There's an entire library of books out there to help busy parents cook for their families, who are faced not only with the problem of time, but also health. Some of them focus strictly on lunches, other on a whole days of foods from breakfast to school lunches, to snacks, and dinner. These are just a few I've come across that look helpful:
- Quick Meals for Healthy Kids and Busy Parents: Wholesome Family Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less
- The Healthy Lunchbox
- Family Fun Fast Family Dinners
- Beyond Macaroni and Cheese (but really, is there anything beyond a good macaroni and cheese?)
- Kid Favorites Made Healthy from Better Homes & Gardens
- The Sneaky Chef
- Lunch Lessons
- Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food
9-06-2007 @10:57AM Jason Levine said... Thanks for the list. Maybe it'll help with my picky 4 year old. He used to eat everything we put in front of him (except tuna), but now he's turned into Mr. I-Don't-Want-This-I'm-Full. He'll complain about what we're eating, at best take a bite or two, then proclaim that he's full and wants a "snacky."
I'm trying to get him involved with making the food. Last night he helped make Pizza. It went well until he touched the hot pizza tray. (Little hands move very fast!) Luckily, he doesn't seem to have that bad of a burn. Hopefully, he's learned his lesson about hot things. (I know I've learned mine... while he'll be helping more, he'll also be kept further away from hot items.)
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9-06-2007 @12:02PM Courtney said... Love the Sneaky Chef book. In fact, it's on my desk right now. :)
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9-06-2007 @1:04PM Sean said... I can't believe you didn't include the Vegan Lunchbox (http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/). This is one of the best cookbooks I've seen for lunchbox dishes that can be scaled up or down to dinner for the whole family, or quick bites at school.
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9-07-2007 @7:20AM Angela said... That "Sneaky Chef" one looks interesting, I can
myself slinking around the kitchen while no one is
looking and sneaking in irresistable deliciousness.
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9-26-2007 @10:52PM Michelle Stern said... Mollie Katzen has some great kids cookbooks, too. (Pretend Soup, Salad People and Honest Pretzels) I have always found that when kids participate in the cooking, they eat better...so less "sneaking" is necessary.
I teach cooking classes to kids, so I see these results all the time!
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