Bento boxes is a concept that recently came to my knowledge and intrigued me. I love how Quarto Publishing has awesome timing with their cookbooks!

I loved the introduction in this book, which explains largely the basics of Bento boxes. The recipes are mostly easy and simple, rapidly prepared and cooked.

The only negative points that I have is that making a Bento box according to the recipes can be confusing, since it mixes 2-3 different recipes that are in different places in the book. And not all the recipes have pictures, even if the concept of Bento boxes is to be appealing to the eye. Or maybe they do, at different places in the book since they mix different recipes... like I said: confusing.

I will try some of the recipes for sure!

I picked this up thinking it would be a fairly Americanized bento book–more about packed lunches than about Japanese food. I was mistaken. Simply Bento by Yuko Yagi and Noriko Yura is a surprisingly extensive look at the art of bento and the many, many recipes that can be included.

I don’t know much about Japanese food, but I will say that this combination of traditional Japanese recipes with some American twists seems like a great place to start. While the recipes necessarily do call for some Japanese ingredients, the details are spelled out in the beginning of the book. The recipes also don’t call for an extensive list of specialty ingredients, which helps.

Another plus is that this book doesn’t simply include recipes, but also contains many, many recommendations for combinations in order to create a complete bento box. One thing I struggle with when packing lunch is figuring out how to put together enough things so that it’s interesting and it fills me up but also doesn’t end up being too much food. Having the complete meal suggestions really helps with this.

I love the idea of Asian American cookbooks that draw not only on traditional recipes but also include new and innovative recipes. It was great looking through this cookbook!

I love Bento Boxes. I adore the cuteness, the small packaging and the healthiness of them. I look forward to opening I open my lunch box, there is happiness there. We all deserve a special packaged lunch. I have been making bentos for many years and am always looking for fresh ideas and found several in this book. My favorite has to be the Halloween bento, I am making that cat for my boxes.
This book is great for the beginner bento maker. The steps are clearly written, the ingredients are readily available in most grocery stores. Anyone can jump into bento making right away and not feel overwhelmed. The photos are beautiful and give great examples on how to set up your boxes. Give it a try, you'll never go back to dull bagged lunches again.

This was one of the most visually stunning cookbooks that I've ever had the pleasure of perusing. While the recipes sound and look delish, I don't know if I'd actually make them. I was hoping for more of a one-serving bento box type of recipe book. However, I'd definitely buy the book and add it to my collection in the off chance that I got courageous and decided to make Chicken Sorboro Bento. OMG...just type the name of the recipe makes me hungry!

#SimplyBento #NetGalley

Healthy and fresh recipes that can be packed in a Bento way. Delicious and easy to cook.

Healthy, pretty and easy to prepare. Simply Bento is a Japanese style lunch box with a Western twist, so that we can still use Western ingredients to create food with Asian flair. Not only the ingredients are wholesome and healthy, I think the look for the bento is great and appetising. It is perfect for spring, as it is fresh and helps anyone change their lifestyle towards summer (in Australia anyway)

This is not your usual Bento book. Where other books in the past feature cartoon characters shaped out of eggs or other staple items, this book focuses on the "why" of bento-making just as much as the "how". This bento book is not just geared towards parents making food for their children, so it's more about the recipes rather than aesthetics.

Here's what I like about this book:
1. A lot of recipes (if you're considering other Bento-making books, this is the one to get for that reason alone) that focus on Japanese cuisine with recipes for vegan and low-carb eaters too. I'd say that this also acts as a perfectly accessible introduction to Japanese cooking since the book also has a section on Japanese pantry essentials most other Bento-making books don't.
2. There's prep time included in this book -- which is helpful and encouraging especially since bento-making requires more commitment, but not considerably more so. Many recipes indicate less than twenty minutes of prep time assuming that the main ingredients (carbohydrates) have already been cooked. There's also a section on "planning ahead" on some recipes to reduce the labor involved in the morning.
3. There are numerous photos that gives the reader an idea of how to go the extra mile with bento instead of just putting them into different compartments.
4. There's a section on typical bento containers and accessories which I actually learned from! For example, wooden containers help make taste rice better apparently, as they absorb moisture.

What I don't like about the book:
I wish the book had better typography -- this is a reference book of recipes you want to try out, but it's not necessarily something that you browse through because it's beautiful. That being said, perhaps that's the point of the book and it shouldn't affect the material.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Race Point Publishing for my unbiased opinion of the book. This book was so colorful, and everything laid out beautifully. I loved how this book had everything I like to call everything you need to know but the kitchen sink! Lol The photos were crystal clear and mouthwatering. The recipes like Beef Roll-Up Bento were easy to execute and to follow. I can't wait to cook my way through this book!

Simply Bento is a fantastic book for anyone who enjoys Japanese cooking or bento boxes! This book features almost 100 delicious and healthy bento recipes! There is a combination of traditional and non-traditional ingredients which makes for some great fusion recipes! Great book!

*I received an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This is a comprehensive book, including unexpected recipes for Bento versions of hot dogs, quesadillas, etc. Side dishes are included as well as ideas for a special occasions such as birthdays and Halloween. Sadly, I just did not relate to it.

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

I was eager to read this as I had just purchased my son a bunch of these bento boxes, I found some really nice ideas in this book that I think he will enjoy. I preordered a copy to give him

I was excited to come across this cookbook as I LOVE bento boxes and eating Japanese food. How cool if I could create my own healthful bento boxes. Simple concept but had never thought about it prior to this book catching my eye.

The photos were the first thing that struck me. So colorful and mouthwatering! The preliminary pages cover history and benefits of bento, pantry essentials, ingredients and some key points to making bento - great info to springboard me into the recipes section.

Each recipe page contains a ‘main’ recipe and two accompanying “Plan Ahead” and “To Make This Bento” info boxes. To Make This Bento simply means to add suggested ‘sides’ like steamed rice, blanched carrot flowers, shunpike salad, etc (recipes also included within). I heeded the advice of the author and decided to go slow, starting with a couple of their 10-minute bento, a traditional yakisoba bento and the quesadilla bento with black bean and corn salad (sans cilantro). Successful and tasty. Next on my plate will be the sweet and sour meatballs bento.

Some of the recipes sound plain silly - like the hot dog bento, pizza bento and chicken nuggets bento - don’t think I’ll be trying those anytime soon. What I will be doing is buying a few copies to give two foodies in my life as Christmas presents!

*will post in additional online venues upon publication

I'm always looking for ways to improve my lunch options and I love the Bento approach. Some of the combinations are really thoughtful and others are just funny. Halloween Bento anyone?

I’m a huge fan of Japanese cooking, so I like that this bento box book dives right in to recipes using Japanese ingredients and flavors. I also like the numerous pictures throughout the book that show the beautiful outcomes.

Lovely photos with helpful explanations. Helpful for beginners or those familiar with the concept of Bento.

I love this book, not only because I love Japanese food, but it is a great way to break away from the boring packed lunches, eat nutriciously well, and also - a big plus - is that all of the recipes serves 2. This can easily be doubled for larger families, of course, but if there are just two having packed lunches, it is a great book crammed with great recipes that you can also have for dinner, without having the same thing for lunch and dinner the following day. Really inspiring. It also shows the importance of presenting food so that it looks attractive - we also eat with our eyes, so this is a really fresh way of vamping a packed lunch, and quite cute, too.

Do you have to pack lunch boxes for your kids/spouse/partner and have run out of ideas what to put inside? Why not try Bento boxes?

The authors introduce Bento, including food safety issues, what boxes to use, staple recipes and ideas what to pack and what better not to pack into a Bento box.

The recipes in this book are easy to follow and look very delicious - I hope I can put together a lunch box for my kids that looks as appetising as the ones in the book's pictures. The pictures make you want to try this.

Simply Bento by Yuko and Noriko, creators of Japanese Cooking 101, is an absolutely lovely book. Between the delicious recipes and gorgeous photographs reading this book will truly delight your senses. I also loved the variety of recipes that lend a creative touch to lunch. I also loved how the authors explained what Bento was, how to make Bento, and Bento essentials. I really appreciated the book's emphasis on food safety. I have read some Bento books that skimmed over the need for keeping food safe when packing a Bento box. I loved this book so much I am thinking about gifting it to my children as they love Japanese culture.

Some of the recipes you'll find include:

Tamagoyaki
Pork Shogayaki Bento
Hamburger Bento
Ramen Bento
Yakisoba Bento
Breakfast Muffin Bento

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley

I'm a huge fan of Bento recipes and this new release does not disappoint! The recipes were simple but light and refreshing. I especially enjoyed the plan ahead tips.