Cute concept, but not very useful. The amount of effort you would need to create these lunches for kids is exhaustive. I have the cookbook, but can't really see using it much.

I bought this to help my son and his wife get ideas for preschool lunches. They said it gave them great ideas for vegetarian lunches for their 18 month old.

From: www.BasilAndSpice.com

Book Review: Vegan Lunch Box (Da Capo Press, 2008) by Jennifer McCann

Vegan Lunch Box began with a stay-at-home mom, her desire to give her son vegan school lunches, and her blog. Jennifer McCann's Vegan Lunch Box blog has won PETA's Proggy Award for Blog of the Year, Veg News' Veg Webby Award, and a Bloggy Award for Best Food Blog. She's been going at it since 2005 and her Site Meter reads at over 2 million hits. That's what I like about McCann's book--I can refer to her blog and even leave a question or comment.

The Vegan Lunch Box has 16 glossy photos of McCann's artfully clever lunches, neatly divided in a special "bento" type of lunch box. The book contains 130 recipes, an idex for wheat-, gluten-, soy-, and nut-free recipes. Several of the recipes are ethnic. Cool ones to try:

* Mix Vegetable Wat (Spicy Ethiopian Stew)
* Tofu Fish Sticks (pictured in the book)
* Black Rice Pudding (A Traditional Thai Dessert)

Vegan Lunch Box covers the meals with: desserts, soups, salads, dressings, appetizers, snacks, dips, sides, sandwiches, main dishes, and holiday & party menus.

These recipes are designed both for children and adults, but the emphasis is on the kids. McCann offers fun-looking meal plates ideas and advice for dealing with the pick eater. She also understands the need of the vegan child to fit in at school.

The Vegan Lunch Box is 100% vegan and recipes are suitable for both vegans and vegetarians. McCann herself became a vegetarian at the age of 15, and then later moved toward veganism. Her book places great value on whole grains--oats, barley, spelt, brown rice, quinoa; protein--soy products, wheat gluten (seitan), nuts, seeds, beans, legumes; a wide array of fruits and vegetables; fortified juices and nondairy milks.

Vegetarians, Vegans, and those who would like to try incorporating a healthier diet into their children's lives, should take a look at Jennifer McCann's Vegan Lunch Box. It's a winner!

4 Stars

I love reading cookbooks. I'm vegetarian. And I have to fix several school lunches per day. So getting the book was a no-brainer for me. I've tried several recipes so far. Some my kids love others they don't. What became pretty clear to me is that the "5-star-rating" by Jennifer's son (the prerequisite for a lunch to get into the book) is -of course- quite subjective. And I know that food preferences in kids do change over time, so I'm hopeful.
The book is full of great ideas, some quick, some more time consuming and also some fancy lunch box stuff. I love that I can make every recipe without having to substitute meat items and it helps me to cook vegan more often (which makes so much sense ethically and environmentally). Great are the recipes from all over the world. Japanese, ethiopian anyone?

I was dying to get this book after being a fan of her blog for so long. It's got great menu plans - ones for mornings you have time to cook, ones for a rushed morning and ones for preparation the night before.
It has great recipes, a little too much fake meat and processed food for my taste - but then it's written for everyone, not just me :)
My only criticism (and that's why it lost a star) is the lack of photos. The beauty of the blog was the photo of each lunch, I was expecting this in the book too but there's just a few photos together in the middle of the book - 99% of the recipes and menus don't have photos which is sadly quite common with vegan cookbooks.
But this book is WELL worth the price and will truly be USED in a household with kids. Just give us some photos!

If you only own one vegan cookbook, get Veganomicon. But if you decide to get another one, this book is a great choice! I got it as a gift and I love it! All the recipes I've tried have been great and I am excited to make many more. So far I've only used it for regular, at-home meals, but I bet it would make for great lunches too.

This book has given me so many ideas. I was in a rut and was able to include more variety in my lunches after getting this book!

I fell in love with the Vegan Lunch Box blog some time ago. Every evening it was one of my first blogs to check. The book is the same high quality of ideas, recipes and side bar information. I am an adult with no children and I cannot recommend this cookbook enough. If you are a parent, I cannot imagine a better tool to ensure healthy and tasty lunches for your own little schmoo.

Love this book... it's written in an easy to read format, has tons of ideas, menus and recipes and it all sounds super-yummy. If I would suggest anything it would be to have more pictures of the finished products.

Although my family is not vegan, I try to cook vegan at least twice a week. I have 2 elementary-aged school children with multiple food allergies. Jennifer's recipes are easy and delicious. Our family is eating much healthier thanks to Jennifer's book. There are so many choices for my kids to try. Since following Jennifer's recipes I have found that I like the taste of baked goods made without egg. Before Jennifer's book, I would often get heartburn after eating meals. Since eating healthier, I feel better and the kids often request food that is made with whole wheat or flax seed instead of processed flour. Jennifer...thank you! Food allergies can be dealt with much easier by following vegan recipes. You have improved the quality or my children's lives greatly. I had no idea it was so easy to bake foods without egg or dairy in them. A huge thank you!

I ordered this book, because my son will start school this summer, and I had no idea what to pack into his lunch box every day. I want his lunch box to be a fun, colorful, and delicious surprise, and this book will surely help me to do this. The recipes are very healthy and also adventurous. I especially like that there are foods included from all around the world. There are some pictures in the center of the book, but I wish that more of the recipes had pictures included with them. Other than that, a great cookbook for busy vegan moms!

Vegan Lunch Box is packed with recipes, antidotes, and information on more than the vegan lunch box. Yes, it is primarily a cookbook for elementary school kids when prepared as the menus suggested--but it is so much more! To read it through is to learn how to become a vegan, or to incorporate more vegan dishes into you life.

Jennifer McCann became a vegetarian at age 15 and ate the same thing for lunch for a year. She decided things would be different for her son. Every menu had to be graded a "5" by her son to be included in the book.

McCann packs the lunches in a clever bento-like box, allowing for lots of choices and minimal environmental waste, as they are re-usable. Very clever. The lunches are sure to appeal to kids because they are colorful and fun. McCall is aware that kids notice other kids' food and takes pains to create meals that become the envy of fellow students.

Part I is divided as follows:

* Quick and easy menus. For example, one menu includes lunch nibbles--vegan deli slices and cheese with rice crackers. Disigned for the kid to assemble.

Sample menu: veggie burger, sweet potato fries, wheat free apple crisp and Amazake to drink.

* Rise and Shine menus.

Sample menu: coconut carrot rice pudding, black strap gingerbread with lemon sauce, applesauce and soy jerky

* Ready and Waiting

Sample menu: peanut butter and jelly muffins, frozen snack tube, popcorn, vegetable juice

*Lunch box adventure
Includes menus from around the world.

* Special occasions
Birthdays, Halloween and more.

Part II is the recipes.

While some of the recipes take a bit of time to prepare, many have multiple uses. McCall has smart suggestions like baking large batches of muffins and freezing them individually--perfect for the teen on the go.

Highly recommend for all--vegan or not--for smart, fun and healthy lunches!

From the author of Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet.

This was my first vegan cookbook, and I adore it. Although I actually don't have kids. The Ethiopian dishes are amazingly delicious, and it's worth buying the book for those recipes alone. I've used them successfully to impress company. There are a ton of recipes in this book that have become regular favorites, like the easy hummus, sweet potato fries, and cheezy roasted chickpeas.

Another great thing about this cookbook is that it's clearly noted which recipes are nut-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and wheat-free. That's been very helpful when making food for people in my life with different dietary needs.

Lot's of good animal-free lunch ideas for the whole family to enjoy! The "VEGAN LUNCH BOX" is what a good school lunch program should consist of. This is a must have book for all families who are looking for a way to put good nutritious food in their children's lunch boxes.