Survey: About 80% of Parents Feel Burdened by Packed Lunch Preparation. How to Solve the 31.5 Minutes of Morning Stress Amid Summer Food Safety Concerns

As summer peaks, concerns over bento hygiene are rising. Minlun Co., Ltd. (Chiyoda City, Tokyo; CEO: Akiko Imai), which operates an e-commerce service for naturally thawing frozen side dishes for middle and high school students' lunches, conducted a 'Survey on Bento Preparation' in June 2026 targeting 300 women raising children. Analysis of responses from 254 participants with bento-making experience revealed that about 80% feel daily bento preparation is a burden, with an average time of 31.5 minutes including post-cooking cleanup. The main burdens identified were 'securing preparation time (waking up early),' 'nutritional balance,' and 'hygiene management (food poisoning prevention).'

【Key Findings of the Survey】 · Approximately 80% (80.71%) of parents feel bento preparation is a burden.

· Top 3 burdens: 'Waking up early' (58.27%), 'Nutritional balance' (53.54%), 'Hygiene management (food poisoning)' (47.64%)

· Average time for bento preparation, including cooking and cleanup: 31.5 minutes

· 'Minna no Lunch BOX,' a naturally thawing frozen side dish requiring only about one minute of active work, is now available via early sale on Makuake as a solution to these three burdens

Focused on lunchboxes for middle and high school students. Parents spend an average of 31.5 minutes on bento preparation, with about 80% feeling burdened.

Among the 300 survey participants, 254 reported regular bento-making experience. When asked, 'Do you feel burdened by daily bento preparation?' 36.22% answered 'feel very burdened,' and 44.49% answered 'feel somewhat burdened,' totaling approximately 80% (80.71%) who feel burdened. Only about 20% answered 'do not feel burdened' or 'do not feel burdened at all,' revealing that many parents experience stress from daily bento preparation.

About 80% of parents feel burdened by bento preparation.

The real burdens: 'Waking up early,' 'Nutritional balance,' 'Hygiene'

The top three responses (up to three answers allowed) to the question about specific burdens were:

1) Securing preparation time (e.g., waking up early): 58.27%

2) Menu planning for nutritional balance: 53.54%

3) Hygiene management (food poisoning): 47.64%

Ranking of concerns in bento preparation

The most commonly cited issue was 'securing preparation time.' In the hectic weekday mornings, when preparing for work or school overlaps, finding time for bento preparation is a common challenge for many households. This is followed by 'nutritional balance' and 'hygiene,' with food poisoning concerns adding to the burden during warmer months. Only 3.94% answered 'no burden at all,' indicating that most parents simultaneously juggle multiple concerns while preparing bento.

When asked about the time required for bento preparation including post-cooking cleanup, the average was 31.5 minutes. Having to secure this time every morning during busy weekdays contributes to the sense of burden.

Average time spent on bento preparation: 31.5 minutes

A new option: 'Bento with about one minute of active work' to solve all three burdens

'Minna no Lunch BOX,' a naturally thawing frozen side dish currently available via early sale on the crowdfunding platform Makuake, is designed to address the three burdens identified in this survey: 'time,' 'nutritional balance,' and 'hygiene.' Simply take it from the freezer and pack it with rice—preparation is complete. It reduces the average active preparation time of traditional bento (31.5 minutes) to about one minute. No ice packs are needed, ensuring food safety even in summer.

【Minna no Lunch BOX】 Take from freezer and go! Preparation complete in about one minute of active work

On the morning of the day, simply take it from the freezer and pack it with rice (cooked rice). Preparation is complete. At room temperature (20°C), it naturally thaws in about four hours and is ready to eat by lunchtime. It also acts as a coolant, ensuring food safety in summer. Compared to the average 31.5 minutes required for traditional bento preparation, this product reduces active preparation time to about one minute, creating approximately 30 minutes of extra time each morning.

Overview of 'Minna no Lunch BOX'

'Minna no Lunch BOX' is currently being offered through a pre-sale project on the crowdfunding platform Makuake.

Project Name: [Bento Revolution] Morning Time-Saver! Naturally Thawing Frozen Side Dish 'Minna no Lunch BOX'

URL: https://www.makuake.com/project/minnanolunch/

Campaign Period: June 26, 2026 – July 31, 2026

Funding Goal: 700,000 JPY

Project Image

In response to the survey results

The survey results align with the problem awareness behind the development of 'Minna no Lunch BOX,' the naturally thawing frozen side dish operated by Minlun Co., Ltd. CEO Akiko Imai stated:

'As a mother raising middle and high school students, I have personally experienced the difficulty of daily bento preparation. This survey reaffirmed with data that the three burdens—waking up early, nutritional balance, and hygiene management—are particularly significant. That's why I wanted to create a system where simply taking something from the freezer and packing it completes a nutritionally balanced bento. I hope this creates more morning ease and brings more smiles to families.'

Survey Overview

Survey Name: Survey on Bento Preparation

Conducted by: Minlun Co., Ltd. (in-house survey)

Method: Online survey

Survey Period: June 8, 2026

Target: Married women aged 42–60 across Japan with children, employed (company employee, civil servant, self-employed) or housewives, household income over 10 million JPY

Sample Size: 300 respondents (responses from 254 bento-making experience holders were analyzed)

Inquiries and Company Information

Minlun Co., Ltd. Public Relations (press@minlun.co.jp)

Company Name: Minlun Co., Ltd. CEO: Akiko Imai, Representative Director Address: Yamato Building 405, 1-6-16 Kanda-Izumicho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo Business: Operation of e-commerce service 'Minna no Lunch' (https://minlun.jp) for naturally thawing frozen side dishes URL: https://minlun.co.jp/