festival of Frugality #142: Frugal Babe
Great organization job by FB, along with some solid posts about food from Cash Money Life (20 Ways to Save Time and Money in the Kitchen) and The Happy Rock (The Ingredient Experiment – Save Money and Eat Better). Jaime’s Little Meals for One post is an editor’s pick, too. Woot!

The Kitchn: Kitchen Nemesis – What Recipe is Your Biggest Challenge?
Frittatas, pie crusts, pancakes – it’s a big ol’ list of simple dishes that experienced Kitchn commenters just. Can’t. Get. Right. Personally, a halfway decent baked chicken breast will always elude me. WHY DO YOU TORTURE ME, CHICKEN? Yarg.

New York Times: As Belts Tighten, Lobsters Shrink and Bar Menus Grow
We’ve all heard that restaurants are cutting back, but this Times article explains exactly how: appetizer specials, Sunday promotions, cheaper cuts of meat, etc. Even three-and-four star eateries are tightening their belts, so it makes for an interesting read.

Oregon Live: No crock – slow cookers full of upgrades
I’ve never seen this subject covered before, so it’s definitely worth checking out: it’s an article detailing what kind of slow cooker is appropriate for a buyer’s specific needs. Size, appearance, inserts, and technology are all taken into consideration. Good reading if you’re in the market. (Thanks to Slashfood for the link.)

Oregon Live: Scout wins honor with food bank cookbook
Thank goodness for awesome girls like Mary Catherine Muniz, who, for her Girl Scout Gold Award, created an entire cookbook using food pantry staples. She tested all the recipes herself, and even translated it into Spanish. Awesome. The next time you’re all like, “KIDS THESE DAYS, with their skimpy clothes and their rap music. What’s happened to this country, dagnabbit?,” think of her and be happy. (Thanks to Slashfood for the link.)

Project Organic Eating:10-Day Vegetarian Challenge
Vegetarians, hear POE’s call! “Almost every site I’ve visited in the last week offers free cookbooks, information packs, and resources for anyone interested in learning more about becoming a vegetarian.” NICE! (Thanks to Money Saving Mom for the link.)

Re-Nest: 10 Simple Uses for Spaghetti Jars
There was an … incident … with my whole wheat flour this week, so I’ll definitely be storing it in airtight containers henceforth. These spaghetti jars should come in handy. (Thanks to Slashfood for the link.)

Serious Eats: America’s Heroes, Grinders, Subs, and More
Huge post on the regional differences between U.S. sandwiches, from Po’boys to Banh Mi to Spuckies. Go for the pictures. Stay for the explanations.

Serious Eats: Pro-HFCS Ads – Do They Bother You?
The last few weeks, you may have spotted 30-second ads promoting High Fructose Corn Syrup as a basic cornerstone of American food/society. I am of the “Dude. Don’t be fooled. It’s sugar, and it’s bad for you.” mindset. Readers, what’s your take?

Slashfood: Midnight Molded Food
Disgust your friends and gross out your neighbors with this Slashfood series, focusing on retro Jello/meat recipes. Some of this stuff is very seriously, quite insane. I wish I had the words to express my reaction to Salmon Pudding and Jellied Veal Salad, but I don’t think they exist in English.

Weight Watchers: 24 Great Light-Cooking Tips
Good, long list of strategies for lightening up your meals. There’s lots of stuff you may have never seen before, like, “Make your own taco shells by hanging soft fat-free tortillas directly over an oven rack and baking at 400°F until crisp.”(Non-WW folks, let me know if this link works. I’m pretty sure it’s available to non-subscribers, but could be mistaken.)

(Photos courtesy of Abolutely.com, kecute.com, and Cooking Light.)