This Celeb-Approved Convenience Store Hack Is Genius
Spending $1000+ on a plane ticket to Japan and living off $3 convenience store foods when you get there is a tale as old as time. How could you not?
You can see why it's possible — the convenience store game is GOD-TIER.
From Family Mart fried chicken and assorted 7-Eleven sandwiches — to LAWSON onigiris and packed baked goods, you're spoilt for choice. But what should you actually pick up?
After chatting about her music comeback and presenting at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, I needed to ask Japanese-British singer Rina Sawayama this very question (along with any tips).
Rina strutted onto the Anime Awards stage in a velvety Marc Jacobs dress to present 'Film of the Year'. Before the show, she sat down with us to chat all things new music, anime and film projects — read the full interview here.
Her recommendation, which she credits to manager, Chikara Kasahara, is the best way to ensure you get steaming-hot curry buns before you walk through 7-Eleven's doors.
Rina says that the secret is to "call [7-Eleven] ahead" of your visit, so you can experience "the freshest" Kare pan.
Inspired by the simplicity (and effectiveness) of Rina's advice for a 10/10 eating experience, I've sifted through other viral internet faves and recommended combinations to find the best of the best kombini hacks.
Basic I know, but adding a piece of boneless fried chicken into an egg salad sandwich (or, pancakes with syrup and margarine) is A1.
Whenever I describe the experience of eating this for the first time, I can only compare it to the moment in Ratatouille when Remy combined strawberry and cheese for the first time, which caused him to shift into another dimension. The salty flavour from the chicken mixed with the sweet, yolk-y flavours of the egg salad sandwich is really, really good.
Grab the egg salad sando from the fridge or pancakes from the baked and packaged goods shelf and the fried chicken from the window at the front counter.
Mixing coffee jelly to a Royal Milk Tea Frappe is a budget bubble tea alternative with a caffeine hit.
No boba stores around? Pull an Afternoon Tea brand milk tea frappe from the fridge and take it to the coffee dispenser. Then add the pre cut coffee jelly to the cup and stir for a creamy, coffee flavoured afternoon treat.
Make a chicken parmi sandwich with just two convenience store items — pizza buns and front-counter fried chicken.
At your nearest konbini, TikToker, Okinawa RV suggests grabbing two pizza buns and a piece of fried chicken to create a burger. When you bite into the pizza buns you'll get an ooze of marinara sauce with melted cheese that'll give you the parmigiana flavour to pair with the chicken.
Have a creamy matcha latte frappe at any time of the day using drinkable ice cream.
Three things are needed to pull this off — a 7-Eleven matcha latte from the drinks fridge, an ice cup and Coolish drinkable ice cream. Squeeze a good amount of the ice cream into your ice cup, tip the matcha over the top and stir! Ta-da you have a matcha frappe without the café prices.
A well-known hack but one to stress...GET A FRUIT SMOOTHIE!
The food scene in Japan is a goldmine, from mochi and pork katsu to ramens and yakitori — it's sooooo good. However, you might find it's hard to get your fibre in and keep your bowel movements...moving. So, these all fruit smoothie from 7-Eleven are an easy and yummy way to put some fibre back into your indulgent food trips.Also when it's hot, these icy bevvies will help cool you down.
Still feeling a bit blocked up? Grab a yogurt drink of one of these Fibe-Mini drinks that have a healthy amount of dietary fibre.
If you're lucky enough to be around a konbini with a hot cookie or baked goods window, grab yourself two pieces and an Ohayou Brulee in the freezer for a DIY ice cream sandwich.
Warm, gooey cookies with a crackly, sugar topped ice cream centre? Sign me up. This looks sinful.TikToker Nikki Eats Japan only picked up one cookie to make her sandwich, which might help if you want to take the sugar content down a notch.
Not super sure about this one but it seems easy enough. Grab yourself a duo pack of Yukimi Mochi Ice Cream from the freezer and make sure it's vanilla. Then pull a cup of curry ramen from the shelf and prepare it (at home or in-store). When the noodles are cooked to your desired bite texture, add in the vanilla mochi ball and stir until combined enough. Enjoy, I guess?
And finally, when you're feeling sick during your trip and need something lighter on your stomach, grab a plain rice ball and instant miso soup.
Broth and soup is a healing combination. Usually, miso soup is used a side dish with a bigger meal but in this case, IT IS THE MEAL. The gentle, salty flavour with the plain rice ball is comforting and easy on the stomach.
What are you favourite convenience store hacks in your country?
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