Simply Bento: Delicious Box Lunch Ideas for Healthy Portions to Go

Simply Bento is a wonderfully complete bento cookbook with stunning photography and includes everything from a brief history of bento, descriptions of common ingredients, sauces, bento safety, etc., plus includes a wide variety of bento recipes. What I really like about this bento cookbook is that the authors try to make everything simple and practical for every day, knowing that most of us have limited time and energy to invest in daily lunches, but also knowing that we want to feed delicious healthy food to our families. They themselves use leftovers, precut vegetables, and prepare bento in ways that help them save time and money. Love that the photos really show you how you can layout these recipes to for absolutely gorgeous presentations.The recipes are varied, cover a wide range of nationalities, and offer lots of healthy choices. I intend to use this book to provide bento lunches that mostly fit a lower carb/keto diet and also accommodate the multiple food allergies in my family.Here’s a brief overview of what’s included in Simply Bento.How to Make Bento: 7 Key PointsCovers important advice on bento safety, serving a balanced diet, packing what you like, planning ahead, choosing the right bento box, packing attractively, and making bento prep a routine.Bento EssentialsInformation on the differences between and advantages of different styles of bento boxes, and information on accessories such as utensils, baking cups and dividers, picks, food molds, and ice packs.Japanese Pantry EssentialsCovers basic ingredients such as soy sauce, mirin, dried bonito flakes, etc., with information on what they are made of, how they are used, what they add to each dish, etc.Bento IngredientsIncludes recipes for different types of rice cooked in rice cookers or stovetop, plus broths, sauces, and dips including dashi, tamagoyaki, etc.Classic Japanese BentoIncludes recipes for chicken teriyaki bento, beef roll-up bento, grilled mackerel bento, tsukune bento, beef shigureni bento, sukiyaki bento, salmon teriyaki bento, and pork shogayaki bento.Sandwich BentoIncludes recipes for tonkatsu sandwich bento, antipasto bento, mixed sandwiches bento, cucumber and cream cheese sandwich, and hamburger bento.Sushi and Onigiri BentoIncludes recipes for sushi burrito bento, onigiri bento, sushi roll bento, spam musubi bento, inari sushi bento, and yaki onigiri.Noodle BentoIncludes recipes for ramen bento, soba noodle salad bento, bukkake udon bento, shrimp avocado pasta salad bento, and cold somen noodle bento.Popular Japanese BentoIncludes recipes for chicken karaage bento, hamburger steak bento, yakiniku bento, okonomiyaki bento, korokke bento, sweet and sour meatballs bento, and chicken nugget bento.10-Minute BentoIncludes recipes for cold shabu shabu salad bento, hot dog bento, quesadilla bento, pinwheel sandwiches bento, yakisoba bento, pizza bento, corn chowder bento, granola bento, spicy chicken wing bento, and breakfast muffin bento.Rice and Grain Bowl BentoIncludes recipes for omurice bento, chicken soboro bento, oyakodon bento, gyudon bento, taco rice bento, and quinoa salad bento.Low-Carb BentoIncludes recipes for grilled shrimp and steamed vegetables bento, cauliflower fried rice bento, fish meuniére bento, lettuce wrap bento, curry chicken salad bento, and beef and vegetable stir-fry bento.Vegan BentoIncludes recipes for tofu steak salad bento, falafel bento, vegetable miso soup bento, spaghetti with lima beans and cabbage bento, hijiki gohan bento, and tofu poke bento.Bento for Special OccasionsIncludes recipes for Valentine’s Day bento, Halloween bento, Birthday bento, picnic or field trip bento, and first day of school bento.Bento at HomeIncludes recipes for tempura bento, temari sushi bento, roast beef bento, sashimi bento, and holiday bento.Side DishesIncludes recipes divided into sections for rice and potatoes, vegetables, salads, seafood, mushrooms, eggs and meat, pickled, and sauces, dips, and more.Highly recommended for beginning bento enthusiasts, bento fans looking for new, frugal, and efficient recipes, and anyone who wants to prepare healthier meals.I liked what was offered in this book so much I bought the Kindle version and the hardcover version. I am reviewing the Kindle version of Simply Bento. I will amend this review with info on the hardcover version when I receive mine. (I initially received this book as a digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.)

I just bought it and think it's such an amazing investment!!! I received it today and the book in all honesty is very informative, and has amazing recipes that look easy to follow and low on time (which is what don't have). I also find it helpful that the book has ideas on what sides to plate it with and how to make the bento look nice and cute, the meals are also very healthy. I am looking to switch my eating style up and I find that this book is very much centered around having wholesome meals. I can't wait to start making my bentos to take to college with me!! I cant wait to see what other books you guys come up with I love Japanese cooking and when I started learning more about it I stumbled on this page and have been a fan ever since and this was in like 2014 or 2015. you guys are amazing and can't wait to support everything life has set in store for y'all!! (Make a traditional Japanese cook up pleaseeeeeeeee with breakfast ideas, authentic Japanese dinners and how they would be served please)

As I write, I'm devouring a bento lunch from this cookbook, and it's everything I hoped. We have been cooking from the website, japanesecooking101, for a few months and have loved the tasty dishes with a short learning curve and easy prep. This is the kind of cookbook that will always have *something* you can make if you keep a few key staples in the house. And most of these bento look like they'd be easily expanded for dinner, with a main and a few sides already planned out for you by just doubling the recipe. And I'd like to stress that these are homey, down-to-earth dishes that are easy to make for your average home cook looking for fresh ideas.

I got this book since I’m a big fan of them from their website. Their recipe always good , simple and delicious. I follow LOTS of Japanese cooking website and so far their web Japanesecooking101 and Justonecookbook are the best. And yes I got Nami’s Book from Justonecookbook too.I have to put that Japanesecooking101 has more simple easy and homecook recipe but less fancy than Justonecookbook but both site are the best!

This book is fantastic! I was looking for a book that my boyfriend and I could have fun cooking and meal prep for the week and this book was perfect. I haven’t made anything yet, but I started reading through it and everything seems very easy to make. It even gives you “plan ahead” tips for most of the items in the recipes to so that it is quick to make during a busy schedule whether it’s the night before or even a week before you put the bentos together. Most of the recipes are also built for 2 servings so the book is even better since it is just my boyfriend and I. I was originally going to get another bento book that had great review until I saw this one had a higher review and instantly got this one instead. Glad I did because I love it.

I have loved watching Japanese Cooking 101 and now I have their recipes in a physical book. This kick started my wife and I getting into Bento and more Japanese cuisine. Thanks so much for an amazing cook book.

Pretty clear instructions, index, and plenty of vegetarian options.With a section for descriptions of uniquely Japanese common ingredients. I am a fan of the authors' Japanese Cooking 101 YouTube channel and wanted the book for quicker reference than waiting for recipe blogs to load.

I received my copy a couple of days ago, and I like it very much! It has an introduction on what "bento" means, and what the bento culture is; it has basic kitchen and food safety instructions; it has tips for making cooking a daily habit; and, it has delicious recipes accompanied by very nice photos! If you're following Yuko and Noriko's channel on YouTube, if you like the Japanese cuisine, in general, or, if you just want to practice a healthy lifestyle, then, this book is a must have!

Have tried a few recipes-and so far they have all been good. Some are very samey, but most are quick and easy. Stick up on the basics like soy, sake and mirrin.

Yep, perfect. If you're after Bento then this is easy to read and enjoyable to follow. With every penny.

informative

Schön gestaltetes Kochbuch mit vielen ausführlichen Rezepten.Viele Autoren springen auf den Bento Boom auf und werfen Sammlungen von Internetrezepten mit schlechtem Layout auf den Markt, doch hier erhält der interessierte Bento Fan endlich mal wieder ein vernünftiges Werk.Es bietet Einzelrezepte, sowie Tipps zur Kombination der einzelnen Speisen zum Erstellen einer Bento.Natürlich darf auch im Vorwort die obligatorische Anleitung und kleine Geschichtsstunde zur Bento nicht fehlen.Eines der besseren Bücher zum Thema Bento Rezepte, dem man die professionelle Machart ansieht.

I enjoyed this book so much. I made almost half of what is in the book. Easy to follow and if your super market sells all the ingredients you need from that book then even better. Would recommend.