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Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box: Over 60 Simple Recipes for 30 Lunch Box Meals Under 500 Calories
Make mealtimes healthier and more mindful with beautiful, balanced bento boxes.
A carefully assembled bento box can bring joy to even the most stressful day. Learn the craft of bento, eat well, and save money with this introduction to the Japanese style of boxed lunch. With a mix of Japanese, Chinese, and fusion Bentos, there are recipes to appeal to every palate. Prepare one of 30 bento box meals, or mix and match over 60 different recipes to create your own bento box combinations. Helpful tips for prepping ahead and making efficient use of kitchen time means you can have beautiful Bentos packed and ready to go quickly each morning.
• Something for everyone--includes meat, poultry, and fish Bentos as well as vegetarian and vegan options.
• Easy to prepare--simple recipes with clear instructions and easily sourced ingredients
• Low cost--save money by preparing bento meals at home instead of eating out
• Calorie-conscious--built-in portion control with fewer than 500 calories per bento box meal
A carefully assembled bento box can bring joy to even the most stressful day. Learn the craft of bento, eat well, and save money with this introduction to the Japanese style of boxed lunch. With a mix of Japanese, Chinese, and fusion Bentos, there are recipes to appeal to every palate. Prepare one of 30 bento box meals, or mix and match over 60 different recipes to create your own bento box combinations. Helpful tips for prepping ahead and making efficient use of kitchen time means you can have beautiful Bentos packed and ready to go quickly each morning.
• Something for everyone--includes meat, poultry, and fish Bentos as well as vegetarian and vegan options.
• Easy to prepare--simple recipes with clear instructions and easily sourced ingredients
• Low cost--save money by preparing bento meals at home instead of eating out
• Calorie-conscious--built-in portion control with fewer than 500 calories per bento box meal
160 pages, Paperback
Published July 27, 2021
14 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 19, 2021
It’s lunch time! What to do….what to do…🤷🏻♀️
I’ve been completely uninspired by the work place cafeteria. Stepping out to a restaurant or even calling for take out can start to add up quickly.
I’d bring my own lunch from home but I’m not a huge fan of leftovers and I’ve never enjoyed sandwiches.
You are probably saying right now “wow, she is a picky eater”! Well maybe just a little.😂
But when I saw this book say it was a healthy, quick and easy option… I knew I had to take a closer look.
Is everyone familiar with bento boxes? It’s basically a boxed lunch designed for convenience. Originating in Japan it is now popular throughout Asia and now the world. It contains your main lunch component usually a protein (meat or fish for example). You can choose from a few sides and a staple of rice or any grain pasta that you enjoy. Overall it is a well proportioned balanced meal all conveniently packaged for those of us on the go! I’m in!🙋🏻♀️
I was a bit nervous to use a cookbook on my iPad instead of a physical copy. But the layout is brilliant. The pictures capture your eyes and your appetite immediately. The table of contents reminded me of a menu in a restaurant. I simply glanced through to what looked good and proceeded to that page of the book where I could find a recipe for each component of that particular bento box.
I completely agree with the healthy part of what this book presents. All boxes are under 500 calories. But the quick and easy…not so much. All these these recipes are amazing though somewhat intricate and time consuming. I’ll definitely be giving a few more a try but only when I have the time necessary to devote to my meal preparations.
Favorites to date:
Mandarin chicken with sautéed chard and mushroom and tomato salad.
Honey ginger beef with pickled onion and broccoli.
Next up:
Parmesan chicken with sautéed Brussels sprouts and sausage rigatoni.😋
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and DK a division of Penguin Random House Publishing
I’ve been completely uninspired by the work place cafeteria. Stepping out to a restaurant or even calling for take out can start to add up quickly.
I’d bring my own lunch from home but I’m not a huge fan of leftovers and I’ve never enjoyed sandwiches.
You are probably saying right now “wow, she is a picky eater”! Well maybe just a little.😂
But when I saw this book say it was a healthy, quick and easy option… I knew I had to take a closer look.
Is everyone familiar with bento boxes? It’s basically a boxed lunch designed for convenience. Originating in Japan it is now popular throughout Asia and now the world. It contains your main lunch component usually a protein (meat or fish for example). You can choose from a few sides and a staple of rice or any grain pasta that you enjoy. Overall it is a well proportioned balanced meal all conveniently packaged for those of us on the go! I’m in!🙋🏻♀️
I was a bit nervous to use a cookbook on my iPad instead of a physical copy. But the layout is brilliant. The pictures capture your eyes and your appetite immediately. The table of contents reminded me of a menu in a restaurant. I simply glanced through to what looked good and proceeded to that page of the book where I could find a recipe for each component of that particular bento box.
I completely agree with the healthy part of what this book presents. All boxes are under 500 calories. But the quick and easy…not so much. All these these recipes are amazing though somewhat intricate and time consuming. I’ll definitely be giving a few more a try but only when I have the time necessary to devote to my meal preparations.
Favorites to date:
Mandarin chicken with sautéed chard and mushroom and tomato salad.
Honey ginger beef with pickled onion and broccoli.
Next up:
Parmesan chicken with sautéed Brussels sprouts and sausage rigatoni.😋
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and DK a division of Penguin Random House Publishing
May 29, 2021
This recipe book boasts 60 easy recipes (using standard ingredients, with the exception of Korean chili sauce and some mirin). These recipes are also all under 500 calories. Portions are small so it stands to reason that the calorie count is attractively low.
This book covers chicken (Teriyaki, Mandarin,, Tandoori), fish (honey glazed salmon and pineapple shrimp!), spicy pork and flavourful beef. Steamed or pickled vegetable and dumpling accompaniments are also provided, and I was surprised at how easy they were to prepare. There are even a few pages on how to prepare the several types of rice used in these bento box creations.
(Pictures are from the internet and are not from this book, but this is and example of the size of the dishes/servings.)
The illustrations of the dishes in this book were mouthwatering. I loved the interesting and colourful table cloth backgrounds. Everything was bright, vibrant and enticing.
I can foresee that this book will definitely get a fair amount of use in my galley kitchen! Highly recommended! My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book covers chicken (Teriyaki, Mandarin,, Tandoori), fish (honey glazed salmon and pineapple shrimp!), spicy pork and flavourful beef. Steamed or pickled vegetable and dumpling accompaniments are also provided, and I was surprised at how easy they were to prepare. There are even a few pages on how to prepare the several types of rice used in these bento box creations.
(Pictures are from the internet and are not from this book, but this is and example of the size of the dishes/servings.)
The illustrations of the dishes in this book were mouthwatering. I loved the interesting and colourful table cloth backgrounds. Everything was bright, vibrant and enticing.
I can foresee that this book will definitely get a fair amount of use in my galley kitchen! Highly recommended! My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2021
Full Review on The Candid Cover
3.5 Stars
Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box by Ophelia Chien is an interesting collection of recipes to pack in a bento box. The cookbook gives quite a few tips and suggestions for how to create a healthy lunch. While these recipes are not the quickest or the simplest for a novice cook to create, this is a great book of recipes for anyone keen on learning how to create a traditional bento box meal.
I have always enjoyed a bento box meal, as it makes for a fun and exciting way to shake up a lunch routine. The recipes in this book are all centred around a classic Japanese bento box that consists of starch, protein, and vegetables. The packed meal is visually pleasing with pops of colour and fun details.
❀ CONTENTS: HEALTHY, QUICK & EASY BENTO BOX BY OPHELIA CHIEN
Bento Basics
Traditional Japanese Bento
Pan-Asian Bento
Western Style Bento
Staples
❀ LOTS OF IMAGES
There are many images in the book that showcase all of the different bento boxes, giving the pages lots of colour and whimsy. Each recipe also indicates the amount of time to prepare and cook the items, as well as how many servings it creates. Most of them require refrigeration, though, so not all recipes are ideal for those without access to a fridge away from home.
❀ NOT AS QUICK AS EXPECTED
I was very excited to try some of these recipes, and I found the instructions to be easy to follow. The ingredients are also not hard to find in a typical grocery store, which is a bonus for me. However, each meal is divided into three portions–the main and two sides–and while each portion that goes into the bento box takes about 10 minutes to make, the prep time is much longer when you account for each one. I was a little disappointed to see that the time spent making a bento box is not as quick as the title indicates. There are also a lot of dishes and pans that are used for the recipes, so the clean up is another time-consuming factor to consider.
❀ VISUALLY STUNNING AND EASY TO FOLLOW
Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box by Ophelia Chien is a cookbook that is visually stunning and easy to follow, although the recipes are not as fast to prepare as the title implies. This fun and interesting method for lunchtime meals is definitely a great way to add excitement to your day. If you don’t mind spending a bit more time making lunches and cleaning up the dishes afterwards, this is a recipe book to try.
3.5 Stars
Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box by Ophelia Chien is an interesting collection of recipes to pack in a bento box. The cookbook gives quite a few tips and suggestions for how to create a healthy lunch. While these recipes are not the quickest or the simplest for a novice cook to create, this is a great book of recipes for anyone keen on learning how to create a traditional bento box meal.
I have always enjoyed a bento box meal, as it makes for a fun and exciting way to shake up a lunch routine. The recipes in this book are all centred around a classic Japanese bento box that consists of starch, protein, and vegetables. The packed meal is visually pleasing with pops of colour and fun details.
❀ CONTENTS: HEALTHY, QUICK & EASY BENTO BOX BY OPHELIA CHIEN
Bento Basics
Traditional Japanese Bento
Pan-Asian Bento
Western Style Bento
Staples
❀ LOTS OF IMAGES
There are many images in the book that showcase all of the different bento boxes, giving the pages lots of colour and whimsy. Each recipe also indicates the amount of time to prepare and cook the items, as well as how many servings it creates. Most of them require refrigeration, though, so not all recipes are ideal for those without access to a fridge away from home.
❀ NOT AS QUICK AS EXPECTED
I was very excited to try some of these recipes, and I found the instructions to be easy to follow. The ingredients are also not hard to find in a typical grocery store, which is a bonus for me. However, each meal is divided into three portions–the main and two sides–and while each portion that goes into the bento box takes about 10 minutes to make, the prep time is much longer when you account for each one. I was a little disappointed to see that the time spent making a bento box is not as quick as the title indicates. There are also a lot of dishes and pans that are used for the recipes, so the clean up is another time-consuming factor to consider.
❀ VISUALLY STUNNING AND EASY TO FOLLOW
Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box by Ophelia Chien is a cookbook that is visually stunning and easy to follow, although the recipes are not as fast to prepare as the title implies. This fun and interesting method for lunchtime meals is definitely a great way to add excitement to your day. If you don’t mind spending a bit more time making lunches and cleaning up the dishes afterwards, this is a recipe book to try.
July 23, 2021
OK. I've decided I need a personal chef. And I want them to cook me everything in this book!
There are so many great ideas here for preparing healthy lunches. I love how the book provides 30 separate bento box ideas that are equally split: 1/3 protein / 1/3 starch / 1/3 vegetable. And with everything being broken out in separate recipes, you can mix and match different items to tailor to your food preferences or allergies.
Chien even uses Tofu. Beyond Burger and Chickpeas so there are many options for non-meat eaters! There are also Asian flavors as well as Western flavors, so truly something for everyone.
Every Box is photographed beautifully so you know what the recipe should look like. Recipes are easy to read and follow. There may be a few specialty ingredients that are needed but they appear to be easily purchased at the grocery store in the International Foods aisle.
For the creative cooks in your life, this Cookbook along with a cute Bento Box and a few other supplies would be an excellent gift idea for the upcoming holidays!
There are so many great ideas here for preparing healthy lunches. I love how the book provides 30 separate bento box ideas that are equally split: 1/3 protein / 1/3 starch / 1/3 vegetable. And with everything being broken out in separate recipes, you can mix and match different items to tailor to your food preferences or allergies.
Chien even uses Tofu. Beyond Burger and Chickpeas so there are many options for non-meat eaters! There are also Asian flavors as well as Western flavors, so truly something for everyone.
Every Box is photographed beautifully so you know what the recipe should look like. Recipes are easy to read and follow. There may be a few specialty ingredients that are needed but they appear to be easily purchased at the grocery store in the International Foods aisle.
For the creative cooks in your life, this Cookbook along with a cute Bento Box and a few other supplies would be an excellent gift idea for the upcoming holidays!
June 6, 2021
I really enjoyed this cookbook. The pictures are beautiful, the book is well laid out with easy to understand instructions and easy to find ingredients.
July 13, 2021
The book is laid out nicely and organized well. However, I'm disappointed to see it is centered so heavily around animals as the main ingredient and there are not more plant based options that would actually be considered healthy.
July 8, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box is a new tutorial guide with recipes by Ophelia Chien. Due out 3rd Aug 2021 from Penguin Random House on their DK Alpha imprint, it's 160 pages and will be available in paperback format.
This is an compact introduction to bento. Bento can be healthy and tasty with eye appeal, organization, variety, and portion control in one package. This collection also shows that it doesn't need to be very time consuming or difficult. Alongside those benefits, the recipes included in this collection represent a number of different world cuisines and are surprisingly fun and vibrant.
The introduction includes suggestions and tutorials for basic bento followed by chapters arranged roughly thematically: classic Japanese bento, pan-Asian, western style, and staples and partial ingredients.
The recipes have their ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar. Measurements are given in US standard with metric/SI units in parentheses (yay!). Special tools and ingredients are also listed, along with yields and cooking directions. Most of the ingredients are easily sourced at any moderately well stocked grocery store. Nutritional info is included per box, with the suggested combinations and bento box build. Some of the recipes are vegetarian and vegan friendly. Many additional recipes can be adapted to a plant based diet.
This is a very well written and organized collection. It would also lend itself very well to fans of meal planning or once-a-week-cooking. Most of these recipes make several servings which could easily be used for a week's lunch planning. I've been avoiding buying food at the cafe at work during the pandemic and these recipes have provided good mileage for avoiding boring lunches for me without a lot of effort.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box is a new tutorial guide with recipes by Ophelia Chien. Due out 3rd Aug 2021 from Penguin Random House on their DK Alpha imprint, it's 160 pages and will be available in paperback format.
This is an compact introduction to bento. Bento can be healthy and tasty with eye appeal, organization, variety, and portion control in one package. This collection also shows that it doesn't need to be very time consuming or difficult. Alongside those benefits, the recipes included in this collection represent a number of different world cuisines and are surprisingly fun and vibrant.
The introduction includes suggestions and tutorials for basic bento followed by chapters arranged roughly thematically: classic Japanese bento, pan-Asian, western style, and staples and partial ingredients.
The recipes have their ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar. Measurements are given in US standard with metric/SI units in parentheses (yay!). Special tools and ingredients are also listed, along with yields and cooking directions. Most of the ingredients are easily sourced at any moderately well stocked grocery store. Nutritional info is included per box, with the suggested combinations and bento box build. Some of the recipes are vegetarian and vegan friendly. Many additional recipes can be adapted to a plant based diet.
This is a very well written and organized collection. It would also lend itself very well to fans of meal planning or once-a-week-cooking. Most of these recipes make several servings which could easily be used for a week's lunch planning. I've been avoiding buying food at the cafe at work during the pandemic and these recipes have provided good mileage for avoiding boring lunches for me without a lot of effort.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
June 17, 2021
This cookbook caught my eye because it seemed to have some great lunch recipes. I decided to check it out because I am always up for new foods and what fun to create my own Bento Box.
The cookbook is bright and full of color with drool worthy photos. The beginning there are the essentials: what is a bento box, tools you will need, tips and how to pack and store your bento box. All useful categories. The recipes in this cookbook are divided into different sections: In Traditional Japanese Bento, Pan-Asian, Western-Style and The Staples.
So far I have tried the following recipes and found them easy to make and delicious: Pan Seared Salmon with Pork Roll-Ups and Carrot Egg Roll, Parmesan Chicken with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Rigatoni, and Bibimbap Bento.
Each recipe has a photo, easy to follow instructions, simple ingredients, servings, prep time, cook time, nutrition and how to store. There are a few recipes that have ingredients that are not common in my pantry, so it was fun to explore new ingredients and new tastes as well. The nutrition is also on point as many of these are within a nice healthy range.
This cookbook really inspires me to try new and different foods and to make my own adjustments to the recipes to better fit my family. I am really excited to try more soon. 4 stars.
I received an ARC via NetGalley and DK Publishing and I am leaving my honest review.
The cookbook is bright and full of color with drool worthy photos. The beginning there are the essentials: what is a bento box, tools you will need, tips and how to pack and store your bento box. All useful categories. The recipes in this cookbook are divided into different sections: In Traditional Japanese Bento, Pan-Asian, Western-Style and The Staples.
So far I have tried the following recipes and found them easy to make and delicious: Pan Seared Salmon with Pork Roll-Ups and Carrot Egg Roll, Parmesan Chicken with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Rigatoni, and Bibimbap Bento.
Each recipe has a photo, easy to follow instructions, simple ingredients, servings, prep time, cook time, nutrition and how to store. There are a few recipes that have ingredients that are not common in my pantry, so it was fun to explore new ingredients and new tastes as well. The nutrition is also on point as many of these are within a nice healthy range.
This cookbook really inspires me to try new and different foods and to make my own adjustments to the recipes to better fit my family. I am really excited to try more soon. 4 stars.
I received an ARC via NetGalley and DK Publishing and I am leaving my honest review.
July 1, 2021
This review is from an advance electronic copy of the book.
Healthy Quick & Easy Bento Box has a subtitle that delivers a big promise ; sixty recipes for thirty lunchbox meals under 500 calories. A delicious, healthy, quick to prepare lunch in under 500 calories is hard to find as an adult. Ophelia Chien delivers big on the promise. Feast your eyes on the beautiful photography then treat your taste buds to the delicious food. Everything is amazing. I can not wait for lunch each day. I pack my bentigo container the night before and just throw it with drinks in my insulated bag. Fast and easy but super healthy.
Some of my favorites:
Pork onion rings with bell pepper frittata and sauteed zucchini
Bacon tofu roll
Chicken patties
Teriyaki chicken
Glazed pork belly with soy egg and spicy cucumber
Jasmine rice
Madarin chicken, sauteed chard and mushrooms and tomato salad
Bibimbap bento and so much more.
Grab this book and get to packing your bento! So yummy!
Healthy Quick & Easy Bento Box has a subtitle that delivers a big promise ; sixty recipes for thirty lunchbox meals under 500 calories. A delicious, healthy, quick to prepare lunch in under 500 calories is hard to find as an adult. Ophelia Chien delivers big on the promise. Feast your eyes on the beautiful photography then treat your taste buds to the delicious food. Everything is amazing. I can not wait for lunch each day. I pack my bentigo container the night before and just throw it with drinks in my insulated bag. Fast and easy but super healthy.
Some of my favorites:
Pork onion rings with bell pepper frittata and sauteed zucchini
Bacon tofu roll
Chicken patties
Teriyaki chicken
Glazed pork belly with soy egg and spicy cucumber
Jasmine rice
Madarin chicken, sauteed chard and mushrooms and tomato salad
Bibimbap bento and so much more.
Grab this book and get to packing your bento! So yummy!
June 17, 2021
This book is a cute and clear explanation of bento boxes, from what they are to how to pack them. Each box includes a great image of what they look like, how to pack, serving temperature, nutrition information including macros, and then recipes for the main and side dishes. I love how the recipes are split up so they you can easily mix and match them. The bentos themselves are split into 3 sections: traditional japanese, pan-asian, and western-style as well as a quick section on rice. There are a variety of recipes for each, with vegetarian options (on their own or with slight variation) available. There are a variety of meats and flavors and they all contain bright veggies and fun flavors. It really is a fun bento book. It isn't incredibly extensive in terms of recipes or combinations but instead provides a great base to add on to in your own time.
June 20, 2021
Lovely Bento style recipe and container with basics book. Love the cover and I’ve always been mesmerized by these cute small meals.
What did I like? I have to negate that question with what’s not to like? Beautiful photos, and great food styling! The recipes are simple but some of the ingredients may have to be bought in specialty stores. Convenient and they look delicious!
Would I recommend or buy? Bento hasn’t really caught here in the US but it’s a unique cookbook. Bento boxes are a sleek design of a regular lunch box. I enjoyed looking at the great pictures and bookmarked a few recipes to try! Kudos for a great cookbook!
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review! Five stars!
What did I like? I have to negate that question with what’s not to like? Beautiful photos, and great food styling! The recipes are simple but some of the ingredients may have to be bought in specialty stores. Convenient and they look delicious!
Would I recommend or buy? Bento hasn’t really caught here in the US but it’s a unique cookbook. Bento boxes are a sleek design of a regular lunch box. I enjoyed looking at the great pictures and bookmarked a few recipes to try! Kudos for a great cookbook!
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review! Five stars!
June 27, 2021
This is a cool guide/cookbook if you really want to impress with tour lunch or dinner and have some time on your hand. You also have to be really dedicated to bento. It’s recommended to buy extra cooking pans and tools that have basically one use and lots of different ingredients. I didn’t have the time to dedicate to making my boxes look pretty so they were not like the pictures (which are beautiful in the book). Not exactly quick or easy for me. However, I did really enjoy the honey mustard salmon with curried cauliflower and spicy kale! I would recommend if you really want some good recipes. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
June 1, 2021
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a cute recipe book!
The servings are a little small but are full of flavor and color! The book has pictures of each bento box, information on which order to fill the box in, and recipes for each box! There is a lot of pork and tofu recipes with the occasional other protein. Some of the recipes are more time intensive, but others are simple and easy to make!
The book is a helpful guide for anyone wanting to make bento boxes or an easy to eat lunch!
This is a cute recipe book!
The servings are a little small but are full of flavor and color! The book has pictures of each bento box, information on which order to fill the box in, and recipes for each box! There is a lot of pork and tofu recipes with the occasional other protein. Some of the recipes are more time intensive, but others are simple and easy to make!
The book is a helpful guide for anyone wanting to make bento boxes or an easy to eat lunch!
June 8, 2021
What a beautiful book. I love the layout and the break out of everything. I adore they put the best temp to eat try the food at. It begins with a brief intro to Bento Boxing. Enough to peak your interest but not overwhelm you.
The recipes are made so you can make multiples or just one.
I love the tip about misting food- What a difference!
I love that you can mix and match some of these recipes if something isn’t your thing!
Beautiful Photos and very easy directions for home chefs!
Thanks to NetGalley for the book for my honest review.
The recipes are made so you can make multiples or just one.
I love the tip about misting food- What a difference!
I love that you can mix and match some of these recipes if something isn’t your thing!
Beautiful Photos and very easy directions for home chefs!
Thanks to NetGalley for the book for my honest review.
June 30, 2021
have never considered making bento boxes and I am so glad that I decided to check out this book. The author provides a wide range of recipes as well as teaching the steps of how to put together a well crafted Bento Box. Once you understand the concept of building the recipes it is easy to make substitutions and changing the recipes to vegetarian options. This has been an amazing change for my boring lunches and I cheat a lot less because I am not bored and really enjoy my meals.
I received this book complimentary in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I received this book complimentary in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 2, 2021
This book is gorgeous and well laid out. I loved the look of it and enjoyed reading through the recipes. I disagree with the description of "quick and easy" as each box takes multiple steps and the ingredients are not found in all grocery stores. I also felt like some ingredients were used only once or twice very sparingly, which means having a lot of items leftover. I was hoping for something a little more accessible.
June 14, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and DK for the ARC to read and review.
This is a gem. All of the recipes can be used to make Bento style meals, but I think it’s a great introduction into Asian cuisine. I don’t think I would ever make a bento box, but I will certainly be trying out many of the recipes at dinnertime.
Particularly, Honey Ginger beef, Pineapple Shrimp, and Mandarin Chicken.
Nice illustrations and detailed descriptions of preparations.
This is a gem. All of the recipes can be used to make Bento style meals, but I think it’s a great introduction into Asian cuisine. I don’t think I would ever make a bento box, but I will certainly be trying out many of the recipes at dinnertime.
Particularly, Honey Ginger beef, Pineapple Shrimp, and Mandarin Chicken.
Nice illustrations and detailed descriptions of preparations.
July 9, 2021
All of the meals in this book would be fairly simple to prepare and could be made ahead of time to make enjoying your bento that much better! It's such a practical and hearty way of dining and I love to see more titles geared towards younger adults instead of children (though you can give me a cute carrot pick anyday!).
August 20, 2021
Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box is a yummy read. If you've ever wondered how to make food to go into your bento, this book is for you. It has some very tasty recipes that I can't wait to try. I'm giving this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I would like to thank NetGalley for an eARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 9, 2021
Easy Bento Box... creative, beautifully arranged and photographed culturally inspired lunches for adults focused on one or two animal proteins, mostly fish or chicken, per meal. Great ideas, just seems to take longer than an average lunch to make an assemble finished dishes. I enjoyed learning more about the history of the original bento box.
June 4, 2021
I own and have read a number of bento cookbooks. This one is nicely laid out, has diversity in recipes, and the photography is beautiful. It's easy to understand and follow so if you're looking for a bento cookbook this would be a fine choice.
June 8, 2021
Such a fun, bright, easy cookbook. Love that every bento has a main and side suggestion. The pics are beautiful (super important in a cookbook) my favorite feature is the storage life included with the recipes. I never know how long a leftover is good for and this takes the guess work out of it.
July 12, 2021
I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and looking at all the wonderful recipes. I do think that some of these recipes needed more prep time than I want to give them, but they would be really good to make if I had enough time to meal prep.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and looking at all the wonderful recipes. I do think that some of these recipes needed more prep time than I want to give them, but they would be really good to make if I had enough time to meal prep.
September 4, 2022
trying to get some back to school ideas. I liked some of the ideas and I think this book has a number of good ideas for combinations. only difficulty is how do you heat it up for lunch in a kids classroom?
i like the ideas of sides that you keep over a few days
i like the ideas of sides that you keep over a few days
August 24, 2025
Many great recipes in here for combining western dishes with Asian flavors. While it is intended for creating quick colorful lunch ideas, the recipes could easily be used for dinners as well. I enjoyed it.
June 28, 2021
*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Really liked this bento cook book, i liked how the box recipes were shown and i loved the different versions! wouldn't mind owning a print copy.
July 18, 2021
I am a big fan of Bento Boxes and am looking forward to trying out many of the recipes that are in this book!
August 1, 2021
I really enjoyed the Bento Box ideas. Very creative and well presented. I recommend this cookbook to anyone interested in healthy lifestyle changes.
June 22, 2022
Some great recipes in here and loved how they broke each bento down into their different parts.
December 26, 2022
Quick, and healthy ideas for lunch packed easily into a bento box with recipes that can make lunch fun again. Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read and review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews