Simply Bento by Yuko Yagi, Noriko Yura

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

From the creators of Japanese Cooking 101, Simply Bento is a complete collection of nearly 100 delicious and healthy bento recipes for everyone in the family. 

Ready to make lunch quick, easy, and delicious? Traditional Japanese bento boxes are single-portion packed lunches usually made with things like steamed rice, vegetables, and sushi, and they have long been one of the main pillars of Japanese cuisine.

Today, bento boxes have become hugely popular in both the East and West, creating a fusion of incredible flavor combinations. Simply Bento features nearly 100 healthy, delicious bento recipes you can make for every day of the week using a combination of traditional and non-traditional ingredients! Learn the essential components for a bento box, how to assemble your box, and the everyday items you will need in your pantry.

Simply Bento comes to you from the creators of the popular site Japanese Cooking 101, and shows you the finer points of making:10-Minute BentoNoodle BentoLow-Carb BentoVegan BentoSandwich BentoPopular Japanese BentoMake-ahead BentoSo if you're in the mood for Teriyaki Chicken, Ramen, Avocado Pasta Salad, Cauliflower Fried Rice, Falafel, Tempura, or Chicken Nugget for the kids, then Simply Bento has the bento recipes for all of them and more!

My thoughts-

While there have been some improvements to public school lunches since the 80's and 90's while I was in school, I still think they have a long way to go before they get anywhere near the healthy meals I would want my kids buying at school, so my kids take their lunch. Packing kid lunches you can still fall in the trap of unhealthy foods as well, so I am always looking for new ideas on healthy lunch choices. The Japanese food art of bento has always interested me, but I have never found a book like this that breaks down the history and art of it. I love that there are plenty of traditional Japanese options in the book, but that there are also some Americanized ideas as well. There are intricate lunches that might take some time and effort to make, but there are some that would be quicker to throw together. I also love that these are meals my husband and kids would enjoy, and that they are healthy choices for all of them but will still be tasty and flavorful. I recommend this book to anyone looking to up their lunch game or just wanting to learn more about Japanese food culture. 

Bring Your Lunch by Califia Suntree (Cookbook Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

With over 60 delicious, healthful, unexpected recipes, BRING YOUR LUNCH ensures DIY lunchtime success—and significant weekly savings—while keeping the brown-bag doldrums away. And it doesn't matter if you’re a make-ahead food planner or a harried last-minute type—with its innovative, doable strategies, cooks of all kinds can learn to overcome the obstacles that keep them hooked on expensive takeout or boring PB&Js.

My thoughts-

My husband works the overnight shift at work so I am always looking for great new recipes to make for his meal. He works a ten hour shift and is on his feet a lot so I want to provide him with a sustaining meal and a turkey and cheese sandwich just won't cut it. I am always looking on Pinterest for new ideas, but it is also nice to have a bunch of recipes in one spot which is why I was ecstatic to come across Bring Your Lunch. A big chunk of the beginning of the book is devoted to types of equipment needed for carrying and creating your lunch that I really didn't need, but I could see how it would be pertinent information for someone just starting out in the home lunch making game. When I got to the recipes I was excited to see that there was a wide array of different meals to chose from. My husband and I are both fans of recipes from other cultures and I love that there are some recipes like this in the book, it is nice to see so many different types of food choices represented. The book also has some fun ideas to get your office mates involved in community brown bagging as well. I think there are some great recipes here and I would recommend the book to anyone looking to add some variety to their lunches for school and/or work. 

Beating the Lunch Box Blues: Fresh Ideas for Lunches on the Go! By: J. M. Hirsch Book Review

*Disclosure- I received a free e-copy of the book via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

My daughter is starting Kindergarten in the fall and a big concern for me is the lack of nutrition offered by the school cafeterias in our nation. As a result, I have been planning to pack her lunches daily and send them with her. The dilemma, of course, is to make the food seem more appealing than the rubber fakery that the school cafeterias call food and I don't think eating a sandwich every day would be desirable nor would I expect her to cheerily consume the exact same lunch every day. I had already decided that I will pack her lunches as many of the Japanese do- Bento style. It is an art form, really, but also a great way to pack a healthy, varied lunch.

Anyway, I was super excited to run across a cookbook on NetGalley devoted specifically to packing interesting lunches. Many of the recipes are derived from cooking dinners and using left overs which is cool by me. I think a lot of the recipes in the book would be more appealing to my husband than my 5 year old daughter, but it was still helpful because I have also been in a rut trying to figure out what to pack him for his overnight shift at the hospital. I do think that many of the recipes are things my daughter will eat as well though.  There are several categories the book is divided into including breakfast for lunch (this will definitely come in handy for my breakfast loving 5 yr old, I would have never thought to send breakfast for lunch, but why not?) a section on sandwiches, another one on sausages and one completely devoted to poultry. There is even a small vegetarian section, which I found refreshing (I just wish it contained a little more)! There are ideas in this book for pretty much every meal under the sun that you can possibly think of. I love the idea of taking school lunches beyond sandwiches and prepacked Lunchables which have a gazillion milligrams of sodium and are also highly processed. I like that this book offers a variety of options, keeping lunch less boring than lunch can be known to be. This book will definitely come in handy when school starts and I need some great ideas for my daughter's lunchbox!





Beating the Lunch Box Blues will be available for purchase September 3. You can pre-order at Amazon.com. In the meantime you can check out J.M Hirsh's website where he posts pictures of his son's lunch box contents. If you need ideas for lunches, you will love his website and the book!