Terri Terns-Hedrick
BellaOnline's Cooking for Kids Editor
The Sneaky Chef - - A Great New Cookbook For Kids
The Sneaky Chef, Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods In Kids' Favorite Meals by Missy Chase Lapine is the best cookbook for kids that I've seen. When I was asked to review this book the title alone intrigued me but it's not just the cute and catchy title that makes this book a must-have for those of us cooking for kids.
Lapine is the former publisher of Eating Well magazine and the mother of two daughters whom she used to experiment on and refine her "sneaky ways." In the book Lapine delves into the psychology behind children's eating habits in America and she also covers the vast subject of nutrition in a practical, easy to read manner.
One of my favorite parts of this book is a list of food combinations and their health benefits. For example, Lapine lists combinations of foods and categorizes them under "Enhances absorption of calcium" for instance. I like to have lists like this at hand so that if I'm preparing a snack for my girls, I can simply look at the chart and be reminded of what simple food combinations can form a complete protein or can enhance the absorption of iron. I'm going to copy this list and hang it on my refrigerator.
Lapine operates under the premise that kids eat with their eyes as well as their mouths, and that they will often reject a food simply by what she calls the "Ick! Factor", or by the way it appears. I think all of us as parents and caregivers can attest to that. Under this premise, Lapine lays out thirteen different methods for sneaking in the good stuff to the foods kids already adore. The health benefits of each method are clearly stated.
Once you know the methods used (and they are creative and easy to do), Lapine also lists thirteen different "make ahead recipes" that take less than 30 minutes to prepare and can be made in bulk and frozen or bagged for use at a later time.
There is a lot of information in this book but it is laid out in a very straightforward manner and Lapine even includes lists of items you'll need as well lists of the twelve most important foods to buy organic and the twelve least contaminated foods. (Another list to add to my refrigerator or purse.)
The author's personal story about her daughters' eating habits, and what ultimately led her to write this book, is engaging and funny. She obviously knows kids and what they'll eat and what they'll resist.
If you are having any trouble getting your kids to eat the fruits or vegetables that you think they should be eating, give up the fight and get this book. It'll save you a lot of stress and unhappiness at dinnertime. And your kids will thank you.
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