Half of a typical bento consists of rice, and the other half consists of several side dishes made with such ingredients as vegetables, meat, fish, and eggs. This format allows for infinite variations. The most common side dish is some kind of cooked egg, such as tamagoyaki (omelette strips or squares cooked typically with salt and sugar), fried eggs, scrambled eggs, and omelets with various ingredients. Another perennial bento favorite is sausage. The creator of the bento sometimes makes little cuts in the sausage to make it look like an octopus or other animal, adding to the fun of the meal.