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Beating the Lunch Box Blues: Fresh Ideas for Lunches on the Go!
Longing for more than yet another limp salad? Tired of tussling with the kids over junk food lunch kits? Sounds like you’ve got the lunch box blues. J. M. Hirsch has the fix.
But it isn’t a cookbook. Because when it comes to lunch, nobody has time to break out a recipe to bang out a brown bag special. Busy people need lunch ideas. Lots of them. And those ideas need to be healthy, fast, easy, affordable, and delicious.
That’s what Beating the Lunch Box Blues is—an idea book to inspire anyone daunted by the daily ordeal of packing lunch. Jammed with nearly 200 photos and more than 500 tips and meals, this book is designed to save families time, money, and their sanity.
Whether you want to jazz up a grilled cheese, turn leftover steak into a DIY taco kit, or make pizza “sushi,” Hirsch has it covered. And because the best lunches often are built from the leftovers of great suppers, he has also included 30 fast and flavorful dinner recipes designed to make enough for tomorrow, too. Crazy good stuff like short ribs braised in a Rosemary-Port Sauce, Hoisin-Glazed Meatloaf, and kid-friendly classics such as Turkey Sloppy Joes and American Chop Suey.
With ideas this easy and this delicious, there’s no reason to let the lunch box blues get you down.
But it isn’t a cookbook. Because when it comes to lunch, nobody has time to break out a recipe to bang out a brown bag special. Busy people need lunch ideas. Lots of them. And those ideas need to be healthy, fast, easy, affordable, and delicious.
That’s what Beating the Lunch Box Blues is—an idea book to inspire anyone daunted by the daily ordeal of packing lunch. Jammed with nearly 200 photos and more than 500 tips and meals, this book is designed to save families time, money, and their sanity.
Whether you want to jazz up a grilled cheese, turn leftover steak into a DIY taco kit, or make pizza “sushi,” Hirsch has it covered. And because the best lunches often are built from the leftovers of great suppers, he has also included 30 fast and flavorful dinner recipes designed to make enough for tomorrow, too. Crazy good stuff like short ribs braised in a Rosemary-Port Sauce, Hoisin-Glazed Meatloaf, and kid-friendly classics such as Turkey Sloppy Joes and American Chop Suey.
With ideas this easy and this delicious, there’s no reason to let the lunch box blues get you down.
208 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
July 9, 2013
Working from home or in an office with a kitchen, lunch is not a big issue for me - I just have leftovers or a toasted cheese sandwich. My boyfriend, however, works outside all day and really struggles to find interesting and fun things to have for lunch, so when I saw this book on Netgalley I requested it immediately!
The first thing I thought while reading this book is gosh that kid is luck to have JM Hirsch for a dad! It is a very well-shot cookbook and the meals look absolutely delicious. It's less a traditional cookbook than a kind of 'guide' book - recipes for dinners are followed by ways to transform the leftovers into tempting lunch meals as well as suggestions of how to combine ingredients into appealing meals. Most of the lunches have extra veggies or fruits added to make them even healthier and there is a strong focus on whole grains and whole food, which is excellent. There are also sections on how to transport and store food safely and how to keep hot food hot and cold food cold. I would recommend this book without hesitation for any parent, especially one who is used to seeing full lunch boxes return home from school - even the fussiest kids could find options to appeal to them in this book.
If I could have I would've given it 3.5 stars (why no 1/2 stars, goodreads?) but have decided to go with three stars for my review. This is for a few reasons. Firstly, a few of the hot lunch ideas are 'Heat dumplings/samosas from the frozen international section of the freezer and store in this way and serve with this accompaniment.' Good for inspiration for parents but not actually a recipe. Secondly, the meals are really meaty, with some using two or three types of meat. As a newly minted vegetarian, there wasn't that much for me plus I don't think it's environmentally healthy to make so many meat-based meals. Thirdly, like many American cookbooks a lot of the food options were very sweet, even the savoury meals. I reduce the sugar in almost all of my American cookbooks and this one is no different - you will not be seeing me add strawberry jam to my salad dressing any time soon!
This book is based on the blog http://www.lunchboxblues.com, which I did not realise before I started reading it. If you like the food on there you should love this book. Like I said earlier, that is one lucky kid!
The first thing I thought while reading this book is gosh that kid is luck to have JM Hirsch for a dad! It is a very well-shot cookbook and the meals look absolutely delicious. It's less a traditional cookbook than a kind of 'guide' book - recipes for dinners are followed by ways to transform the leftovers into tempting lunch meals as well as suggestions of how to combine ingredients into appealing meals. Most of the lunches have extra veggies or fruits added to make them even healthier and there is a strong focus on whole grains and whole food, which is excellent. There are also sections on how to transport and store food safely and how to keep hot food hot and cold food cold. I would recommend this book without hesitation for any parent, especially one who is used to seeing full lunch boxes return home from school - even the fussiest kids could find options to appeal to them in this book.
If I could have I would've given it 3.5 stars (why no 1/2 stars, goodreads?) but have decided to go with three stars for my review. This is for a few reasons. Firstly, a few of the hot lunch ideas are 'Heat dumplings/samosas from the frozen international section of the freezer and store in this way and serve with this accompaniment.' Good for inspiration for parents but not actually a recipe. Secondly, the meals are really meaty, with some using two or three types of meat. As a newly minted vegetarian, there wasn't that much for me plus I don't think it's environmentally healthy to make so many meat-based meals. Thirdly, like many American cookbooks a lot of the food options were very sweet, even the savoury meals. I reduce the sugar in almost all of my American cookbooks and this one is no different - you will not be seeing me add strawberry jam to my salad dressing any time soon!
This book is based on the blog http://www.lunchboxblues.com, which I did not realise before I started reading it. If you like the food on there you should love this book. Like I said earlier, that is one lucky kid!
August 29, 2013
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!
Perfect timing!! The cafeteria at my children's school serves lunch to students ranging in grade PK-5 to high school!! Since last year they LOST $30,000 in revenue, they redid the whole system & farmed it out to a third party. The prices for a school lunch went from $4 (at the high end) to a $6 average... Meaning, it can go much higher! For the same crappy food (sorry... no other description would really make the point)at a much higher price, 1/2 of the school has started brown bagging it! Soooo... I wanted to read this book!!
I'm Telling YOU!!
This is NOT just for kids, but for adult lunches too!! I needed it for my kids specifically, so I was excited to get to read an advanced borrowed copy (from the publisher for an honest review!)... Since I want to keep it long term, I do have to buy it, which I DEFINITELY will!!
This book was amazing!! I am using it as reference! It gave me so many great ideas for food my kids will eat, because kids demand better food than that same old PB&J, chips & a drink box!! Shoot!! I even have great ideas for cool containers & silverware from the dollar store instead of plastic!!
There are so many cool ideas PLUS recipes you can make for dinner & have lunch the next day! It seriously even tells you how to pack it for the best...ummm... can't think of the right word... Well, what I mean, for example, is to use small containers for dressing so salad doesn't get soggy... There are so many other things that should be seperated too that you wouldn't really think of while packing.
This is also a great plan ahead book, because -REALLY!!- who likes to pack lunches at 6 in the morning while you're fighting one kid to hurry in the shower, one to get up & the other to find all their papers that need to be signed before they need to be out the door at 7... I am SOOO NOT getting up at 5:30 to get this done!!
I cannot say enough... This book explains everything & you can take it and do it exactly OR build on it! If you aren't a creative person, you may disagree, but as for me...I am a build on it kind of gal... NEW silver lunch boxes from a craft store for my kids!! FUN FUN FUN!
You know it's a good book when you can't wait to make lunches for you or your kids!!
Perfect timing!! The cafeteria at my children's school serves lunch to students ranging in grade PK-5 to high school!! Since last year they LOST $30,000 in revenue, they redid the whole system & farmed it out to a third party. The prices for a school lunch went from $4 (at the high end) to a $6 average... Meaning, it can go much higher! For the same crappy food (sorry... no other description would really make the point)at a much higher price, 1/2 of the school has started brown bagging it! Soooo... I wanted to read this book!!
I'm Telling YOU!!
This is NOT just for kids, but for adult lunches too!! I needed it for my kids specifically, so I was excited to get to read an advanced borrowed copy (from the publisher for an honest review!)... Since I want to keep it long term, I do have to buy it, which I DEFINITELY will!!
This book was amazing!! I am using it as reference! It gave me so many great ideas for food my kids will eat, because kids demand better food than that same old PB&J, chips & a drink box!! Shoot!! I even have great ideas for cool containers & silverware from the dollar store instead of plastic!!
There are so many cool ideas PLUS recipes you can make for dinner & have lunch the next day! It seriously even tells you how to pack it for the best...ummm... can't think of the right word... Well, what I mean, for example, is to use small containers for dressing so salad doesn't get soggy... There are so many other things that should be seperated too that you wouldn't really think of while packing.
This is also a great plan ahead book, because -REALLY!!- who likes to pack lunches at 6 in the morning while you're fighting one kid to hurry in the shower, one to get up & the other to find all their papers that need to be signed before they need to be out the door at 7... I am SOOO NOT getting up at 5:30 to get this done!!
I cannot say enough... This book explains everything & you can take it and do it exactly OR build on it! If you aren't a creative person, you may disagree, but as for me...I am a build on it kind of gal... NEW silver lunch boxes from a craft store for my kids!! FUN FUN FUN!
You know it's a good book when you can't wait to make lunches for you or your kids!!
September 3, 2021
Fun to look at, and I found a few great recipes! There was a lot of variety in ingredients, but a lot of it was expensive novelty items like exotic cheeses and such. So if you don't want to spend big bucks on your lunches and prefer more simple options, I would suggest picking through the book and just looking at the few easy ideas it does have. I'm not a huge fan of all the fancy cheeses and meats and vegetarian options, so I didn't get a whole lot out of this book, but I'm still glad I looked through it. I thought it would be an actual recipe/cookbook, but more than anything it just has pictures with little word bubbles that suggest fresh food combinations. If you have a VERY refined palate and have managed to get your kids to eat sophisticated food as well, then this cookbook is for you.
May 31, 2021
Aside form the snarky, negative comment on page 4 about other people's children (not to mention making fun of Bento), I love this book! Lots of great lunch box ideas for kids and adults. I am all about DIY meals, creative leftovers, and unique takes on the same old same old. I am blown away by all the great ideas. There are also great tips on gear. The pictures themselves show a many ideas that the book itself doesn't always mention.
That said, this book is for people who can intuit how to make some things without being given explicit instructions--like cucumber sandwiches. There's a picture of it. It's not hard. But then he shows a pictures of a delicious couscous salad and says just make ahead a bunch of couscous and add whatever veggies on hand with a caesar dressing, some people might flip. To me it made perfect sense. So, maybe this book is really more for people who already cook a lot.
If you do not cook a lot already or you think making a stir fry is hard, this book is not for you. But give it a try anyway. Some people have been surprised that my kid eats hummus. Why? I know kids have more simple tastes, and yes, they can be slow to try new things. But if you give goat cheese instead of cream cheese they really won't notice the difference. If you give your kids what you eat, they will at least try it one day. But if you assume they won't eat it and just keep giving them mac and cheese and hot dogs and PBJs all the time, they won't have the chance to expand their menus. I'm not saying my kids eats everything-he does NOT. He won't even eat anything green (except cucumbers). However, that doesn't mean I don't try. One day, he will eat broccoli. And that day I will do a dance.
He;s starting Kindergarten so I'm excited to try new things since he will be at my mercy---mua HAHAHA! Just kidding. But seriously, when you're super hungry, you will eat anything. Why not make it at home, make it healthy, and different! Having said that, I will mostly just pack stuff he likes, throwing in the odd thing here and there for good measure. This book has given me a lot to go on.
That said, this book is for people who can intuit how to make some things without being given explicit instructions--like cucumber sandwiches. There's a picture of it. It's not hard. But then he shows a pictures of a delicious couscous salad and says just make ahead a bunch of couscous and add whatever veggies on hand with a caesar dressing, some people might flip. To me it made perfect sense. So, maybe this book is really more for people who already cook a lot.
If you do not cook a lot already or you think making a stir fry is hard, this book is not for you. But give it a try anyway. Some people have been surprised that my kid eats hummus. Why? I know kids have more simple tastes, and yes, they can be slow to try new things. But if you give goat cheese instead of cream cheese they really won't notice the difference. If you give your kids what you eat, they will at least try it one day. But if you assume they won't eat it and just keep giving them mac and cheese and hot dogs and PBJs all the time, they won't have the chance to expand their menus. I'm not saying my kids eats everything-he does NOT. He won't even eat anything green (except cucumbers). However, that doesn't mean I don't try. One day, he will eat broccoli. And that day I will do a dance.
He;s starting Kindergarten so I'm excited to try new things since he will be at my mercy---mua HAHAHA! Just kidding. But seriously, when you're super hungry, you will eat anything. Why not make it at home, make it healthy, and different! Having said that, I will mostly just pack stuff he likes, throwing in the odd thing here and there for good measure. This book has given me a lot to go on.
June 26, 2014
I took me an entire school year to try all of the recipes in this gem of a cookbook I received from Atria Books as a part of a Goodreads giveaway! As a teacher with a rushed, 30-minute lunch break, I need nutrition and creativity packed in an easy-to-carry container. Beating the Lunch Box Blues met my criteria with more than 200 colorful photos and more than 500 tips and meals. From chicken and salmon to sandwiches, salads, soups, veggies and noodle dishes, I was happy. Author J. M. Hirsch creates recipes that lead into great leftover dishes for a pack-as-you-go lunch or even if you have a day at home and don't want to make a fuss about a time-consuming meal. Hirsch, who is also a food editor for the Associated Press, didn't have much time to pack lunches for his young son. So after starting a blog--LunchBoxBlues.com--he discovered that other people were drawn to his "increasingly creative" lunch ideas. And as the saying goes, "the rest is history." Through this non-cookbook, cookbook, we are encouraged to relinquish the notion of tradition and embrace refreshing ideas to satisfy the noontime hunger monster. I really loved the "one dinner, two lunches" ideas, the "breakfast for lunch" meals, and the "all dip lunch." The index is helpful, along with the colorful photos by food photographer Matthew Mead. The creatively snappy layout is filled with what I call "little thought bubbles," which provide more helpful hints to create fresh ideas. For those looking for the nutrition information for each recipe, you may be disappointed. However, whether you are a novice or an established foodie, you will enjoy these recipes that stamp out monotony. And hey, the foreword is by Rachel Ray!
August 14, 2017
All I can say is, man, I wish J.M. Hirsch packed MY lunches.
Instead, he wrote a photo-heavy book so you can pack your own lunches the way he would do it. I was surprised that this is not a "cookbook" in that it does not have any actual recipes. Instead, it's full of photos of lunches with little notations about what's in the lunchbox so that you can duplicate it on your own and give it your own style. So it's really more a book of "ideas," which, once I got over it not being a traditional cookbook, I found that I liked, since I was mostly looking for ideas, anyway.
However, I don't believe for a moment that these lunches actually only take 10 minutes to put together. Still, if you're looking for some drool-worthy inspiration to make lunches for yourself or someone else, this book is a fun place to start. No need to have school-aged kids to enjoy it, either -- I looked for ideas for lunches for my husband, and most of the ideas are sophisticated enough to appeal to an adult palate.
Instead, he wrote a photo-heavy book so you can pack your own lunches the way he would do it. I was surprised that this is not a "cookbook" in that it does not have any actual recipes. Instead, it's full of photos of lunches with little notations about what's in the lunchbox so that you can duplicate it on your own and give it your own style. So it's really more a book of "ideas," which, once I got over it not being a traditional cookbook, I found that I liked, since I was mostly looking for ideas, anyway.
However, I don't believe for a moment that these lunches actually only take 10 minutes to put together. Still, if you're looking for some drool-worthy inspiration to make lunches for yourself or someone else, this book is a fun place to start. No need to have school-aged kids to enjoy it, either -- I looked for ideas for lunches for my husband, and most of the ideas are sophisticated enough to appeal to an adult palate.
September 9, 2013
Nobody wants a lunch cookbook, especially not a lunch box cookbook is the bold claim given at the start of the marketing materials for… a lunch cookbook. Yet it makes a lot of sense, with us being time and idea poor early in the morning when we should be making our lunch before heading off to work. Making it the night before isn't always the best option either.
Of course, perhaps we could slip out to a store and pay for the privilege, standing in line and using up much of our lunchtime in the process. Wouldn't it be better, cheaper and healthier to do it at home before we go out? This book thinks so and gives nearly 200 ideas for lunch items that are not just variations on a theme - far from it.
Starting with an introduction and many tips, you might be forgiven for thinking that the author is stating the obvious ONCE you've read tips such as use leftovers as part of next day's lunch, yet until you've thought it through it isn't necessarily as clear as you might imagine. Sure, you can take a plastic box of something and hope to find a fridge and a microwave at your work or school, yet the thought process is more involved. Extra pasta can make a great salad the following day, extra pancakes or waffles can be "bread" for sandwiches. Not everything that was hot for dinner need be hot for lunch. Breaking conventions can be a great thing and not all convenience foods need be bad. It is a question of balance.
The recipes are featured in many chapters and in some ways the organisation seems a bit haphazard and disjointed yet when you look at it there is just a feeling that it doesn't matter at all. It is one of those books you probably should read sequentially at least once to get a deep overview about what can be achieved and then, of course, you dip in and out as required. This book is a lot more than just recipes and ideas for packed lunches - either that or the author has some rather elaborate lunches reminiscent of a Victorian middle class family's picnic (!). Many recipes would be eminently suitable for an evening meal, such as Thai Curry Barbecue Chicken Thighs or Sweet-and-Sour Chicken and here the intention is to make enough for "now" and "later" at the same time.
This does feel like one of those books that could be easily overlooked yet overlook it at your peril. The more one looked at this book the greater one seemed to get out of it, yet at a distance it might have seemed a fairly unremarkable book. There are a few niggles, such as the use of sole U.S. imperial units and a few strange colour combinations in the list of ingredients that might be described as "design differences" but in the grand scheme of things the niggles are just blown away. The book has carefully mixed humour, knowledge, education and a degree of realism together to great effect. Some stunning matter-of-fact food photography also draws you in. You need to believe in yourself that you CAN and WILL make great looking, tasty meals whilst being pressed for time.
To be fair, when one saw the title of this book it was imagined that it would have been a lot of variations on a sandwich theme with maybe a few salads and biscuits for good measure. One could not have imagined the sheer variety of food that could be lunch box-friendly. With a small degree of planning and integration into your existing kitchen schedule, you could be eating like a king at lunchtime too and probably will be healthier and richer in the process. About the only missing thing is advice about how to protect your lunchbox from envious, marauding coworkers. Possibly you will not look at the lunch counter with the same wide eyes ever again.
Beating the Lunch Box Blues, written by J. M. Hirsch and published by Atria Books. ISBN 9781476726724, 208 pages. Typical price: USD18. YYYYY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
Of course, perhaps we could slip out to a store and pay for the privilege, standing in line and using up much of our lunchtime in the process. Wouldn't it be better, cheaper and healthier to do it at home before we go out? This book thinks so and gives nearly 200 ideas for lunch items that are not just variations on a theme - far from it.
Starting with an introduction and many tips, you might be forgiven for thinking that the author is stating the obvious ONCE you've read tips such as use leftovers as part of next day's lunch, yet until you've thought it through it isn't necessarily as clear as you might imagine. Sure, you can take a plastic box of something and hope to find a fridge and a microwave at your work or school, yet the thought process is more involved. Extra pasta can make a great salad the following day, extra pancakes or waffles can be "bread" for sandwiches. Not everything that was hot for dinner need be hot for lunch. Breaking conventions can be a great thing and not all convenience foods need be bad. It is a question of balance.
The recipes are featured in many chapters and in some ways the organisation seems a bit haphazard and disjointed yet when you look at it there is just a feeling that it doesn't matter at all. It is one of those books you probably should read sequentially at least once to get a deep overview about what can be achieved and then, of course, you dip in and out as required. This book is a lot more than just recipes and ideas for packed lunches - either that or the author has some rather elaborate lunches reminiscent of a Victorian middle class family's picnic (!). Many recipes would be eminently suitable for an evening meal, such as Thai Curry Barbecue Chicken Thighs or Sweet-and-Sour Chicken and here the intention is to make enough for "now" and "later" at the same time.
This does feel like one of those books that could be easily overlooked yet overlook it at your peril. The more one looked at this book the greater one seemed to get out of it, yet at a distance it might have seemed a fairly unremarkable book. There are a few niggles, such as the use of sole U.S. imperial units and a few strange colour combinations in the list of ingredients that might be described as "design differences" but in the grand scheme of things the niggles are just blown away. The book has carefully mixed humour, knowledge, education and a degree of realism together to great effect. Some stunning matter-of-fact food photography also draws you in. You need to believe in yourself that you CAN and WILL make great looking, tasty meals whilst being pressed for time.
To be fair, when one saw the title of this book it was imagined that it would have been a lot of variations on a sandwich theme with maybe a few salads and biscuits for good measure. One could not have imagined the sheer variety of food that could be lunch box-friendly. With a small degree of planning and integration into your existing kitchen schedule, you could be eating like a king at lunchtime too and probably will be healthier and richer in the process. About the only missing thing is advice about how to protect your lunchbox from envious, marauding coworkers. Possibly you will not look at the lunch counter with the same wide eyes ever again.
Beating the Lunch Box Blues, written by J. M. Hirsch and published by Atria Books. ISBN 9781476726724, 208 pages. Typical price: USD18. YYYYY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
September 8, 2016
We're only six weeks into my daughter's first year of home-packed school lunches, and she's already bored and begging to eat from the cafeteria. I'm not intending to be boring, but lunches, by their perishable nature, must be assembled in the morning, and I'm rarely fully awake before 10, so I open the refrigerator, wearily blink at the options, and vaguely try not to pack the same thing as the day before. Feeding her was a lot easier when I had the option to be awake (given that it was 12:15), the ability to cook, access to the fridge and microwave (not possible at school) and could take her out if she was just really craving something else. Sigh. What to do?
On a recent stop at the library, I grabbed the last couple of issues of Bookpage and found this book reviewed. Hmm. I checked out the reviews on Amazon, and they were pretty glowing, so I ordered it and crossed my fingers that it would help snap me out of my sleep-hazed lunch monotony.
I have to admit that this book is one of those that's brilliant in its simplicity. I'm embarrassed to admit how many ideas were so simple that I had to wonder why I hadn't thought of them. It basically breaks down to use leftovers, sub in less familiar versions of familiar lunch-time offerings, and be willing to experiment. It's not earth-shaking precisely, but it is a nice kick in the pants to get out of a lunch rut.
The photography in the book is lovely, and the ideas are fun. My only real complaint is the expense factor. With the ingredients only being purchased for one lunch (I eat leftovers and my husband almost always eats out), I have to make pretty firm calculations of how much of something my daughter will eat before it goes bad, which means being a responsible consumer guarantees some inherent monotony. I'll have to take a closer looks at which recipes use similar ingredients but have different taste profiles. Oh, and several of the suggestions were way more sugar heavy than we typically do--one of the reasons she's not eating in the cafeteria in the first place.
I'll do a check back in review in a few months to see how it goes, but for now, I'm pretty pleased with the book, and I think it's going to help with our lunch rut.
Edit, 01/28/14: I said I'd be back, right? It turns out this was a life saver. We're now approaching my daughter's 100 days party, and if I have the temerity to pack a sandwich, it will be returned with two bites out of it. I've definitely learned that my daughter prefers hot food--to think she didn't even have a soup thermos prior to this book--and is just as happy as me to eat dinner leftovers (today's lunch: chicken provencal and fruit). I've figured out what can be done in the evening and think through the steps that have to be done in the morning, so that even if I have my usual fuzzy brain, there's already a plan in place. Priming does a great job keeping her food hot, and I've discovered that her thermos holds exactly as much hot water as I like in my tea. ;) Sooooo...if like me you're stuck in a lunch rut, I highly recommend this book.
On a recent stop at the library, I grabbed the last couple of issues of Bookpage and found this book reviewed. Hmm. I checked out the reviews on Amazon, and they were pretty glowing, so I ordered it and crossed my fingers that it would help snap me out of my sleep-hazed lunch monotony.
I have to admit that this book is one of those that's brilliant in its simplicity. I'm embarrassed to admit how many ideas were so simple that I had to wonder why I hadn't thought of them. It basically breaks down to use leftovers, sub in less familiar versions of familiar lunch-time offerings, and be willing to experiment. It's not earth-shaking precisely, but it is a nice kick in the pants to get out of a lunch rut.
The photography in the book is lovely, and the ideas are fun. My only real complaint is the expense factor. With the ingredients only being purchased for one lunch (I eat leftovers and my husband almost always eats out), I have to make pretty firm calculations of how much of something my daughter will eat before it goes bad, which means being a responsible consumer guarantees some inherent monotony. I'll have to take a closer looks at which recipes use similar ingredients but have different taste profiles. Oh, and several of the suggestions were way more sugar heavy than we typically do--one of the reasons she's not eating in the cafeteria in the first place.
I'll do a check back in review in a few months to see how it goes, but for now, I'm pretty pleased with the book, and I think it's going to help with our lunch rut.
Edit, 01/28/14: I said I'd be back, right? It turns out this was a life saver. We're now approaching my daughter's 100 days party, and if I have the temerity to pack a sandwich, it will be returned with two bites out of it. I've definitely learned that my daughter prefers hot food--to think she didn't even have a soup thermos prior to this book--and is just as happy as me to eat dinner leftovers (today's lunch: chicken provencal and fruit). I've figured out what can be done in the evening and think through the steps that have to be done in the morning, so that even if I have my usual fuzzy brain, there's already a plan in place. Priming does a great job keeping her food hot, and I've discovered that her thermos holds exactly as much hot water as I like in my tea. ;) Sooooo...if like me you're stuck in a lunch rut, I highly recommend this book.
July 31, 2013
I received this book from Goodreads Giveaways. I just bought four new lunch boxes for the new school year. JM Hirsch has had a food blog about the lunches that he makes for his son. He says that he does not spend more than ten minutes in the morning putting together his son's lunch. Making extras at dinner the night before in order to pack them at lunch the next day is not new. Putting the ingredients together in a fun way for lunch is. There are dinner recipes if you desire to use his or merely use your own. I would never have thought to put mashed potatoes, or grilled cheese soldiers in a thermos. When I was growing up, it was just for soup. He uses all natural healthy foods including chia seeds, kumquats,dates, chutneys, couscous, kale, and pumpkin seeds. There are great ideas for wraps, salads, easy soups, and sandwiches. Many can be put together the night before and reheated and put in a thermos in the morning. What a lucky son he has! The downside? The ingredients are expensive, not usually in my refrigerator or pantry, and are often combinations that my kids won't eat. Making lunches for four is already difficult, but putting together something that they would all like would be hard to do. One does not like olives. The other will not eat roasted peppers or sun dried tomatoes. Making a pasta or soup that everyone would eat is a hardship at best. This is a great concept book that will certainly spice up my kids' lunches this school year. They will not be getting kangaroo for lunch though!
February 18, 2018
This book started as a blog on which father J.M. Hirsch provided status updates on the successes and failures involved in preparing his son's daily school lunches. With time, he realized he had garnered enough insights to warrant preparation of a book. Less cookbook than "idea, flip-book," Beating the Lunch Box Blues: Fresh Ideas for Lunches on the Go! provides clever insights on everything from lunch gear, to involving those who will be eating said lunches in providing candid input. From the outset, Hirsch offers important tips that are likely to lead to lunchtime successes, including the observation that great lunches are reworkings of great dinners (so make too much); be willing to think outside the lunchbox and go with your kids' (or your own stomach's) crazy musings and ideas; break ingredients up, if necessary, so that the wet and dry can be recombined at school (where kids typically do not have access to microwave ovens, unlike their adult counterparts); involving the eaters (take their input and work with it so that they understand they are being heard); and skip the over-processed, over-packaged, and over-priced lunchtime "kits" marketed at children.
With its 162 lunch ideas and 30 dinner recipes (again, because great dinners are the foundation upon which great lunches can be built), this small paperback makes a great gift for any occasion--be it back to school time, as stocking stuffer, an Easter basket item, or any occasion on which it will make a welcome addition.
With its 162 lunch ideas and 30 dinner recipes (again, because great dinners are the foundation upon which great lunches can be built), this small paperback makes a great gift for any occasion--be it back to school time, as stocking stuffer, an Easter basket item, or any occasion on which it will make a welcome addition.
August 3, 2013
The format of this book is great. As Hirsch says in his own introduction, it's very take-it-or-leave-it, and meant to be inspiration. Although most of the recipes (or non-recipes) weren't my taste, there were a few gems that gave me new ideas for packed lunches. Disclaimer - I don't have kids, so can't really testify to how kid-friendly these ideas are, but I pack lunch for myself and often for my SO, and I'm always looking for new ideas. My favorites - make a grilled cheese, let it cool and cut it up into cubes, and use it for amazing croutons (yup, mind=blown), and leftover beef stew empenadas instead of just plain leftover stew in tupperware (you could probably do this with a lot of things - chili, chicken pot pie filling, really any stew or even thick soup...)
Hirsch supplies not just lunch inspiration, but includes a bunch of dinner recipes that make enough to feed a family of four and have some leftovers. On the opposing page, he gives two creative ways to use those leftovers for lunch the next day, which I thought was a great idea. Even though I wouldn't make, says, the pork tenderloin recipe he gives, I do have my own stand-by and now some ideas to use the leftovers in new and creative ways. The index at the end is also super handy.
Overall, even though I wouldn't use a lot of the suggestions he gives as purely a matter of taste and food preference, I still came away inspired.
*Disclaimer: Received an advanced copy from the publisher as a first-reads giveaway.
Hirsch supplies not just lunch inspiration, but includes a bunch of dinner recipes that make enough to feed a family of four and have some leftovers. On the opposing page, he gives two creative ways to use those leftovers for lunch the next day, which I thought was a great idea. Even though I wouldn't make, says, the pork tenderloin recipe he gives, I do have my own stand-by and now some ideas to use the leftovers in new and creative ways. The index at the end is also super handy.
Overall, even though I wouldn't use a lot of the suggestions he gives as purely a matter of taste and food preference, I still came away inspired.
*Disclaimer: Received an advanced copy from the publisher as a first-reads giveaway.
March 25, 2019
Are your kids sick of peanut butter and jelly? Do you wonder how Pinterest moms find the time to whip up fancy bento boxes? This is the book for you! Hirsch's book is full of easy lunches and guilt-free convenience items. With tips on how to whip up easy snacks like prosciutto mozzarella sticks and five-minute polenta, this book will soon become a favorite. One section has a creative dinner recipe whose leftovers can easily become two tasty lunches! Pick up this manual and you can say goodbye to mom guilt and cold hot dog meals and hello to happier, healthier kiddos.
This book was part of a post I did all about books that were perfect for any kind of spring break. Read it here: https://www.mypen2paper.com/blog/10-b...
This book was part of a post I did all about books that were perfect for any kind of spring break. Read it here: https://www.mypen2paper.com/blog/10-b...
August 5, 2013
this is not your typical cookbook as it's meant to be inspirational and it is well photographed. however, there is a distinct reliance on store-bought prepared food items to make the lunch boxes quick which is something people on a budget cannot rely on. I knew I'd be disappointed when Hirsch wrote that he didn't like fish but his vegetarian options were mainly hummous and more hummous. Useless book for my purposes.
June 10, 2018
I enjoyed this enough that I'm thinking of buying it. (I checked it out from the library.) It's not so much the recipes themselves (most of them are honestly not things that I personally would typically eat..hence the 4 stars instead of 5) but he presents it all in such a way that it seems very attainable to throw together really nice lunches in a small amount of time with similar methods. I work from home so access to the kitchen isn't a problem, but I hate spending a ton of time cooking.
December 20, 2013
One part left over lunches for adults, one part fun lunches for students, one part cooking in bulk -- with some ingredient choices I just won't be making (like Eggo waffles for "bread").
http://www.pussreboots.pair.com/blog/...
http://www.pussreboots.pair.com/blog/...
January 6, 2014
I didn't read this book carefully before picking it up from the bookstore. It has a lot of ideas of things to do, but not a whole lot of recipes. The ideas are great and it's very visually appealing, but it makes fun of bento boxes in the beginning and that's not cool
December 9, 2014
LOVE the glossy photos, and great practical ideas!
September 10, 2018
Part cookbook and part Pinterest board on paper (most pages are colored photographs), I enjoyed this enough to purchase a Kindle copy to refer to when I'm stuck in the brown bag rut.
There are a lot of lunch ideas and some make-it-ahead for planned leftovers recipes. Many of the ingredients are not cheap; some may even be hard to find outside of large urban areas. And as much as I love raw onion, working in a face-to-face customer service environment means I don't eat raw onions or other aromatic foods at lunch. I do appreciate that there seems to be an emphasis on salads and raw foods. No nutritional information is mentioned anywhere, which isn't that surprising since the book is intended to help with school lunches more than adult ones. Another caveat is that peanut butter features prominently in many of the ideas. I have no allergy issues but I understand that many schools are now restricting peanuts.
Still, as I said, I purchased a Kindle copy since this paperback one goes back to the library. I can mix and match many of the ideas. I can use them as springboards for less-expensive substitutions. And having the book on my phone means I can refer to it when I'm grocery shopping and want to pick up a small indulgence or simply something that's different.
There are a lot of lunch ideas and some make-it-ahead for planned leftovers recipes. Many of the ingredients are not cheap; some may even be hard to find outside of large urban areas. And as much as I love raw onion, working in a face-to-face customer service environment means I don't eat raw onions or other aromatic foods at lunch. I do appreciate that there seems to be an emphasis on salads and raw foods. No nutritional information is mentioned anywhere, which isn't that surprising since the book is intended to help with school lunches more than adult ones. Another caveat is that peanut butter features prominently in many of the ideas. I have no allergy issues but I understand that many schools are now restricting peanuts.
Still, as I said, I purchased a Kindle copy since this paperback one goes back to the library. I can mix and match many of the ideas. I can use them as springboards for less-expensive substitutions. And having the book on my phone means I can refer to it when I'm grocery shopping and want to pick up a small indulgence or simply something that's different.
November 29, 2017
My copy is well worn with plenty of sticky notes and pieces of paper marking various pages. The recipes are delicious and the lunch ideas are creative and make you long for lunch throughout the morning. Great ideas for kids and adults, school and the office, even at home! I cannot say enough good things about this book! Sometimes it will sit on my shelf for a little while unused, but I always go back to it. Every time I flip through the pages I find something new I didn't notice before. This book especially helped when I was working the grave shift and I didn't have energy to create complicated lunches. There are also plenty of options that are good for grave because they're light but filling. Love love love this book!!!
September 28, 2023
This book was a bit better than some of the books I checked out from the library about ideas for lunch. I didn't care about Rachael Ray's introduction. She doesn't live like the regular everyday person looking for ideas about lunch. But now that I look at the cover, it is a Rachael Ray book.
I did find a few ideas that I can put into place for myself but I will have to change things. I eat Keto/low-carb foods and if I change one of two things I can make it work. And that is good for me because I am not a cook and I am having such a bad time with food and the last thing I want to do is plan, shop, cook, and clean up a bunch of stuff. I need to work on that. I'll get right on it.
I did find a few ideas that I can put into place for myself but I will have to change things. I eat Keto/low-carb foods and if I change one of two things I can make it work. And that is good for me because I am not a cook and I am having such a bad time with food and the last thing I want to do is plan, shop, cook, and clean up a bunch of stuff. I need to work on that. I'll get right on it.
September 26, 2017
Our group of older ladies and sampling gentleman all agree that the majority of these recipes are for adults. Picky kids like our grandkids might not like everything. We thought this book was better for small appetizer ideas for a potluck or party. We also found problems with the serving sizes of the weekly night recipes and the left over for lunch. One of our cooks ended up with 5 quarts jars full of extra red beans and rice to freeze, plus more servings of the lunches than it called for.
January 20, 2020
This is less of a recipe book and more of a book of suggestions of things to do with leftovers.
While there are lots of ideas and great pictures of packed lunches, I would have liked more recipes and photos of those recipes. There's a lot on what do do with leftovers, but not a focus on making big lunches to use.
It's a pretty book, but not what I was hoping for.
While there are lots of ideas and great pictures of packed lunches, I would have liked more recipes and photos of those recipes. There's a lot on what do do with leftovers, but not a focus on making big lunches to use.
It's a pretty book, but not what I was hoping for.
May 22, 2021
I think this was not quite what I was looking for. I don't necessarily lack ideas just the fridge and microwave to put them into action at work.
I did learn that I need to invest in a thermos for more than just soups, so it wasn't totally a waste of time.
I did learn that I need to invest in a thermos for more than just soups, so it wasn't totally a waste of time.
May 8, 2025
Some pretty good ideas, but there is a lot of product placement, which I've never seen in a printed cookbook. Also a lot of "swap for lower calorie!" and "low-fat option!" which felt really dated, and I did not appreciate. Very Skinnygirl circa 2005.
May 6, 2017
This had some some really great sounding ideas. Like grilled cheese sandwiches cut into croutons? yes, please! I can't wait to buy a copy and start trying them all out.
March 5, 2018
Very nice photos.
May 12, 2019
3.5 stars
February 15, 2020
If your diet consists of meat and preservative filled food, this is the book for you. The photography is beautiful, but the food choices did not go hand in hand with healthy living.
April 27, 2020
Half the stuff is store bought and I can't imagine half the recipes in this book being eaten by at least 90% of the kid population!!!!
November 23, 2020
Some good ideas on how to utilize leftovers, but still a lot of reliance on single serve packaged processed foods.
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