Tote your meals in darling dishes

Kotobuki’s Samurai Warrior and Geisha bento sets are simply adorable, with two stackable lunch compartments and a rice bowl for hair. The compact stack, held together by an elastic band, keeps food separate until mealtime so your rice doesn’t absorb all the soup from last night’s beef stew. The containers do run a bit on the small side, measuring just 51⁄2 inches tall when stacked, but shouldn’t we be watching our portion sizes anyway? Samurai and Geisha (each about $19) are available at amazon.com.

— Donica Kaneshiro

Toothpaste contains cocoa surprise

Saccharin and other artificial sweeteners are a common ingredient in toothpaste, so finding an alternative is no easy feat, especially if you’re also trying to avoid fluoride. Theodent fits the bill on both counts. The product’s main ingredient is Rennou, a trademarked cocoa extract. Seriously. Recent scientific studies have shown that cocoa extract is more effective than fluoride in fighting cavities and hardening tooth enamel. And while the packaging makes it look like a chocolate bar, Theodent actually has a nice minty flavor. Find it at Whole Foods Market ($13.99) in Kahala and Kailua, and at Nature’s Sunshine ($12) in Kukui Plaza.

— Nancy Arcayna

Squeezy snacks perfect for busy kids

I’m constantly on the go with my kids, so I’m always looking for a healthier snacking alternative than what’s available at most fast-food restaurants. And with summer already here, we are always looking for something portable and healthy to take to the beach or the pool. I found it in GoGo squeeZ, an all-natural, 100 percent fruit, kosher-certified, gluten-, dairy- and nut-free applesauce in a resealable pouch — and it comes in five flavors! The company is great, too, using fruit from farms and orchards that employ "best ecological practices." I found GoGo squeeZ at Target, where I picked up four 3.2-ounce pouches for $3.14.

— Kristi Dagdagan, Ewa Beach

Watch ‘Five-0′ actor’s off-set quest

If you can picture actor Will Yun Lee only as the wisecracking "Hawaii Five-0" villain Sang Min, then you owe yourself a visit to his training diary on YouTube. "Back to Black" is the 41-year-old actor’s quest to learn more about his father while working to regain the fighting form he had as a competitive martial artist. He has produced only two episodes — partly because of work commitments and partly because he pulled a hamstring — but they are instantly addictive. Lee’s heartfelt, articulate narration offers viewers a look at his youth, his time as an actor and his father’s impact as a martial arts grand master. And because Lee’s ultimate goal here is to have his father retest him for his black belt, there is no shortage of punches, flying kicks and gut-checking workouts. Here’s a link to the first episode: http://goo.gl/lrYgI.

— Mike Gordon

Happi coats go beyond bon dances

You don’t have to know the moves to that coal-mine classic "Tanko Bushi" to wear the bold designs on these happi coats, imported from Japan and available for $65 from the gift shop at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i. The sturdy, machine-washable cotton fabric will get you through the summer obon season and beyond, when you’ll need a stylish housecoat for the cooler months. And for the littlest dancers, the gift shop sells jinbei outfits for boys and girls ($42-$50). The center is at 2454 S. Beretania St., 945-7633. For a schedule of obon festivals, visit the staradvertiser.com Calendars section.

— Christie Wilson