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    Home » Reviews

    Everyday Bento Book Review

    May 7, 2014 · 91 Comments

    23 shares

    If you follow me on any of my various social media pages (ie Facebook, Twitter & Instagram) you may have seen me register my excitement when a very special book arrived in the post for me recently.  The book is called Everyday Bento, and was written by one of my favourite bento bloggers; Wendy Copley, who blogs over at Wendolonia.  As you can probably guess from the title, this book is all about bento, which is obviously right up my street!

    Eats Amazing - Everyday Bento - Book review and giveaway

    Knowing Wendy's blog, I thought that the book would likely contain lots of lovely pictures of bento lunches, and it certainly does, but there is much more to it than that.  There are 50 creative lunches in the book, and every single one has step by step instructions for each lunch, with clear photos showing each step, and a full size picture of the finished masterpiece.  The lunches are all gorgeous - really creative, but simple to put together too, showing that bento really is something that absolutely anyone can turn their hand to.

    Eats Amazing - Book Review of Everyday Bento by Wendy CopleyWhat I really like about this book is that uses mostly ordinary English/American foods rather than the traditional Japanese foods that you usually find in bento lunches, making it much more accessible to the standard lunch packer here in the UK.  Wendy is American, so a few of the foods she uses may not be so readily available here, but the great thing about bento is that you can just change and adapt it to suit yourself - anything goes!

    I decided to try out one of the lunches from the book, taking inspiration from the recipe but adapting it to suit our tastes and using what I had to hand that day, and I was really pleased with the result.  I used a 'proper' two tier Japanese bento box as Small Child had requested it for one of his lunches this week (we came across a forgotten stash of bento goodies when I was attempting to clear out a cupboard the other day and he was really excited to find this box again).  I really enjoyed having direct inspiration from the book - it made it very easy for me to make a beautiful lunch without having to come up with new ideas or think too hard about it!

    Eats Amazing - my star lunch based on a lunch from the Everyday Bento Book by Wendy Copley

    In the lunch Small Child had a simple pasta salad, which I made using space themed pasta (replacing the star pasta in the book), finely chopped yellow pepper and carrot (the carrot replaced the red pepper in the book) and a simple dressing, which I made by combining a splash of olive oil and white wine vinegar. I cut some tiny stars from the pepper and carrot using a mini bento cutter, and sprinkled them on top. I started filling the second tier of the box as per the book - cutting some stars from cucumber and digging out a star shaped silicone cup to use, but then I went my own way, replacing the sandwiches with some shredded ham (jazzed up with rocket picks) and a mini Babybel cheese, which I decorated by cutting a star from the wax.

    s Everyday Bento book

    I added an apple and a reusable food pouch to the lunch, and popped it all his lunch bag along with some mini bento cutlery, which fitted nicely in the top tier of the bento box.  I also used a silicone band around the box to hold it shut.

    Eats Amazing - fill a small bento box with food then add extras like fruit and a pouch full of yoghurt to the lunch bag

    Small Child was absolutely delighted with this lunch, and ate every last bit of it.  He has really enjoyed looking through the book with me and was pleased to have his own version of one of the lunches from it.  He wants me to make the building bricks bento next!

    As well as the lunches, the book has lots of other helpful features including a food idea list, a list of foods by colour (invaluable for helping design a balanced and beautiful lunch) and several pages introducing basic techniques and tools.  I think that this book is perfect for both beginners and seasoned lunch packers – I’ve been making bento style lunches myself for nearly two years but I’ve found plenty of new ideas in the book to inspire me all over again. The lunches are arranged in sections, including 'Bentos for Busy Mornings' (ideal for beginners) and 'Extra-Special Bentos' which might take a little more time to make.  There is even a section for grown-ups - who says children should get all the fun!

    In short, if you need to pack lunches for yourself or for your children, then this book is the perfect place to find a wealth of inspiration.  It would make a lovely gift too!

    You can order the book direct from Amazon UK by clicking on the picture below, or if you're in the US click here to order from Amazon.com.

    Disclaimer: This post contains some Amazon affiliate links; I may receive commission on items purchased through the links.

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    Comments

    1. Emma Lander says

      May 07, 2014 at 12:17 pm

      wow what an amazing book with 50 recipes!! If I could get one lunch looking as good as any of yours it would be an achievement 🙂

      Reply
    2. Lisa says

      May 07, 2014 at 12:23 pm

      This looks like a great book. I'd love to win it xx

      Reply
    3. Tracy Nixon says

      May 07, 2014 at 12:23 pm

      There are 50 thank you!

      Reply
    4. Victoria Mylittlel says

      May 07, 2014 at 12:26 pm

      50 is the answer

      Reply
    5. thebeesleybuzz says

      May 07, 2014 at 12:34 pm

      50 creative lunches! They look amazing. (Rebecca Beesley as Rafflecopter name) x

      Reply
    6. Cheryl says

      May 07, 2014 at 12:45 pm

      Your lunches always look amazing. I honestly don't think I could come up with such fun ideas on my own.

      Reply
    7. Emma smith says

      May 07, 2014 at 12:51 pm

      There is 50 cute recipes in this book!! ❤️

      Reply
    8. Nisha Jacob says

      May 07, 2014 at 1:05 pm

      Wow 50 lovely bento lunches to be inspired from! Would love to win the giveaway xx

      Reply
    9. Claire says

      May 07, 2014 at 1:40 pm

      There are 50 cute recipes, all of which I would love to try <3

      Reply
    10. Clare Wood says

      May 07, 2014 at 1:40 pm

      Would love his book for inspiration!

      Reply
    11. kim neville says

      May 07, 2014 at 1:44 pm

      50 lunches

      Reply
    12. Gina M says

      May 07, 2014 at 1:53 pm

      There are 50.

      Looks like a great book too.

      Reply
    13. Meredith Robinson says

      May 07, 2014 at 2:04 pm

      There are 50 awesome recipes.

      Reply
    14. Liz Burton says

      May 07, 2014 at 2:44 pm

      50! Great book.

      Reply
    15. Victoria Frail says

      May 07, 2014 at 2:55 pm

      WOW. I am dying for this book with 50 ideas, just what I need for daddy and baby's lunches! We are just starting baby led weaning and I think this is a great way to keep attention on packed lunches when we are out and about

      Reply
    16. Deborah May says

      May 07, 2014 at 3:00 pm

      There are 50 lunches. Book looks fabulous.

      Reply
    17. Fiona Morris says

      May 07, 2014 at 3:16 pm

      My almost 5 yr old eats a lot of fruit, veggies in disguise, and only crunchy, dry textures. Your amazing blog is inspirational, and I'm trying to gradually introduce my son to new textures, small steps!!

      Reply
    18. Emma says

      May 07, 2014 at 4:20 pm

      50 fab recipes! Thanks again for the inspiration!

      Reply
    19. Ella says

      May 07, 2014 at 4:34 pm

      50 lunches, and they look fantastic! Love your Star Lunch today!

      Reply
    20. Kylie says

      May 07, 2014 at 5:36 pm

      50 recipes

      Reply
    21. Lisa Tulak says

      May 07, 2014 at 6:02 pm

      Awesome! Thanks for the chance to win. Good luck to everyone <3

      Reply
    22. Lisa Tulak says

      May 07, 2014 at 6:03 pm

      Opps 50 lunches 🙂

      Reply
    23. Valerya says

      May 07, 2014 at 6:47 pm

      50 wonderful recipes and step by step instructions for each? I'm in love!

      Reply
    24. Leah S. says

      May 07, 2014 at 7:54 pm

      There are 50!

      Reply
    25. Melinda says

      May 07, 2014 at 8:23 pm

      The Book Looks so amazing< like the layout. My soon to be 11 yr. old can look at it and put together her own lunches now, instead of me telling her what she could put in her lunch. Thanks for giving us Moms a chance to Win one of you Fab tab u los books.

      Reply
    26. Sharon says

      May 07, 2014 at 10:26 pm

      I've had a few false starts with bento and would love to give it another go! This book looks amazing.

      Reply
    27. Petit Mom says

      May 07, 2014 at 10:40 pm

      50 yummy and creative ideas 😀

      Reply
    28. Rebecca Phillips says

      May 07, 2014 at 10:50 pm

      50 🙂

      Reply
    29. bloggermummylauren says

      May 07, 2014 at 10:52 pm

      The answer is 50
      Looks like a fab book. My daughter starts school in September and is an awful fussy eater, I know she is going to refuse school meals so I'm looking at Bento as a way of giving her an exciting lunch x

      Reply
    30. Michelle says

      May 07, 2014 at 10:59 pm

      50 Lunches

      Reply
    31. Leanne Lunn says

      May 07, 2014 at 11:02 pm

      50 Recipes

      Reply
    32. Shay Noble says

      May 07, 2014 at 11:31 pm

      There are 50 x

      Reply
    33. Anamika Awasthy says

      May 08, 2014 at 12:12 am

      50 creative lunches and hopefully some inspiration for my picky 3 yr old! Thank you for the chance!!

      Reply
    34. Elizabeth says

      May 08, 2014 at 12:31 am

      50 cute and yummy lunches! I would love to win this book - I regularly check out Wendy's blog for inspiration!

      Reply
    35. Tristin wildstein says

      May 08, 2014 at 1:24 am

      Very cool! I'd love to start trying these out!

      Reply
    36. Tristin wildstein says

      May 08, 2014 at 1:25 am

      Oh, and there are 50!

      Reply
    37. Emma says

      May 08, 2014 at 4:22 am

      There are 50 lunches (and they look fab!)

      Reply
    38. Jodi says

      May 08, 2014 at 5:03 am

      50 delicious ideas for inspiration!

      Reply
    39. Ruth Davies Knowles (@rocknrollerbaby) says

      May 08, 2014 at 7:24 am

      50

      Reply
    40. Elizabeth says

      May 08, 2014 at 7:51 am

      There are 50 ideas. I would love to win this book - my children asked for packed lunches last October and I bought them Bento boxes. Sometimes I get creative with them, but mostly they just get sandwiches! This book looks like it's filled with inspiration!

      Reply
    41. Kelly Wiffin says

      May 08, 2014 at 8:24 am

      There are 50

      Reply
    42. Wottawally @ Legal Lunches says

      May 08, 2014 at 9:21 am

      Oooo, I have seen this book on Amazon and was in 2 minds about pre-ordering. Great to see a review!

      Reply
    43. Kate Williams says

      May 08, 2014 at 10:27 am

      There are 50 🙂

      Reply
    44. Tanya Camilleri says

      May 08, 2014 at 10:41 am

      There are 50 x

      Reply
    45. kellyjo walters says

      May 08, 2014 at 11:21 am

      50 🙂

      Reply
    46. Mama Owl says

      May 08, 2014 at 11:29 am

      There are 50! Fingers crossed 🙂

      Reply
    47. Naomi jones says

      May 08, 2014 at 11:51 am

      50 - looks like a fantastic book

      Reply
    48. Rachel Simons says

      May 08, 2014 at 12:10 pm

      there are 50. Wow love this book

      Reply
    49. Erica Price says

      May 08, 2014 at 12:27 pm

      50 lunches so plenty to choose from.

      Reply
    50. Suzanne says

      May 08, 2014 at 12:55 pm

      A fab giveaway and another great lunch! The book must be good if it can still give you ideas.

      Reply
    51. Cheryl says

      May 08, 2014 at 1:30 pm

      There are fifty creative lunches. Would love to win this book.

      Reply
    52. Jenny says

      May 08, 2014 at 2:47 pm

      50, this looks brilliant!

      Reply
    53. Jenny says

      May 08, 2014 at 2:49 pm

      I have no idea how to find out the url of a post of FB so I just entered my FB name although I did share it - sorry!

      Reply
    54. Shannon says

      May 08, 2014 at 3:50 pm

      50 lunches!

      Reply
    55. dosirakbento says

      May 08, 2014 at 3:51 pm

      Looks like 50 great inspirational lunches!

      Reply
    56. Stacey says

      May 08, 2014 at 5:52 pm

      Excellent adaptation of the bento from the book! It shows that you can get far more than 50 bentos from it!

      Reply
    57. Stephie says

      May 08, 2014 at 7:26 pm

      I would love to make all these 50 recipes, it's so inspiring!
      xoxo, Stephie

      Reply
    58. Michaela Turner says

      May 08, 2014 at 8:09 pm

      50 lunches

      Reply
    59. Dawn says

      May 08, 2014 at 9:02 pm

      There are 50

      Reply
    60. Emma TheMiniMesAndMe says

      May 08, 2014 at 9:44 pm

      There are 50 great lunches featured and I'd love to try them!

      Reply
    61. Colette B says

      May 08, 2014 at 9:45 pm

      50 lunches x

      Reply
    62. Mary @ Over 40 and a Mum to One says

      May 08, 2014 at 10:05 pm

      There are 50 and I really need some inspiration with school starting in September!

      Reply
    63. Rachel says

      May 08, 2014 at 10:43 pm

      50
      We don't get Bento boxes here in South Africa yet but I can still use the help of this book with ideas for my pre schoolers aftercare lunch

      Reply
    64. Gemma Summersby says

      May 08, 2014 at 10:47 pm

      50 🙂 Fab prize x

      Reply
    65. TheBoyandMe says

      May 08, 2014 at 11:24 pm

      There are over 50.

      Reply
    66. Sarah says

      May 09, 2014 at 2:43 am

      50--and from the looks of the pictures you posted, they are amazing! 🙂

      Reply
    67. Mandy says

      May 09, 2014 at 11:38 am

      There are 50 and they all look incredible. Gorgeous photos, would love to win as lunchboxes cause me regular headaches!!

      Reply
    68. Galina V says

      May 09, 2014 at 3:34 pm

      50.
      What a fun book!

      Reply
    69. Rachel Martin says

      May 09, 2014 at 6:56 pm

      Just what I have been looking for!! What an amazing lady and book! Would love this! And so would my fussy boys!

      Reply
    70. Kate Davies says

      May 10, 2014 at 3:46 am

      50 fab recipes 🙂

      Reply
    71. Jada Lewendon says

      May 10, 2014 at 12:33 pm

      A pretty amazing 50 recipes, I am struggling with five to get me through one week! x

      Reply
    72. champaklal lad says

      May 10, 2014 at 5:42 pm

      there are 50 great book

      Reply
    73. Tracey Peach says

      May 11, 2014 at 8:54 am

      There are 50 Lunches

      Reply
    74. Miss. Lucinda Fountain says

      May 11, 2014 at 9:11 am

      There are fifty creative recipies inside this amazing book!

      Thanks so much for the giveaway x

      Reply
    75. otilia says

      May 11, 2014 at 7:14 pm

      50 🙂

      Reply
    76. Em @ snowingindoors says

      May 12, 2014 at 2:20 pm

      50 creative lunches

      Reply
    77. chantelle hazelden (mamamummymum) says

      May 13, 2014 at 11:00 am

      50 recipes!! great book, I don't have the most creative mind so this would definitely be helpful!! #triedtested

      Reply
    78. Jade Pirard (Late For Reality) says

      May 13, 2014 at 11:52 am

      I absolutely love the look of this book! 50 Creative lunches (For competition entry) Great job putting this together I love the photography xx

      Reply
    79. Pippa Ainsworth says

      May 13, 2014 at 1:47 pm

      50 lunches, this looks exactly what I need to get started with Bento #TriedTested

      Reply
    80. My Life As A Mummy says

      May 13, 2014 at 2:23 pm

      There are 50! I love the look of this book! This would be perfect for Cameron's lunches for when he starts school!

      Laura x x x

      #TriedTested

      Reply
    81. Hannah says

      May 13, 2014 at 2:47 pm

      Ohhhhhhh such wonderful ideas! I'd love this!

      Reply
    82. Emma says

      May 13, 2014 at 6:07 pm

      It is 50 🙂

      This book looks amazing, hope I win (crossing fingers and toes)

      Emma

      Reply
    83. Mary @ Over 40 and a Mum to One says

      May 13, 2014 at 7:01 pm

      Love the look of this #TriedTested

      Reply
    84. Hazel Christopher says

      May 13, 2014 at 7:36 pm

      50 recipes 🙂

      Reply
    85. Naomi says

      May 13, 2014 at 8:50 pm

      Its 50 Cute and yummy lunches to go ☺

      Would be fantastic for all my family ☺ especially my eldest daughter who is diabetic and eating all her lunch is a must. Can see it making things a whole lot easier. Going to cross everything lol

      Naomi xx

      Reply
    86. Gillian Holmes says

      May 14, 2014 at 1:20 am

      50

      Reply
    87. Lu Ryan says

      May 14, 2014 at 6:44 pm

      50 lunches my kids would love.

      Reply
    88. Super Busy Mum {Debs} says

      May 16, 2014 at 9:30 am

      50! I need this book in my life, lol. Looks so fabulous.

      Reply
    89. Clansi says

      May 16, 2014 at 9:19 pm

      My mother in law says that a recipe book only needs one or two recipies to be a "good one". I'd bet that more than 2 of the 50 in this book are keepers!

      Reply
    90. My Two Mums says

      February 07, 2015 at 11:08 pm

      This looks like a great little book. I'm looking for more inspiration, so shall have to check it out. Thanks.

      Reply

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