What Is a Grain Bowl?

If you’ve ever visited a Chipotle, Sweetgreen, Cava, or the like, then you’ve most likely eaten, or heard of, a grain bowl. Grain bowls are culinary poster children for many fast-casual restaurants that aim to offer healthy and plant-forward options.

But are these prepared grain bowls really all that good for you?

The truth is that many restaurant grain bowls come with animal-based ingredients, fried items, sugar- and oil-laden dressings, and way too much salt — all of which are the antithesis of the grain bowl’s origins.

You see, the concept of the grain bowl is similar to a Buddha bowl, a vegetarian meal served in a single bowl that includes several small portions of foods like whole grains, beans, and vegetables. It’s said that Buddha bowls got their name from the Buddha’s alleged tradition of receiving food donations in a bowl he carried with him.

Since then, this simple type of meal has acquired a variety of names, from grain bowl to power bowl to nourish bowl.

But the concept of a grain bowl is a universal one. Cultures around the world have their own version of combining grains, plant protein, veggies, and other ingredients in a bowl. Dishes like Indian thali, Korean bibimbap, and Ethiopian beyaynetu are all examples of grain bowls.

And you can create any type of bowl-based meal using spices and inspiration from your favorite cuisine, which you can also customize to your heart’s content! The ingredients can even vary depending on what time of day you plan to consume the dish.

So how can you construct your own plant-based grain bowl at home? In the accompanying “How to Cook” video, we’ll walk you through the steps to concoct your own DIY grain bowl masterpieces.

(Excerpt taken from The Food Revolution Network)