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Let's Fix Lunch: Enjoy Delicious, Planet-Friendly Meals at Work, School, or On the Go
Let's Fix Lunch! makes it easy (and fun!) to prepare meals that are good for you and good for the planet.
This eco-friendly cookbook features delicious, waste-free recipes for sandwiches, salads, soups, snacks, and more.
An inspiring guide for anyone who wants to do their small part to save the earth, Let's Fix Lunch! makes it simple to create a sustainable, waste-free home.
• Easy-to-make recipes for all home cooks
• Includes more than 50 simple tips for reducing food waste and plastic use
• Features a handy guide to buying in bulk, meal prepping, and food storage
This eco-conscious cookbook is written by Kat Nouri, founder of the beloved, environmentally friendly kitchen brand Stasher.
This eco-friendly cookbook features delicious, waste-free recipes for sandwiches, salads, soups, snacks, and more.
An inspiring guide for anyone who wants to do their small part to save the earth, Let's Fix Lunch! makes it simple to create a sustainable, waste-free home.
• Easy-to-make recipes for all home cooks
• Includes more than 50 simple tips for reducing food waste and plastic use
• Features a handy guide to buying in bulk, meal prepping, and food storage
This eco-conscious cookbook is written by Kat Nouri, founder of the beloved, environmentally friendly kitchen brand Stasher.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2020
8 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
September 25, 2020
"An inspiring guide for anyone who wants to do their small part to save the earth, Let's Fix Lunch! makes it simple to create a sustainable, waste-free home."
Lunch is one meal I struggle with the most preparing and finding ideas for, so when I saw this cookbook to review, I decided to give it a try. The focus here is easy lunches on the go that are good for you and for the planet. We may not be on the go as much as we used to be, however, we are still as busy as ever. I find having all my family working from home, I need to be more organized now. I found Let's Fix Lunch a well organized and helpful cookbook for those quick, easy lunches for my family.
The recipes focus on plant-friendly meals; however, they are some that are not so friendly and contain meat. The recipes include recipes for sandwiches, salads, soups and snacks—all my favourite things to eat.
Some recipes are
Apple Streusel Bars
Everything Bagel Chips
Kale Salad with Apples, Lentils, Feta & Seeds
Italian Tomato-Bread Soup
Pesto Chicken Sandwich
and many more
Not only are the recipes useful it is a great one to read with all those added features to it. I found the 50 tips for reducing waste a helpful reminder to take those steps for our planet. There is a guide to buying in bulk, meal prepping and planning and food storage. The photos are bright and very appealing to look at and enticing. It's a fun and useful cookbook to read and get you organized for those busy times.
I received a copy from the publisher on Edelweiss
Lunch is one meal I struggle with the most preparing and finding ideas for, so when I saw this cookbook to review, I decided to give it a try. The focus here is easy lunches on the go that are good for you and for the planet. We may not be on the go as much as we used to be, however, we are still as busy as ever. I find having all my family working from home, I need to be more organized now. I found Let's Fix Lunch a well organized and helpful cookbook for those quick, easy lunches for my family.
The recipes focus on plant-friendly meals; however, they are some that are not so friendly and contain meat. The recipes include recipes for sandwiches, salads, soups and snacks—all my favourite things to eat.
Some recipes are
Apple Streusel Bars
Everything Bagel Chips
Kale Salad with Apples, Lentils, Feta & Seeds
Italian Tomato-Bread Soup
Pesto Chicken Sandwich
and many more
Not only are the recipes useful it is a great one to read with all those added features to it. I found the 50 tips for reducing waste a helpful reminder to take those steps for our planet. There is a guide to buying in bulk, meal prepping and planning and food storage. The photos are bright and very appealing to look at and enticing. It's a fun and useful cookbook to read and get you organized for those busy times.
I received a copy from the publisher on Edelweiss
May 14, 2020
Let's Fix Lunch! is so much more than a recipe book. It is a book of tips, resources, and it is also a handy reference to use in the reduce, reuse, recycle trend.
There are gorgeous photographs of every dish and they all made my mouth water. You'll want to try every recipe because every dish looks so delicious.
Let's Fix Lunch! is an excellent book to have in your kitchen library. It can be used not only for lunches, but just about any meal. Rated it five stars -- I loved it!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
There are gorgeous photographs of every dish and they all made my mouth water. You'll want to try every recipe because every dish looks so delicious.
Let's Fix Lunch! is an excellent book to have in your kitchen library. It can be used not only for lunches, but just about any meal. Rated it five stars -- I loved it!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 8, 2020
Let's Fix Lunch is a wonderful cookbook for environmentally conscious people. It contains recipes that are healthy, easy and easily packed in Eco Friendly packaging. This cookbook has tips on reducing waste, reusable utensils, meal prep ideas etc. The Apple Streusel Bars sound delicious! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my digital copy.
July 16, 2020
The pluses for this book -- lovely color photos of just about every recipe and a variety of eco-friendly meals. That said, there is no nutritional information for the recipes and many of them won't work for those on special diets. They're pretty standard American fare (meat, dairy, wheat, refined carbs...). The premise is that the meals can be eaten on the go at work or whatever, but many of them seemed like they should be eaten hot and wouldn't be hot this way. I don't know that I'd want a quinoa bowl with meats and veggies that was room temperature. Shrug. It frequently read like an ad for Stasher reusable bags (the author's company). It also didn't feel that eco-friendly at times, like the suggestion to reuse disposable bags to throw away dirty diapers. If we're going to be eco-friendly, how about we use cloth diapers, or at least mention the option.
All in all, it's a pretty book but seemed geared towards a very specific upper class clientele, not necessarily the rest of us who live a sustainable lifestyle all the time without fancy silicone bags or gourmet radishes.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
All in all, it's a pretty book but seemed geared towards a very specific upper class clientele, not necessarily the rest of us who live a sustainable lifestyle all the time without fancy silicone bags or gourmet radishes.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
May 19, 2020
This book is full of really lovely photos, delicious recipes and lots of eco tips. My confession is that lunch is one of my favorite meals of the day and this book had lots of great ideas. The recipes were very user friendly and most of the ingredients were items you have in the kitchen.
I tried the Persian Frittata and it was just great. It was full of flavor and quite easy to make. I also made the apple streusel bars that my son just loved. I can't wait to try more.
This is a great addition to your cookbook collection. Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
I tried the Persian Frittata and it was just great. It was full of flavor and quite easy to make. I also made the apple streusel bars that my son just loved. I can't wait to try more.
This is a great addition to your cookbook collection. Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
September 6, 2020
There weren't a lot of recipes that fit my palate and this book wasn't quite what I was expecting although a few recipes sounded great (tuna pesto pasta salad and chicken pesto sandwiches to name a couple.)
This book relies on many make ahead ingredients so when you add up the food prep time plus the recipe, many of these are not simple enough for lunch in my opinion.
In addition this was an eco family cookbook which seemed like a long advertisement for Stasher, the author's company.
Thank you Chronicle Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book relies on many make ahead ingredients so when you add up the food prep time plus the recipe, many of these are not simple enough for lunch in my opinion.
In addition this was an eco family cookbook which seemed like a long advertisement for Stasher, the author's company.
Thank you Chronicle Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2020
Let’s Fix Lunch by Kat Nouri is a bright, attractive, environmentally aware cookbook that is a good addition to the Stasher bag brand, although I never heard of Stasher bags before I read this book. Instead, I requested this from NetGalley on the basis of the bright, attractive cover art and brief description. Planet-friendly recipes sounded good to me, and the book made them look good too.
There’s a lot to like about Let’s Fix Lunch, even for me, who found almost none of the recipes met my combined taste and dietary restrictions. But as I mentioned, the food photography is a delight. The recipes involve a lot of building blocks, of precooked or assembled ingredients, like homemade pickles, carmelized onions, homemade pesto, and even directions on cooking basic ingredients like rice or hard-boiled eggs, etc. So the author walks you through how to make the building blocks, and then in following chapters through how those blocks can be used to assemble quick, simple, yet healthy and satisfying lunches throughout the week. Before each recipe is an “eco tip”, usually related to the recipe, on how to consume more mindfully and with a lighter environmental footprint (buy grains and nuts in bulk using your own refillable containers, eat nuts instead of seeds when possible, use stale bread to make croutons or thicken soups, eat lots of beans, which enrich the soil and use less water than other protein sources, don’t forget to compost, etc.). And at the end of the book are several pages of suggestions and resources for being more eco friendly in various contexts, as well as a handful of non profits the author endorses for these issues.
The downside to both the tips and the cookbook in general is that this book has a very “Whole Foods” vibe to it. Which is to say, it requires a certain economic bracket and presumes access to certain resources. The Stasher bags themselves, for instance, sound like a terrific idea, and a worthwhile investment for those who can afford them–but a starter kit on their website, with a mere 7 reusable bags, costs more than $80 US. That’s as much money as some people’s weekly grocery budget. Using Stasher bags (or other reusable containers) is mentioned in almost every, if not every single recipe, and throughout the informational sections as well. I understand that this is good branding and the reusable nature of Stasher bags are central to the mission of the company, which this cookbook only serves to amplify. But because of the assumption of income level and access to resources, I would only recommend this book to those in higher economic brackets, and probably not to anyone who is already very involved in environmental issues, as many of the suggested eco tips are not new concepts to a dedicated environmentalist.
So, overall, Let’s Fix Lunch! is a bright, cheerful, well-intentioned cookbook full of good if mostly basic eco friendly recommendations and omniverous recipes. Will I eventually save up for a Stasher bag or two of my own? Probably. Will I try any of these recipes? Probably not. Recommended for Whole Foods yoga moms, for financially comfortable denizens of places like the Bay area, where the author apparently lives, for those without dietary restrictions. Fine for its niche audience. Less helpful for those outside its range.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Chronicle Books for letting me read a temporary digital advanced copy of #LetsFixLunch for free. This review is my honest opinion.
There’s a lot to like about Let’s Fix Lunch, even for me, who found almost none of the recipes met my combined taste and dietary restrictions. But as I mentioned, the food photography is a delight. The recipes involve a lot of building blocks, of precooked or assembled ingredients, like homemade pickles, carmelized onions, homemade pesto, and even directions on cooking basic ingredients like rice or hard-boiled eggs, etc. So the author walks you through how to make the building blocks, and then in following chapters through how those blocks can be used to assemble quick, simple, yet healthy and satisfying lunches throughout the week. Before each recipe is an “eco tip”, usually related to the recipe, on how to consume more mindfully and with a lighter environmental footprint (buy grains and nuts in bulk using your own refillable containers, eat nuts instead of seeds when possible, use stale bread to make croutons or thicken soups, eat lots of beans, which enrich the soil and use less water than other protein sources, don’t forget to compost, etc.). And at the end of the book are several pages of suggestions and resources for being more eco friendly in various contexts, as well as a handful of non profits the author endorses for these issues.
The downside to both the tips and the cookbook in general is that this book has a very “Whole Foods” vibe to it. Which is to say, it requires a certain economic bracket and presumes access to certain resources. The Stasher bags themselves, for instance, sound like a terrific idea, and a worthwhile investment for those who can afford them–but a starter kit on their website, with a mere 7 reusable bags, costs more than $80 US. That’s as much money as some people’s weekly grocery budget. Using Stasher bags (or other reusable containers) is mentioned in almost every, if not every single recipe, and throughout the informational sections as well. I understand that this is good branding and the reusable nature of Stasher bags are central to the mission of the company, which this cookbook only serves to amplify. But because of the assumption of income level and access to resources, I would only recommend this book to those in higher economic brackets, and probably not to anyone who is already very involved in environmental issues, as many of the suggested eco tips are not new concepts to a dedicated environmentalist.
So, overall, Let’s Fix Lunch! is a bright, cheerful, well-intentioned cookbook full of good if mostly basic eco friendly recommendations and omniverous recipes. Will I eventually save up for a Stasher bag or two of my own? Probably. Will I try any of these recipes? Probably not. Recommended for Whole Foods yoga moms, for financially comfortable denizens of places like the Bay area, where the author apparently lives, for those without dietary restrictions. Fine for its niche audience. Less helpful for those outside its range.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Chronicle Books for letting me read a temporary digital advanced copy of #LetsFixLunch for free. This review is my honest opinion.
May 15, 2021
Let’s Fix Lunch is a helpful cookbook and lifestyle guide for those wanting to be more environmentally conscientious. The book is full of helpful little “eco tips” on each recipe page and offers more points of advice on lists in the back of the book. Unfortunately, in the days of Covid-19 some of these tips will be useless (my grocery store now pre-packages bulk bin items in plastic bags); but there are still quite a few nuggets in here to try. Although for a cookbook with a focus on “planet-friendly” meals and practices, I was surprised to see so many recipes with meat since animal agriculture is one of the leading contributors to climate change. Half of the main dish recipes are vegetarian, although some of them do call for Parmesan cheese which is not a vegetarian cheese and the author seems to be unaware of this fact. There are no vegan recipes.
The images in the book are beautiful and the recipes look tasty. However, many of the recipes require you to make your own snack or condiment as an ingredient to your main dish and that’s generally not something I’m willing to do for a middle of the day meal unless I’m prepping ahead. And even then it seems like a little too much work for lunch.
Overall, I think this could be a good cookbook for someone trying to develop new environmentally friendly habits surrounding their food, but it’s really not for those of us who already bring our reusable produce bags to the grocery store and have nooch in our pantry.
The images in the book are beautiful and the recipes look tasty. However, many of the recipes require you to make your own snack or condiment as an ingredient to your main dish and that’s generally not something I’m willing to do for a middle of the day meal unless I’m prepping ahead. And even then it seems like a little too much work for lunch.
Overall, I think this could be a good cookbook for someone trying to develop new environmentally friendly habits surrounding their food, but it’s really not for those of us who already bring our reusable produce bags to the grocery store and have nooch in our pantry.
May 22, 2020
I contributed this review to Really Into This
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Special thanks to Chronicle Books for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.
I've recently discovered Stasher bags & I love them. We've tried to make a real effort to decrease our plastic consumption.
I have two kids, ages 8 & 11. They won't eat any of the food featured in this book. DANG IT!
That being said, my husband & I would! The food photography is beautiful & the recipes are simple. I do like the meal prep at the beginning of the book. I wish there were a few more tips on how, when & the best way to use your Stasher bags.
I think this would be a great book for health-conscious young adults who are learning to cook.
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Special thanks to Chronicle Books for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.
I've recently discovered Stasher bags & I love them. We've tried to make a real effort to decrease our plastic consumption.
I have two kids, ages 8 & 11. They won't eat any of the food featured in this book. DANG IT!
That being said, my husband & I would! The food photography is beautiful & the recipes are simple. I do like the meal prep at the beginning of the book. I wish there were a few more tips on how, when & the best way to use your Stasher bags.
I think this would be a great book for health-conscious young adults who are learning to cook.
April 29, 2020
Such a great little cookbook. The recipes are 'planet-friendly' which shouldn't be confused with 'plant-friendly' but many of the recipes are plant based. The photos are really beautiful and I found all the recipes to be super simple, with a few easily found ingredients. There are also tips for buying bulk and freezing. While it's clearly a product advertisement for the author, I didn't mind it at all, as the content is really solid and the product looks interesting. Many thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy.
September 9, 2020
Loved this collection of accessible and delicious lunch recipes. As a parent with a child who has severe nut allergies, I loved the nut free pesto recipe included in this collection. The orzo with ham and buttered peas was also something I was able to make during a lunch break, easily and with a very warm reception for the whole family!
June 22, 2020
Thank you Chronicle books and Netgalley for this ARC.
Nat Nouri is the inventor of ‘Stasher’ , reusable silicone bags for lunches, food storage.
Her recipe book focuses on recipes to make for lunches, in an effort To reduce waste and eat healthy food. Her book also contains Quite a bit of content on reusable products, (Stasher) to reduce waste.
The book has beautiful, perhaps Instagram worthy, photographs and a variety of healthy lunch recipes. .
It fell a bit short for me sadly. The recipes were mostly the usual suspects found in lunch based recipes books, Cobb salad, Caesar salad, frittata, soups, The presentation was beautiful but I would have liked the book to be more user friendly. For example each recipe was for two people so for families creating lunches for the week everything would have to be doubled or tripled, there was no nutrition information for recipes, there was no prep and cooking time for recipes, which I find a dealbreaker for me. Also, if you don’t carefully read the recipe before cooking (a mistake I’m sure we have all made at some point) you could be caught out, for example one recipe used baked tofu stirred through at the end, but the baked tofu was a seperate recipe that looked like it took a good hour or more to make.
All in all, a pretty book, but not one I would go to personally.
Nat Nouri is the inventor of ‘Stasher’ , reusable silicone bags for lunches, food storage.
Her recipe book focuses on recipes to make for lunches, in an effort To reduce waste and eat healthy food. Her book also contains Quite a bit of content on reusable products, (Stasher) to reduce waste.
The book has beautiful, perhaps Instagram worthy, photographs and a variety of healthy lunch recipes. .
It fell a bit short for me sadly. The recipes were mostly the usual suspects found in lunch based recipes books, Cobb salad, Caesar salad, frittata, soups, The presentation was beautiful but I would have liked the book to be more user friendly. For example each recipe was for two people so for families creating lunches for the week everything would have to be doubled or tripled, there was no nutrition information for recipes, there was no prep and cooking time for recipes, which I find a dealbreaker for me. Also, if you don’t carefully read the recipe before cooking (a mistake I’m sure we have all made at some point) you could be caught out, for example one recipe used baked tofu stirred through at the end, but the baked tofu was a seperate recipe that looked like it took a good hour or more to make.
All in all, a pretty book, but not one I would go to personally.
August 27, 2020
Thank you to Net Gallery and Chronicle books for the ARC of Let's Fix Lunch!
"Let's Fix Lunch!" features planet-friendly on-the-go meals and lifestyle tips. You might be asking, what does this mean? Well, most people don't pack their lunch or don't eat at home due to work and time constraints. Because of this, the consumption of plastic from to-go containers and food packaging (think saran wrap, wrappers, and plastic bags) is skyrocketing. These single-use plastics from lunch alone are difficult to recycle and often end up in landfills, polluting the environment. This book strives to teach us how to avoid single-use plastic and reduce waste, as well as introduce us to recipes that we can prepare for our on-the-go lifestyle.
The tips offered in this cookbook are (for the most part) inexpensive, but still simple to implement. Most likely, you already have them at home (think of the thermos sitting in your kitchen cabinet and the plethora of utensils in your drawer). Some are obvious, but I had never considered them before.
"Let's Fix Lunch" also provides advice for meal-prepping and storage, not just for the whole meals, but for individual ingredients. Nouri also includes a table to help you meal plan. Each row is the main ingredient (roasted chicken, chickpeas, rice, etc)l and each column is a day of the week featuring a meal that uses this main ingredient. I found this table to be helpful and easy to understand. I have always liked the idea of meal prepping, but have felt lost about how to implement it into my busy life. Having a list of meals that go with each "main" ingredient helped me wrap my mind around what I could prepare without doing a lot of additional work upfront. (For example, If I am going to make roasted vegetables, I could pick two recipes that incorporate them to last the entire week.)
As for the recipes, there require minimal ingredients and minimal steps. I am looking forward to trying the Barbeque Roasted Chickpeas, Italian Tomato Bread Soup, and the Pesto Chicken Salad - I will update my review once I have had the chance to try them out. Each recipe has an eco-tip that is related to the preparation of the meal or the shopping. I am always at a loss of what to prepare for lunch and this book features some new ideas. Bonus that they are "eco-friendly" and "meal-prepable".
The final chapter features tips for ways to make your home eco-friendly by room. This section is a little light and could use more visual aids to draw the reader's attention to it.
I would say this "cookbook" is more of a lifestyle guide - ways to make your life more eco-friendly and respectful of the environment. If you have already integrated a lot of eco-friendly changes into your lifestyle, this may not be the book for you, but as someone who would like to do more and struggles with finding ideas and implementing them, this book was helpful for me. It's basic, but that doesn't mean it is lacking substance or ideas.
"Let's Fix Lunch!" features planet-friendly on-the-go meals and lifestyle tips. You might be asking, what does this mean? Well, most people don't pack their lunch or don't eat at home due to work and time constraints. Because of this, the consumption of plastic from to-go containers and food packaging (think saran wrap, wrappers, and plastic bags) is skyrocketing. These single-use plastics from lunch alone are difficult to recycle and often end up in landfills, polluting the environment. This book strives to teach us how to avoid single-use plastic and reduce waste, as well as introduce us to recipes that we can prepare for our on-the-go lifestyle.
The tips offered in this cookbook are (for the most part) inexpensive, but still simple to implement. Most likely, you already have them at home (think of the thermos sitting in your kitchen cabinet and the plethora of utensils in your drawer). Some are obvious, but I had never considered them before.
"Let's Fix Lunch" also provides advice for meal-prepping and storage, not just for the whole meals, but for individual ingredients. Nouri also includes a table to help you meal plan. Each row is the main ingredient (roasted chicken, chickpeas, rice, etc)l and each column is a day of the week featuring a meal that uses this main ingredient. I found this table to be helpful and easy to understand. I have always liked the idea of meal prepping, but have felt lost about how to implement it into my busy life. Having a list of meals that go with each "main" ingredient helped me wrap my mind around what I could prepare without doing a lot of additional work upfront. (For example, If I am going to make roasted vegetables, I could pick two recipes that incorporate them to last the entire week.)
As for the recipes, there require minimal ingredients and minimal steps. I am looking forward to trying the Barbeque Roasted Chickpeas, Italian Tomato Bread Soup, and the Pesto Chicken Salad - I will update my review once I have had the chance to try them out. Each recipe has an eco-tip that is related to the preparation of the meal or the shopping. I am always at a loss of what to prepare for lunch and this book features some new ideas. Bonus that they are "eco-friendly" and "meal-prepable".
The final chapter features tips for ways to make your home eco-friendly by room. This section is a little light and could use more visual aids to draw the reader's attention to it.
I would say this "cookbook" is more of a lifestyle guide - ways to make your life more eco-friendly and respectful of the environment. If you have already integrated a lot of eco-friendly changes into your lifestyle, this may not be the book for you, but as someone who would like to do more and struggles with finding ideas and implementing them, this book was helpful for me. It's basic, but that doesn't mean it is lacking substance or ideas.
September 6, 2020
Lunch is a meal that definitely needed fixing at my house. While my husband and I both work from home (including pre-pandemic) and aren’t guilty of generating the daily waste from grab-and-go meals and takeout containers that author Kat Nouri describes, this title appealed to me from both recipes and solutions standpoints. Our struggle is actually taking a break and preparing and eating a healthful mid-day meal, so I was delighted to come across a lunch-specific book – and bonus (!) it benefits No Kid Hungry.
We are already fairly environmentally conscious household, yet I appreciated the inclusion of litter-free tips for those can benefit from the nudge and info. Additionally, the full-color photos are beautiful and make the recipes even more enticing. As a pescetarian with a nut allergy, there are quite a few recipes in Let’s Fix Lunch that won’t find their way onto my plate. I will also note that I expected a “planet-friendly” cookbook to be 100% vegetarian focused, or at least stick to sustainably sourced fish vs. including several chicken and beef recipes. I chose three test recipes – one each from the Condiments, Sandwiches, and Pasta sections. The results were delicious.
White Bean Hummus
This is the first hummus recipe I’ve ever made from scratch, and it was creamy and flavorful. With Nouri’s added suggestions for mix-ins, I’ll never go back to store-bought. A keeper!
Spinach-Feta Frittata Sandwich
I modified this recipe quite a bit, substituting my own pesto recipe, which uses sunflower seeds vs. pepitas, using a square baking dish to make the frittata vs. a Stasher bag, forgoing the mayo, and toasting the focaccia. The end result was a yummy sammie suitable for brekkie, brunch, or lunch.
Tuna Pesto Pasta Salad
Again, I substituted my own pesto recipe, and also used avocado and edamame in place of green beans due to personal preference. I had never had pesto pasta with tuna before, which upped the lunchy factor for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the flavor combo.
For me, the biggest success of this book, was that it inspired me to actually take a break and prepare and enjoy a delicious and delightful mid-day meal. On a scale of 0-5, I rate Let's Fix Lunch! 3.5 stars, my biggest issues being the limited content; inclusion of meat-based recipes in a “planet-friendly” cookbook; and the constant salesy-ness of Nouri's own Stasher brand mentions in so many of the recipes – and several preparation instructions that require them. That said, the environmental tips and children's hunger charity tie-in are an uplifting touch – like purchasing carbon offsets for a private jet flight that included meat dishes and too much self-promotion.
I received a pre-publication copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
We are already fairly environmentally conscious household, yet I appreciated the inclusion of litter-free tips for those can benefit from the nudge and info. Additionally, the full-color photos are beautiful and make the recipes even more enticing. As a pescetarian with a nut allergy, there are quite a few recipes in Let’s Fix Lunch that won’t find their way onto my plate. I will also note that I expected a “planet-friendly” cookbook to be 100% vegetarian focused, or at least stick to sustainably sourced fish vs. including several chicken and beef recipes. I chose three test recipes – one each from the Condiments, Sandwiches, and Pasta sections. The results were delicious.
White Bean Hummus
This is the first hummus recipe I’ve ever made from scratch, and it was creamy and flavorful. With Nouri’s added suggestions for mix-ins, I’ll never go back to store-bought. A keeper!
Spinach-Feta Frittata Sandwich
I modified this recipe quite a bit, substituting my own pesto recipe, which uses sunflower seeds vs. pepitas, using a square baking dish to make the frittata vs. a Stasher bag, forgoing the mayo, and toasting the focaccia. The end result was a yummy sammie suitable for brekkie, brunch, or lunch.
Tuna Pesto Pasta Salad
Again, I substituted my own pesto recipe, and also used avocado and edamame in place of green beans due to personal preference. I had never had pesto pasta with tuna before, which upped the lunchy factor for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the flavor combo.
For me, the biggest success of this book, was that it inspired me to actually take a break and prepare and enjoy a delicious and delightful mid-day meal. On a scale of 0-5, I rate Let's Fix Lunch! 3.5 stars, my biggest issues being the limited content; inclusion of meat-based recipes in a “planet-friendly” cookbook; and the constant salesy-ness of Nouri's own Stasher brand mentions in so many of the recipes – and several preparation instructions that require them. That said, the environmental tips and children's hunger charity tie-in are an uplifting touch – like purchasing carbon offsets for a private jet flight that included meat dishes and too much self-promotion.
I received a pre-publication copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
April 28, 2020
I absolutely love Stasher bags. For the longest time, I was sewing my own reusable lunch bags which, as you can imagine, were a pain because they had to be washed constantly. Stasher bags are so incredibly convenient - you can store them in your purse with confidence and they are even freezer friendly. If you don't already own some, I highly recommend getting a few to accompany this cookbook.
All of the pictures are absolutely stunning and make this the perfect kitchen companion for a modern day kitchen. There is a small chapter on the "building blocks" of meal prepping to help lead to less food waste and decrease overall time spent on cooking. It gives you a week sample of what you could prep on Sunday and what all it would yield throughout the week. Several recipes in the cookbook have the icon "building blocks" signifying they can be prepped and have multiple uses. Other icons include: vegetarian, freezable, school-lunch friendly, and make ahead.
The recipes have a simple format and almost all include a photograph. Each recipe also includes a small eco tip that is great for cutting down on food waste. Most of the ingredients used throughout the book are common and readily available at the grocery store. However, the recipes are rather ordinary and nothing stood out for me. It also doesn't go into too much depth about making things from scratch, a concept that a litter-free lifestyle relies on heavily. The sandwich chapter was the most disappointing. It calls for slices of whole wheat bread, focaccia, ciabatta rolls, etc. All of which are almost always in single use pre-packaged plastic, not to mention a little hard to find in at a regular grocer. But all of the recipes are easy and quick to prepare - something everyone wants when it comes to preparing lunch. The "Litter-Free Life" chapter at the end was a nice touch. It expands on waste-free tips for at home, gift giving, out & about, and travel.
While I personally wouldn't purchase this cookbook, I can think of several people within my social circle that would love it. This would be great as a house warming gift when paired with Stasher bags, reusable produce bags, etc.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for a free electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
All of the pictures are absolutely stunning and make this the perfect kitchen companion for a modern day kitchen. There is a small chapter on the "building blocks" of meal prepping to help lead to less food waste and decrease overall time spent on cooking. It gives you a week sample of what you could prep on Sunday and what all it would yield throughout the week. Several recipes in the cookbook have the icon "building blocks" signifying they can be prepped and have multiple uses. Other icons include: vegetarian, freezable, school-lunch friendly, and make ahead.
The recipes have a simple format and almost all include a photograph. Each recipe also includes a small eco tip that is great for cutting down on food waste. Most of the ingredients used throughout the book are common and readily available at the grocery store. However, the recipes are rather ordinary and nothing stood out for me. It also doesn't go into too much depth about making things from scratch, a concept that a litter-free lifestyle relies on heavily. The sandwich chapter was the most disappointing. It calls for slices of whole wheat bread, focaccia, ciabatta rolls, etc. All of which are almost always in single use pre-packaged plastic, not to mention a little hard to find in at a regular grocer. But all of the recipes are easy and quick to prepare - something everyone wants when it comes to preparing lunch. The "Litter-Free Life" chapter at the end was a nice touch. It expands on waste-free tips for at home, gift giving, out & about, and travel.
While I personally wouldn't purchase this cookbook, I can think of several people within my social circle that would love it. This would be great as a house warming gift when paired with Stasher bags, reusable produce bags, etc.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for a free electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Let's Fix Lunch is a neat tutorial and recipe guide to planning, making, and enjoying lunch. Due out 15th Sept 2020 from from Chronicle Books, it's 144 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
I'm a healthcare professional in my "day job" and as such, I continued to work during the lockdowns. For a while, we were advised against buying food in the hospital restaurant or convenience stores, so my choices for lunch pretty much consisted of hospital vending machines or bringing it myself. This book was a lot of fun to use and review and at the end of the month, I was really *shocked* how much money I had saved. (Like, embarrassingly much).
The layout is logical and easy to understand. The introductory chapters make the case for meal-prep, saving packaging, minimizing litter and waste, and efficiency. The tips are clear and basic, and the introductory tutorials are easy to implement with a little planning.
The recipe chapters are arranged thematically - snacks on the go, sauces and condiments, soups & salads, sandwiches, and grains and pastas. Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar (US measurements, with metric equivalents in parentheses (yay!)), and step by step instructions. Many of the recipes are photographed, and they are photographed well and clearly. Serving suggestions are attractive and appropriate. Special category listings (building block, school lunch friendly, make ahead, etc) are provided in the recipe headers.
The book also includes a short resource list and cross referenced index. There are a fairly large number of recipes included which provide the building blocks for varied and tasty lunches.
Four stars. There are a lot of really good tips here for reducing waste and making enjoyable meals on the go.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Let's Fix Lunch is a neat tutorial and recipe guide to planning, making, and enjoying lunch. Due out 15th Sept 2020 from from Chronicle Books, it's 144 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
I'm a healthcare professional in my "day job" and as such, I continued to work during the lockdowns. For a while, we were advised against buying food in the hospital restaurant or convenience stores, so my choices for lunch pretty much consisted of hospital vending machines or bringing it myself. This book was a lot of fun to use and review and at the end of the month, I was really *shocked* how much money I had saved. (Like, embarrassingly much).
The layout is logical and easy to understand. The introductory chapters make the case for meal-prep, saving packaging, minimizing litter and waste, and efficiency. The tips are clear and basic, and the introductory tutorials are easy to implement with a little planning.
The recipe chapters are arranged thematically - snacks on the go, sauces and condiments, soups & salads, sandwiches, and grains and pastas. Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar (US measurements, with metric equivalents in parentheses (yay!)), and step by step instructions. Many of the recipes are photographed, and they are photographed well and clearly. Serving suggestions are attractive and appropriate. Special category listings (building block, school lunch friendly, make ahead, etc) are provided in the recipe headers.
The book also includes a short resource list and cross referenced index. There are a fairly large number of recipes included which provide the building blocks for varied and tasty lunches.
Four stars. There are a lot of really good tips here for reducing waste and making enjoyable meals on the go.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
September 15, 2020
Let's Fix Lunch feels more like a lifestyle guide than a cookbook to me though, in saying that, I did enjoy perusing it. It just wasn't what I was expecting. It was lighter on the recipes than I like, and heavier on the Stasher self-promotion, and advocating for eco-friendly choices, but that's to be expected when the author of the book is also the founder of the company.
I adored all the gorgeous and colorful photos that adorned each page, showcasing the recipes beautifully. The only thing missing was the nutritional facts of each recipe. I am always disappointed when cookbooks do not include such pertinent information.
I am horrible at meal planning, and found the weekly meal prep table to be incredibly helpful. I am also empowered and inspired to become more eco-friendly than I already am. The statistics of food packaging waste that is included in the book is staggering, and opened my eyes to how much of a problem this is not only for our generation, but for future generations. I want to do my part to lessen these statistics. I also love that a portion of every Let's Eat Lunch book sold will go to No Kid Hungry program, which is an amazing perk to purchasing a copy for yourself. Not only are you getting educated, and getting some yummy recipes, but you are helping feed others.
As far as the recipes go, many of them did not really fit the taste of my family, but I did bookmark a few recipes to try later. The Spinach-Feta Frittata Sandwich sounds delicious, as well as the Italian Tomato Bean Soup that I am planning to make once fall really kicks in. I have always wanted to make my own hummus, and am considering the White Bean Hummus recipe to be my first!
Though I was disappointed in the recipes themselves Let's Fix Lunch is a beautiful presented lifestyle book that has little golden nuggets throughout, a few new recipes, and great tips and reminders to help the environment. I enjoyed looking through it and look forward to trying a few of the recipes.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Chronicle Books through NetGalley . All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
I adored all the gorgeous and colorful photos that adorned each page, showcasing the recipes beautifully. The only thing missing was the nutritional facts of each recipe. I am always disappointed when cookbooks do not include such pertinent information.
I am horrible at meal planning, and found the weekly meal prep table to be incredibly helpful. I am also empowered and inspired to become more eco-friendly than I already am. The statistics of food packaging waste that is included in the book is staggering, and opened my eyes to how much of a problem this is not only for our generation, but for future generations. I want to do my part to lessen these statistics. I also love that a portion of every Let's Eat Lunch book sold will go to No Kid Hungry program, which is an amazing perk to purchasing a copy for yourself. Not only are you getting educated, and getting some yummy recipes, but you are helping feed others.
As far as the recipes go, many of them did not really fit the taste of my family, but I did bookmark a few recipes to try later. The Spinach-Feta Frittata Sandwich sounds delicious, as well as the Italian Tomato Bean Soup that I am planning to make once fall really kicks in. I have always wanted to make my own hummus, and am considering the White Bean Hummus recipe to be my first!
Though I was disappointed in the recipes themselves Let's Fix Lunch is a beautiful presented lifestyle book that has little golden nuggets throughout, a few new recipes, and great tips and reminders to help the environment. I enjoyed looking through it and look forward to trying a few of the recipes.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Chronicle Books through NetGalley . All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
October 1, 2020
Let’s Fix Lunch! is more than just a cookbook. It’s a manifesto for reducing waste. That makes it a welcome addition to my cookbook shelf. I try to reduce waste as well. The cookbook focuses on lunch which means there are plenty of snacks, salads, soups, and sandwiches.
There is an impressive example of cooking basics that can be used to create additional meals throughout the week. I looked at it in awe and with the absolute acceptance that I will never be so organized. I usually decide what to cook when I start cooking. Still, it was impressive.
Some recipes are thrilling such as the Persian Herb Frittata. I love manakeesh, the delicious form of Lebanese pizza, and this looks like an easy and flavorful alternative. The cheddar onion slice and bake crackers are another winner. The barbecue chickpeas are wonderful. I have roasted chickpeas for snacks so many times, but never before with this much flavor. I love Waldorf salad and I love sandwiches, I have never thought of a Waldorf salad sandwich.
Let’s Fix Lunch! offers delicious and accessible recipes that are easy and use ingredients most people have on hand without a special shopping trip. It is also great at setting people up for a week of meals with some weekend preparation. I acknowledge that part is just pretty to look at for me, but for people with little time for cooking, it could be a life-saver.
I also appreciate the effort to advise people on how to reduce food waste and storage waste. That is why Stasher, a company that makes reusable silicone storage bags to reduce waste. I just rewash my plastic freezer bags over and over and over until they start to leak, but reusable permanent bags are a smart idea in the long run. This is a forward-looking cookbook with easy and delicious recipes.
I received an e-galley of Let’s Fix Lunch! from the publisher through NetGalley
Let’s Fix Lunch! at Chronicle Books
Kat Nouri, Erin Scott, & Stasher
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
There is an impressive example of cooking basics that can be used to create additional meals throughout the week. I looked at it in awe and with the absolute acceptance that I will never be so organized. I usually decide what to cook when I start cooking. Still, it was impressive.
Some recipes are thrilling such as the Persian Herb Frittata. I love manakeesh, the delicious form of Lebanese pizza, and this looks like an easy and flavorful alternative. The cheddar onion slice and bake crackers are another winner. The barbecue chickpeas are wonderful. I have roasted chickpeas for snacks so many times, but never before with this much flavor. I love Waldorf salad and I love sandwiches, I have never thought of a Waldorf salad sandwich.
Let’s Fix Lunch! offers delicious and accessible recipes that are easy and use ingredients most people have on hand without a special shopping trip. It is also great at setting people up for a week of meals with some weekend preparation. I acknowledge that part is just pretty to look at for me, but for people with little time for cooking, it could be a life-saver.
I also appreciate the effort to advise people on how to reduce food waste and storage waste. That is why Stasher, a company that makes reusable silicone storage bags to reduce waste. I just rewash my plastic freezer bags over and over and over until they start to leak, but reusable permanent bags are a smart idea in the long run. This is a forward-looking cookbook with easy and delicious recipes.
I received an e-galley of Let’s Fix Lunch! from the publisher through NetGalley
Let’s Fix Lunch! at Chronicle Books
Kat Nouri, Erin Scott, & Stasher
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
August 13, 2020
I enjoyed the idea of this book, being about more than lunch. It's bout changing in small ways, creating habits one at a time to have a better life for ourselves and the environment. Of course I picked it up because I wanted to have more ideas about lunch. It gets boring having turkey sandwiches every day and I'd rather not eat at all, which is the opposite of helping the problem.
Meal prep and doing my part for the environment to reduce waste is a huge part of the book. I really enjoyed the different ideas that were simple to incorporate into my life. My husband didn't even notice when I switched him to a lunch box instead of his normal paper and plastic bags!
The building blocks of meals also make a huge difference, although my family has less of a worry about schooling, (children are grown) and more worry about pets, time is still important. What feels like cutting corners is actually a more economical way to spend my time and money!
The recipes are also mouth watering, and more importantly the ingredients are accessible. I love that there are also variations for some of the recipes. The Herbed Whipped Cream Cheese is easy and cost efficient and something I can see doing weekly, but the variations make it even more fun! Also, it gives me more of an idea of how I can change that particular recipe to fit my own household's needs.
I cannot wait to get my hands on this actual cookbook! Fabulous ideas not only for lunch, but I can see quite a few of these for dinner.
Meal prep and doing my part for the environment to reduce waste is a huge part of the book. I really enjoyed the different ideas that were simple to incorporate into my life. My husband didn't even notice when I switched him to a lunch box instead of his normal paper and plastic bags!
The building blocks of meals also make a huge difference, although my family has less of a worry about schooling, (children are grown) and more worry about pets, time is still important. What feels like cutting corners is actually a more economical way to spend my time and money!
The recipes are also mouth watering, and more importantly the ingredients are accessible. I love that there are also variations for some of the recipes. The Herbed Whipped Cream Cheese is easy and cost efficient and something I can see doing weekly, but the variations make it even more fun! Also, it gives me more of an idea of how I can change that particular recipe to fit my own household's needs.
I cannot wait to get my hands on this actual cookbook! Fabulous ideas not only for lunch, but I can see quite a few of these for dinner.
September 28, 2020
Not as Lunch or Recipe Focused as I’d Hoped
As I feel lunch is a meal that often gets overlooked, I was intrigued when I saw this book at one of my favorite book review sites. Note the little blue circle on the cover. I hadn't realized that this book was going to be so much about reducing the use of plastics rather than just lunch recipes and tips. The part of the book before you get to recipes has a lot to do with using less or no plastics in food preparation or storage. The author also goes into some things to have on hand and make so throwing together simple lunches is more easy, like cooking rice and steaming greens beforehand. She even provides a list of items you can prep on Sunday and the recipes you can use them later in the week.
I wasn't impressed with the recipes. Many seem so common, like spins on white hummus, chicken caesar salad, and a chicken pesto sandwich. None is particularly inspiring. For all the talk about this book being about lunch, there are only 18 lunch recipes here, including six each of soups/salads, sandwiches, and grains/pasta. The other recipes are for grab-and-go snacks like bars and what will be used as ingredients in other recipes, like balsamic caramelized onions. I just don't feel like lunch was really the focus of this book, which is what I was hoping for.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
As I feel lunch is a meal that often gets overlooked, I was intrigued when I saw this book at one of my favorite book review sites. Note the little blue circle on the cover. I hadn't realized that this book was going to be so much about reducing the use of plastics rather than just lunch recipes and tips. The part of the book before you get to recipes has a lot to do with using less or no plastics in food preparation or storage. The author also goes into some things to have on hand and make so throwing together simple lunches is more easy, like cooking rice and steaming greens beforehand. She even provides a list of items you can prep on Sunday and the recipes you can use them later in the week.
I wasn't impressed with the recipes. Many seem so common, like spins on white hummus, chicken caesar salad, and a chicken pesto sandwich. None is particularly inspiring. For all the talk about this book being about lunch, there are only 18 lunch recipes here, including six each of soups/salads, sandwiches, and grains/pasta. The other recipes are for grab-and-go snacks like bars and what will be used as ingredients in other recipes, like balsamic caramelized onions. I just don't feel like lunch was really the focus of this book, which is what I was hoping for.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
September 26, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the digital review copy.
If you already have some Stasher bags, or want to learn more about them, this book is a great resource, for sure, BUT I will say you don’t need them to use some of the recipes and tricks in this book to pack more eco-friendly lunches as well as find some creative ways to make packed lunch less boring for your taste buds.
I tore through this one pretty quickly, bookmarking a lot of the recipes and rethinking how I can make my own lunches more eco-friendly. I have switched to flannel paper towels (I made them myself) and have invested in reusable silverware just for packed lunches. I am looking at the best options for reusable plates and bowls and have plans to sew my own silverware holder for on the go, but there’s always room to do more. Reusable bags like Stasher are great, but also, reusable wrap (to replace disposable aluminum foil and single-use cling wrap) are small things I didn’t think about before, but I am stocking up on the essentials.
I loved the easy, portable recipes as well. Lunch can get pretty boring, as can most of my meals (working two jobs means eating on the go A LOT), so it’ll be nice to incorporate some of these recipes into my routine.
This book is out now, so definitely give it a go if you’re looking for a recipe book from the angle of reducing waste.
July 11, 2020
Nat Nouri is the inventor of ‘Stasher’ a reusable silicone bag for lunches and food storage. Her recipe book, as the title implies, focuses on recipes to make for lunch. Combined with the recipes is the author’s effort to reduce waste and eat healthy food. The book itself promotes the author’s reusable products to reduce waste. Nouri has divided up the recipes into the following chapters: On-the-Go Snacks, Sauces and Condiments, Soups and Salads, Sandwiches, and Grains and Pastas. Recipes are also labeled with a symbol for vegetarian, freezable, school-lunch friendly, make ahead ideas along with rice and pasta bases that are paired with earlier recipes for sauces.
The recipes were mostly the usual found in recipes books, Cobb salad, Caesar salad, Frittatas, and soups. Sadly there was no nutrition information and the recipes were just for two. I was a bit put out by the author thinking that earth friendly packaging for lunch is new. Most people who enjoy making food usually are careful about waste in general. Unfortunately this book came up short on many fronts.
I would like to thank Chronicle books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The recipes were mostly the usual found in recipes books, Cobb salad, Caesar salad, Frittatas, and soups. Sadly there was no nutrition information and the recipes were just for two. I was a bit put out by the author thinking that earth friendly packaging for lunch is new. Most people who enjoy making food usually are careful about waste in general. Unfortunately this book came up short on many fronts.
I would like to thank Chronicle books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2020
"This eco-friendly cookbook features delicious, waste-free recipes for sandwiches, salads, soups, snacks, and more." "A UK study identified the "lunch on the go" habit as the source of nearly 11 billion packaging waste items per year - and it's on the rise, with 65 percent more of us getting takeout and delivery compared to 5 years ago."
Each recipe is categorized as vegetarian, freezable, school-lunch friendly, make ahead or building blocks. The book start off with a list of ways that anyone can get started - reusables! .... straw, utensils, lunch bag, etc. Recipes are accompanied by full-color photos and easy to follow instructions. How does a Chicken Fajita Bowl or Act 2 Fried Rice sound? What about soup or salad and sandwich ... Pesto Chicken Sandwich or Hummus Roasted Veggie Wraps with Chicken Noodle Soup or a Cobb Salad with Chicken & Avocado Dressing? Looking for a snack? Try Apple Streusel Bars or Everything Bagel Chips. Let's stop being part of the problem and become part of the solution.
I received a complimentary advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Each recipe is categorized as vegetarian, freezable, school-lunch friendly, make ahead or building blocks. The book start off with a list of ways that anyone can get started - reusables! .... straw, utensils, lunch bag, etc. Recipes are accompanied by full-color photos and easy to follow instructions. How does a Chicken Fajita Bowl or Act 2 Fried Rice sound? What about soup or salad and sandwich ... Pesto Chicken Sandwich or Hummus Roasted Veggie Wraps with Chicken Noodle Soup or a Cobb Salad with Chicken & Avocado Dressing? Looking for a snack? Try Apple Streusel Bars or Everything Bagel Chips. Let's stop being part of the problem and become part of the solution.
I received a complimentary advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 17, 2021
Let's Fix Lunch! focuses on lunches since (pre-COVID) lunch food containers were one of the biggest contributors to global waste. There is a list of items that help reduce waste in the kitchen as well as a guide to make ahead ingredients. We already used environmentally friendly items to take lunch (I personally came home each day) and, as an avid cook, knew how to prepare the basics so I only skimmed those sections. Then, there's a grid for how a prepped item could be incorporated into different menus each week. I liked this because I feel like lunch is generally the meal that feels like I'm in a rut, but I don't want to put forth too much prep work to make different lunches for each day. There were several recipes that I'm interested in, including ones that I would use for breakfast. Many of the recipes are simpler than what I normally cook, but this would be great for people with less cooking experience.
Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2020
Great ideas for fixing lunches with some gorgeous pictures of yummy looking recipes. Environmental friendly tips and tricks to reducing your carbon footprint through some non profit ideas geared toward helping the environment!
What did I like? I like the idea of the stasher bags but I think I will stick to Tupperware and recyclable containers. The Stasher bag did not have a ton of good reviews off amazon, and let’s be honest. At ten dollars a bag they have to have great reviews. The recipe part of the cookbook is where it’s at. Some delicious looking recipes and fun looking lunches caught my eye.
Would I recommend or buy? As a cookbook, I thought it had some wonderful looking recipes. I’m not sure if this is a marketing strategy for the stasher bags but it has some nice environment protecting information. I totally agree though about the plastic ware. Every time I get to the beach I’m mad about the amount of plastic spoons I find daily on the beach.
I received a complimentary copy to read. Four stars for environment protection, and wonderful recipes.
What did I like? I like the idea of the stasher bags but I think I will stick to Tupperware and recyclable containers. The Stasher bag did not have a ton of good reviews off amazon, and let’s be honest. At ten dollars a bag they have to have great reviews. The recipe part of the cookbook is where it’s at. Some delicious looking recipes and fun looking lunches caught my eye.
Would I recommend or buy? As a cookbook, I thought it had some wonderful looking recipes. I’m not sure if this is a marketing strategy for the stasher bags but it has some nice environment protecting information. I totally agree though about the plastic ware. Every time I get to the beach I’m mad about the amount of plastic spoons I find daily on the beach.
I received a complimentary copy to read. Four stars for environment protection, and wonderful recipes.
September 16, 2020
Let's Fix Lunch! has some pictures that could be spread over social media. Gorgeous and colorful! The recipes had nice spices listed in the ingredients, a few that I would like to try (apple streusel, frittata, and those BBQ chickpeas). There was some prep work to be done for some of these recipes which is fine as I do a lot of prepping for weekly meals on Sunday already. Directions seemed to be written well and I like the fact that there was lots of reusable items like cloth bags among them. Definitely earth friendly with hints about recycling.
Almost every recipe there was a stasher bag listed so it made the book feel like a constant advertisement. Maybe that was what the author was going for when writing this cookbook. Unfortunately, those bags are just not in my budget but could other ways to be earth-friendly. Beautiful cover that will surely capture the eye of many. Thank you to the author, Chronicle Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Almost every recipe there was a stasher bag listed so it made the book feel like a constant advertisement. Maybe that was what the author was going for when writing this cookbook. Unfortunately, those bags are just not in my budget but could other ways to be earth-friendly. Beautiful cover that will surely capture the eye of many. Thank you to the author, Chronicle Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 27, 2020
Great book both to get some lunch and snacks ideas and give you tips on reducing your waste and becoming a packaging-free luncher.
Recipes are easy to follow and mosty include ingredients which are easy to source. This isn't about particularly inventive or new recipes, but rather about how to put known dishes into a lunch or a lunch box, how to make some in advance, replace ingredients for more environmentally friendly ones (thinking of almonds and almond milk for example) and being more conscious in what you eat.
Most of the snack recipes are vegetarian, which is great, but when it comes to salads and sandwiches half the recipes contain meat (mostly chicken, one beef, one tuna, one salmon). And while this is not a vegan or vegetarian cookbook, a litte note with a meat-free alternative would be great for those who want to try and cut out meat entirey when looking at environmentally friendly food.
Recipes are easy to follow and mosty include ingredients which are easy to source. This isn't about particularly inventive or new recipes, but rather about how to put known dishes into a lunch or a lunch box, how to make some in advance, replace ingredients for more environmentally friendly ones (thinking of almonds and almond milk for example) and being more conscious in what you eat.
Most of the snack recipes are vegetarian, which is great, but when it comes to salads and sandwiches half the recipes contain meat (mostly chicken, one beef, one tuna, one salmon). And while this is not a vegan or vegetarian cookbook, a litte note with a meat-free alternative would be great for those who want to try and cut out meat entirey when looking at environmentally friendly food.
August 24, 2020
**I received an e-ARC from NetGalley for an honest review**
I just received this book today and have already made several things.
I received some groceries from a neighbor that were going to go bad, and using them I made several things from the book. Every single thing was absolutely delicious, especially the "Balsamic Caramelized Onions"!
While I'm not a huge fan of some of the recipes in general, the basis is there so I can modify the recipes to my taste. I'm usually struggling to think of different ways to use up some of my groceries before they go bad, and I usually end up freezing them. These recipes were uniquely twisted (in a good way!) and allowed me to try new things without going too far out of my comfort zone.
I do wish that there had been a tiny section for lunch size desserts. Just something that would finish off a meal, as lunch is usually the only time I indulge in desserts, I think it would have made the perfect finish to this book!
I just received this book today and have already made several things.
I received some groceries from a neighbor that were going to go bad, and using them I made several things from the book. Every single thing was absolutely delicious, especially the "Balsamic Caramelized Onions"!
While I'm not a huge fan of some of the recipes in general, the basis is there so I can modify the recipes to my taste. I'm usually struggling to think of different ways to use up some of my groceries before they go bad, and I usually end up freezing them. These recipes were uniquely twisted (in a good way!) and allowed me to try new things without going too far out of my comfort zone.
I do wish that there had been a tiny section for lunch size desserts. Just something that would finish off a meal, as lunch is usually the only time I indulge in desserts, I think it would have made the perfect finish to this book!
April 21, 2020
Author Kat Nouri, entrepreneur of the reusable bags called Stasher, has cumulated various hot and cold lunch recipes that you can savor AND save the planet. Nouri has divided up the recipes into the following chapters: On-the-Go Snacks, Sauces and Condiments, Soups and Salads, Sandwiches, and Grains and Pastas. Recipes are also labeled with a symbol for vegetarian, freezable, school-lunch friendly (aka for the kiddos), make ahead, and building blocks (rice and pasta bases that are then gussied up for your tastebuds to enjoy) as applicable. Lastly, Nouri has included simple ways that you can reduce waste at home. For this picky eater, I found several recipes that pique my interest, but I'm even more interested in purchasing some of Nouri's Stasher bags. An unlikely purchase for libraries where green living isn't a priority.
June 25, 2020
I think everyone is in a rut when it comes to making lunch currently. I also think we're having to do more meal planning when it comes to trying to get through a week or two before heading out to the store. This book addresses both of those issues in addition to trying to reduce waste. The photos are beautiful and the ingredients are easily found for the most part. Most of the recipes are low maintenance which fall in the time constraints of providing lunch fairly quickly for your family. Some recipes I'm anxious to try: apple streusel bars, spinach-feta frittata sandwiches, and crispy barbecue chickpeas. With a September release, it's a shame this book can't be released and enjoyed sooner.
Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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