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Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food
It has become common knowledge that childhood obesity rates are increasing every year. But the rates continue to rise. And between busy work schedules and the inconvenient truth that kids simply refuse to eat vegetables and other healthy foods, how can average parents ensure their kids are getting the proper nutrition and avoiding bad eating habits? As a mother of three, Jessica Seinfeld can speak for all parents who struggle to feed their kids right and deal nightly with dinnertime fiascos. As she wages a personal war against sugars, packaged foods, and other nutritional saboteurs, she offers appetizing alternatives for parents who find themselves succumbing to the fastest and easiest (and least healthy) choices available to them. Her modus operandi? Her book is filled with traditional recipes that kids love, except they're stealthily packed with veggies hidden in them so kids don't even know! With the help of a nutritionist and a professional chef, Seinfeld has developed a month's worth of meals for kids of all ages that includes, for example, pureed cauliflower in mac and cheese, and kale in spaghetti and meatballs. She also provides revealing and humorous personal anecdotes, tear–out shopping guides to help parents zoom through the supermarket, and tips on how to deal with the kid that "must have" the latest sugar bomb cereal. But this book also contains much more than recipes and tips. By solving problems on a practical level for parents, Seinfeld addresses the big picture issues that surround childhood obesity and its long–term (and ruinous) effects on the body. With the help of a prominent nutritionist, her book provides parents with an arsenal of information related to kids' nutrition so parents understand why it's important to throw in a little avocado puree into their quesadillas. She discusses the critical importance of portion size, and the specific elements kids simply must have (as opposed to adults) in order to flourish now and in the protein, calcium, vitamins, and Omega 3 and 6 fats. Jessica Seinfeld's book is practical, easy–to–read, and a godsend for any parent that wants their kids to be healthy for a long time to come.
208 pages, Spiral-bound
First published October 5, 2007
357 people are currently reading
22612 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Seinfeld
14 books128 followersJessica Seinfeld is the author of four New York Times bestselling cookbooks: DECEPTIVELY DELICIOUS, DOUBLE DELICIOUS, THE CAN’T COOK BOOK, and FOOD SWINGS.
In October, Jessica will release her fifth cookbook, VEGAN AT TIMES. The book focuses on relieving the pressure and shame that is frequently associated with veganism and instead shows how easy it can be to be a vegan, at times, by cooking flavorful, affordable, and robust plant-based meals whenever you want.
Jessica is the Founder and Chair of the Board of Good+Foundation, a national nonprofit that uses a multi-generational approach to address family poverty. Good+Foundation’s ground-breaking model meets the short-term needs of mothers, fathers, and caregivers and helps families create pathways for long-term, self-determined success. For over 20 years, the organization has provided goods to encourage families to attend programs that support mothers and create a healthier, happier environment for children through a focus on father engagement.
In October, Jessica will release her fifth cookbook, VEGAN AT TIMES. The book focuses on relieving the pressure and shame that is frequently associated with veganism and instead shows how easy it can be to be a vegan, at times, by cooking flavorful, affordable, and robust plant-based meals whenever you want.
Jessica is the Founder and Chair of the Board of Good+Foundation, a national nonprofit that uses a multi-generational approach to address family poverty. Good+Foundation’s ground-breaking model meets the short-term needs of mothers, fathers, and caregivers and helps families create pathways for long-term, self-determined success. For over 20 years, the organization has provided goods to encourage families to attend programs that support mothers and create a healthier, happier environment for children through a focus on father engagement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 724 reviews
August 18, 2008
I hate this book. Obviously, I'm not trying to be objective, and I'm kind of in a bad mood as I'm writing this :(
I feel like this BOOK is deceptive!
The deal is, if you want to "sneak" healthy stuff into kids' foods (or, into your own food, as I was hoping to do)you have to make an actual major lifestyle change: prepare to spend hours at a time to boiling up vegetables and and liquefying them in a blender, then freezing them for a future date when you can trick your kids into eating them by saying, "Hey, kid, how about some banana cream pie, partly filled with liquid squash?"
Who would do all of this, unless they were actually, certifiably crazy? I don't know how this book got published! About 1% (or less) of the people who purchase this book are going to follow the strange plan of this loony lady...
Actually, to answer my own question as to how it got published, it's because it has an appealing cover and title, and when you flip through the thing it's filled with colorful photographs of delicious-looking recipes. It's only when you sit down and give it a good read that you see that this mom is insane.
I guess my biggest question is, are this lady's cooking tactics really of nutritional value? She (probably) can't hurt the kids with her soupy concoctions, but isn't it true that once you boil the heck out of vegetables and liquefy them, the vitamins and other good stuff go completely down the... well... toilet?
Speaking of which, maybe the sneaking-in-the-vegetables thing is purely for roughage (sp) purposes. So why puree them? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?
My alternative title would be, "How to Give Your Kids Diarrhea".
I'm bitter because this book was kind of expensive and I felt duped.
Therefore, I consider this review a sort of public service message: use it well.
I feel like this BOOK is deceptive!
The deal is, if you want to "sneak" healthy stuff into kids' foods (or, into your own food, as I was hoping to do)you have to make an actual major lifestyle change: prepare to spend hours at a time to boiling up vegetables and and liquefying them in a blender, then freezing them for a future date when you can trick your kids into eating them by saying, "Hey, kid, how about some banana cream pie, partly filled with liquid squash?"
Who would do all of this, unless they were actually, certifiably crazy? I don't know how this book got published! About 1% (or less) of the people who purchase this book are going to follow the strange plan of this loony lady...
Actually, to answer my own question as to how it got published, it's because it has an appealing cover and title, and when you flip through the thing it's filled with colorful photographs of delicious-looking recipes. It's only when you sit down and give it a good read that you see that this mom is insane.
I guess my biggest question is, are this lady's cooking tactics really of nutritional value? She (probably) can't hurt the kids with her soupy concoctions, but isn't it true that once you boil the heck out of vegetables and liquefy them, the vitamins and other good stuff go completely down the... well... toilet?
Speaking of which, maybe the sneaking-in-the-vegetables thing is purely for roughage (sp) purposes. So why puree them? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?
My alternative title would be, "How to Give Your Kids Diarrhea".
I'm bitter because this book was kind of expensive and I felt duped.
Therefore, I consider this review a sort of public service message: use it well.
January 11, 2008
Just reading the recipes made my stomach turn.
You want your kiddos to eat more fruits and veggies? You have to start them at the baby stage.
If you are trying to do damage control and educate your kid's taste buds at pre-school age forward, I still don't see how these recipes could work.
I understand that's what this author is trying to do, but the tiny amounts of pureed veggies added to normal recipes do not provide enough of a nutrional boost to outweigh the difference in taste and will not in ANY way adapt your kids to eating more veggies/fruits in their pure form.
Here's how I see it.
1) When they are baby/toddlers..no problem...they eat anything. They take their cues from you. If you look apprehensive giving them a bite of something, ie "Oh Cr*p...they're NOT going to like this" Guess what? they won't.
2) When they are preschool...introduce the "no thank you" bite
This translates to "You don't want more? OK you don't have to." BUT you repeat this game with every food item until it becomes an acquired taste. Because let's face it. How many of us thought beer was the BOMB the first time we tried it?
AND
3) Most importantly....get them in the kitchen cooking with you EVERY day from the time that they can stand upright, pull a step stool to the counter and articulate.
My two sons at three years of age could and did the smallest of tasks, ie shredding lettuce for salads, mixing ingredients in a bowl, patting a meatloaf into a pan, etc.
Yes it's a pain in the arse. Yes it takes three times as long to make dinner. Yes they make a huge freaking mess. Yes you can do it faster yourself. Yes, it isin't perfect.
I work outside the home. Speedy dinners on the table were and are a priority. But an even bigger priority for me was and is to raise kids with healthy, sane appetites.
Bottom line...they were invested and appreciative of how long it took to make the meal and how their food was made from an early age and therefore much more inclined to eat and less inclined to whine.
Spinach in blueberry bars?
I call bullsh*t.
You want your kiddos to eat more fruits and veggies? You have to start them at the baby stage.
If you are trying to do damage control and educate your kid's taste buds at pre-school age forward, I still don't see how these recipes could work.
I understand that's what this author is trying to do, but the tiny amounts of pureed veggies added to normal recipes do not provide enough of a nutrional boost to outweigh the difference in taste and will not in ANY way adapt your kids to eating more veggies/fruits in their pure form.
Here's how I see it.
1) When they are baby/toddlers..no problem...they eat anything. They take their cues from you. If you look apprehensive giving them a bite of something, ie "Oh Cr*p...they're NOT going to like this" Guess what? they won't.
2) When they are preschool...introduce the "no thank you" bite
This translates to "You don't want more? OK you don't have to." BUT you repeat this game with every food item until it becomes an acquired taste. Because let's face it. How many of us thought beer was the BOMB the first time we tried it?
AND
3) Most importantly....get them in the kitchen cooking with you EVERY day from the time that they can stand upright, pull a step stool to the counter and articulate.
My two sons at three years of age could and did the smallest of tasks, ie shredding lettuce for salads, mixing ingredients in a bowl, patting a meatloaf into a pan, etc.
Yes it's a pain in the arse. Yes it takes three times as long to make dinner. Yes they make a huge freaking mess. Yes you can do it faster yourself. Yes, it isin't perfect.
I work outside the home. Speedy dinners on the table were and are a priority. But an even bigger priority for me was and is to raise kids with healthy, sane appetites.
Bottom line...they were invested and appreciative of how long it took to make the meal and how their food was made from an early age and therefore much more inclined to eat and less inclined to whine.
Spinach in blueberry bars?
I call bullsh*t.
February 19, 2018
In Food Swings, Jessica Seinfeld has divided the book in two halves. The first half which she calls Virtue contains more health conscious type recipes, whereas the second half which she calls Vice contains more of your splurge type recipes.
Jessica is a genius for doing this.
Determine your craving for the day and head to the corresponding half of the book. Each half is further sectioned into breakfast, mealtime and dessert. The separate sections, especially mealtime, offer a wide variety of recipes including vegetarian.
There are pictures alongside the recipes so if your family, like mine, needs to see pictures while choosing meals, they will appreciate this.
As far as the cooking/baking is concerned, I would not describe the recipes as difficult and they have easy to follow instructions. However, you probably won’t like these recipes if you are looking for more of the quick preparation and/or fewer ingredients kinds of recipes. If you like to work with varied ingredients and don’t mind spending some time in the kitchen, then I think you would like this cookbook.
As I often do with cookbooks, I borrowed this from my library to try it out and I will most definitely buy a copy of Food Swings for my home. Happy cooking!
Jessica is a genius for doing this.
Determine your craving for the day and head to the corresponding half of the book. Each half is further sectioned into breakfast, mealtime and dessert. The separate sections, especially mealtime, offer a wide variety of recipes including vegetarian.
There are pictures alongside the recipes so if your family, like mine, needs to see pictures while choosing meals, they will appreciate this.
As far as the cooking/baking is concerned, I would not describe the recipes as difficult and they have easy to follow instructions. However, you probably won’t like these recipes if you are looking for more of the quick preparation and/or fewer ingredients kinds of recipes. If you like to work with varied ingredients and don’t mind spending some time in the kitchen, then I think you would like this cookbook.
As I often do with cookbooks, I borrowed this from my library to try it out and I will most definitely buy a copy of Food Swings for my home. Happy cooking!
July 8, 2023
I admit, I was intrigued because she was Jerry’s wife. But I was also intrigued because she was making foods with vegetables hidden in them, and I was wanting to find creative ways to get my grandchildren to eat their vegetables!
So…
Here I was actually purchasing her cookbook.
Not only that, but I was discussing it, too! Yes! How many people discuss cookbooks in a Library Book Discussion group?
Well, if it was an opportunity for us to bring food, that was actually dishes made from the cookbook, it was an excellent idea!
So…
We did, and it was a delectably delicious time had by all!
The whole premise of this book is to get kids to eat healthy (probably adults too, if I am being honest!), by “hiding” pureed vegetables and fruits in everyday foods that kids eat.
One of my favorite recipes was the brownies made with spinach and carrot puree. https://jessicaseinfeld.com/recipes/b...
(Full disclosure: Not everyone will like them, they aren’t the real thing!)
One of the setbacks for this book was the advanced planning expected.
As long as you have a well-stocked kitchen, it should be fine – those of us who are not typically “cooks” should be able to follow the recipes, easily, but it does take planning to make sure you have all the ingredients before creating a full meal plan.
The cookbook also provides parenting tips. Not that I was at a place to need them (being a grandparent), but for those who do, I could see them as quite helpful.
For some more recipes: https://jessicaseinfeld.com/recipes
So…
Here I was actually purchasing her cookbook.
Not only that, but I was discussing it, too! Yes! How many people discuss cookbooks in a Library Book Discussion group?
Well, if it was an opportunity for us to bring food, that was actually dishes made from the cookbook, it was an excellent idea!
So…
We did, and it was a delectably delicious time had by all!
The whole premise of this book is to get kids to eat healthy (probably adults too, if I am being honest!), by “hiding” pureed vegetables and fruits in everyday foods that kids eat.
One of my favorite recipes was the brownies made with spinach and carrot puree. https://jessicaseinfeld.com/recipes/b...
(Full disclosure: Not everyone will like them, they aren’t the real thing!)
One of the setbacks for this book was the advanced planning expected.
As long as you have a well-stocked kitchen, it should be fine – those of us who are not typically “cooks” should be able to follow the recipes, easily, but it does take planning to make sure you have all the ingredients before creating a full meal plan.
The cookbook also provides parenting tips. Not that I was at a place to need them (being a grandparent), but for those who do, I could see them as quite helpful.
For some more recipes: https://jessicaseinfeld.com/recipes
May 25, 2019
A cookbook with recipes that are delicious, quick and easy, and just different enough to not seem like the same old thing. I don’t really enjoy cooking. I have never, in 12 years as a mother, mastered meal planning. I often don’t think about dinner until 5:30. I have many go-to recipes that we are all pretty tired of: turkey chili, cauliflower curry, roast chicken, fish tacos, chicken thighs and white beans. (This review is already boring me!)
This cookbook, with its appealing photography and non-chef author, had a few pages of good advice sprinkled throughout a book divided in half for virtue and vice, even as she says she advocates for balance and for not associating food with guilt. Perhaps by dividing the recipes that way and dispensing that wisdom, she felt nutritional facts weren’t needed, but I always like to see that information and the absence of it in a cookbook seems like a misstep. On the interesting side, the book has virtue recipe photos framed in white, so from the side there is a visual division of black and white that is unique.
I have such a hard time rating cookbooks because I want to first try to reproduce most or all recipes within it, which is unrealistic and likely unnecessary. So far I’ve made eight recipes, including soup, salad, chili, and vegan dishes. I’ve only done virtue so far, but all have been simple, clean, and well-loved by my family.
This cookbook also helped me to finally realize (light dawns over Marblehead...finally) that I need to plan meals daily in the morning because that is what works for me. For that alone...4.5 stars.
This cookbook, with its appealing photography and non-chef author, had a few pages of good advice sprinkled throughout a book divided in half for virtue and vice, even as she says she advocates for balance and for not associating food with guilt. Perhaps by dividing the recipes that way and dispensing that wisdom, she felt nutritional facts weren’t needed, but I always like to see that information and the absence of it in a cookbook seems like a misstep. On the interesting side, the book has virtue recipe photos framed in white, so from the side there is a visual division of black and white that is unique.
I have such a hard time rating cookbooks because I want to first try to reproduce most or all recipes within it, which is unrealistic and likely unnecessary. So far I’ve made eight recipes, including soup, salad, chili, and vegan dishes. I’ve only done virtue so far, but all have been simple, clean, and well-loved by my family.
This cookbook also helped me to finally realize (light dawns over Marblehead...finally) that I need to plan meals daily in the morning because that is what works for me. For that alone...4.5 stars.
December 29, 2008
meh.
I'm not going to puree spinach in hide it in brownies. No way.
I'm not going to puree spinach in hide it in brownies. No way.
January 8, 2010
Seinfeld is so caught up in making sure everything her kids eat has vegetables in it, that she doesn't seem to care what their cholesterol is like! It seems like everything in this book is fried, and she always uses margarine, never butter. Margarine is TERRIBLE for you! Egad! I'm also baffled by places where things like applesauce can easily be substituted for oil (as in cakes or banana bread), yet she lists a big ol' 1/2 c. of oil in the ingredients along with something like pureed navy beans to make it "healthy." Pureed navy beans do not cancel out the oil and margarine, my friend. The other con is that most of the recipes take between 45 minutes to an hour, and that's even if you have your purees done in advance. When I'm hustling to make dinner before people start snacking, I do not have time to boil, blend, stir, shape and fry rice balls.
On the pro side, however: the turkey meatloaf is in fact one of the best meatloaf recipes I've ever found. Several of the recipes really are great, and she gives you some good ideas for how to plan meals, and how to slip veggies into your regular recipes. For instance: pureed butternut squash or cauliflower can be mixed into macaroni and cheese, and the squash is also great with anything with a marinara sauce. Cauliflower mashed with your potatoes makes them lighter and gives them a good flavor without being obvious.
I would recommend checking this book out from the library, reading through it, and maybe taking some notes, rather than buying it.
On the pro side, however: the turkey meatloaf is in fact one of the best meatloaf recipes I've ever found. Several of the recipes really are great, and she gives you some good ideas for how to plan meals, and how to slip veggies into your regular recipes. For instance: pureed butternut squash or cauliflower can be mixed into macaroni and cheese, and the squash is also great with anything with a marinara sauce. Cauliflower mashed with your potatoes makes them lighter and gives them a good flavor without being obvious.
I would recommend checking this book out from the library, reading through it, and maybe taking some notes, rather than buying it.
January 4, 2008
When I first heard the buzz about this cookbook I was somewhat excited. I'm a cookbook junkie and love trying new things. I checked my local book stores, the book was sold out and had waiting lists! This knowledge only made the book more enticing to me. I happened upon the elusive book(on sale!) in a supermarket a few days later and I snatched the only copy without first flipping through the pages, afterall books with waiting lists can't be wrong. I was sorely disappointed!
Honestly, when adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cooked, pureed, butternut squash to a recipe that serves four, six (or eight!), you're not adding a heck of a lot of additional nutritional value. I've tried a few recipes from this book and they've been sub-par at best. The banana bread was inedible. If good eaters won't eat this stuff, it is highly doubtful a picky eater will. Parents who want their kids to eat healthy meals should forgo this cookbook and threaten to withhold dessert for those who won't eat their spinach.
My copy will soon be listed on ebay.
Honestly, when adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cooked, pureed, butternut squash to a recipe that serves four, six (or eight!), you're not adding a heck of a lot of additional nutritional value. I've tried a few recipes from this book and they've been sub-par at best. The banana bread was inedible. If good eaters won't eat this stuff, it is highly doubtful a picky eater will. Parents who want their kids to eat healthy meals should forgo this cookbook and threaten to withhold dessert for those who won't eat their spinach.
My copy will soon be listed on ebay.
November 23, 2020
Nichts, worauf man nicht selbst kommen würde, aber trotzdem hat es mir gefallen😊
March 6, 2008
First, I feel I should confess that I have a Cookbook Compulsion. I LOVE reading what I refer to as my Kitchen Porn and I do have a collection of cookbooks that I like to peruse just for fun. One of my most treasured cookbooks is my Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Farmer. I will probably never actually cook something from Fannie Farmer's selections, but it is still fun to read. I also have my grandma's first ever cookbook she purchased as a newlywed back in the 40s. And I own a copy of Average Jane's family cookbook. Also, I totally scooped up Sophia Loren's family cookbook with excitement. Um. Yeah. The list goes on because I enjoy reading cookbooks. Anyway.....when I saw Deceptively Delicious a few weeks ago book, I was immediately interested and saved it to my Amazon cart to consider.
So. Is it worth the hype? Probably not. However, it is truly a fun, easy cookbook that is worthy of a Picky, Childish Palate. Dude - EASY. The recipes are very simple to follow and she does a great job with explaining the steps for preparation. Also, this book won me over with its adorable anecdotes, telling quotes and whimsical illustrations.
I would like to make one, small criticism of this cookbook - the recipes are definitely built for folks who like bland food. I still think most Americans underestimate the toddler palate. We often give Arun food that is too spicy for him. He knows now that his world has not collapsed and that he simply needs to reach for his water. After a few sips of water, he invariably reaches for more food. However, he is only two years old and I am hearing that the ages of 3 to 4 are tough ones for the whole issues of Food Fights so you can rest assured that I am not overly confident over here.
Finally, I do not think it entirely uncool to shove veggies into recipes. After all, grandmas have been pushing zucchini into bread for years. Have you complained?
So. Is it worth the hype? Probably not. However, it is truly a fun, easy cookbook that is worthy of a Picky, Childish Palate. Dude - EASY. The recipes are very simple to follow and she does a great job with explaining the steps for preparation. Also, this book won me over with its adorable anecdotes, telling quotes and whimsical illustrations.
I would like to make one, small criticism of this cookbook - the recipes are definitely built for folks who like bland food. I still think most Americans underestimate the toddler palate. We often give Arun food that is too spicy for him. He knows now that his world has not collapsed and that he simply needs to reach for his water. After a few sips of water, he invariably reaches for more food. However, he is only two years old and I am hearing that the ages of 3 to 4 are tough ones for the whole issues of Food Fights so you can rest assured that I am not overly confident over here.
Finally, I do not think it entirely uncool to shove veggies into recipes. After all, grandmas have been pushing zucchini into bread for years. Have you complained?
July 11, 2008
Things I did not like about this book:
1. Children's cookbooks depress me.
2. Cookbook from the library? Ick.
3. Jessica Seinfeld? You know she really has a staff of gourmet chefs.
4. As with most cookbooks, this one is light on vegetarian and egg- and milk-free options.
5. (Most importantly) I'm not sure I agree with the whole sneaky food thing. Fruits and vegetables are SO good. Kids should just want to eat them if you offer them enough, right? This deception bothers me.
6. The stocking up thing she suggests. Stocking up never works for me -- I just get so wasteful. I can only buy exactly what I need that week or I might as well just take our pay check and let it mold in our fridge.
Things I really liked about this book:
1. I really liked the nutrition part in the beginning. Who knew kids were suppose to be fed three veggies and two fruits a day? Or that you can leave the peels on the apples for the puree?
2. I actually really like Jessica Seinfeld. All the puree stuff? Every Sunday night? And the labeled bags? She is totally OCD, in a you-can-totally-be-my-friend kind of way.
3. This book has great, common sense suggestions. Multiple courses. Letting toddlers serve themselves. Veggies with (deceptively healthy) dip while you're making dinner. A lot of the recipes looked good, too.
1. Children's cookbooks depress me.
2. Cookbook from the library? Ick.
3. Jessica Seinfeld? You know she really has a staff of gourmet chefs.
4. As with most cookbooks, this one is light on vegetarian and egg- and milk-free options.
5. (Most importantly) I'm not sure I agree with the whole sneaky food thing. Fruits and vegetables are SO good. Kids should just want to eat them if you offer them enough, right? This deception bothers me.
6. The stocking up thing she suggests. Stocking up never works for me -- I just get so wasteful. I can only buy exactly what I need that week or I might as well just take our pay check and let it mold in our fridge.
Things I really liked about this book:
1. I really liked the nutrition part in the beginning. Who knew kids were suppose to be fed three veggies and two fruits a day? Or that you can leave the peels on the apples for the puree?
2. I actually really like Jessica Seinfeld. All the puree stuff? Every Sunday night? And the labeled bags? She is totally OCD, in a you-can-totally-be-my-friend kind of way.
3. This book has great, common sense suggestions. Multiple courses. Letting toddlers serve themselves. Veggies with (deceptively healthy) dip while you're making dinner. A lot of the recipes looked good, too.
March 4, 2008
I've had this for a few months and went through the grueling process of making my own purees and freezing them in ice cube trays (my sister-in-law uses baby food...I thought I'd be ultra frugal) but my children are just too darn smart for their own good. They asked what I was making and now ask if I'm cooking anything with that yucky spinach puree for dinner, because they definitely don't want any of that. In all that time, I've made just two recipes from the book and they didn't like either one. Not even a little! I really did like the mac and cheese with cauliflower, but I think I'd like it better with squash. All in all, a lot of trouble making one more thing my kids won't eat. Plus, most recipes only have 1/2 cup of a vegetable puree, maybe 1/2 cup of two different kinds, and I had to add a lot of water to get my blender to get the consistency right. How much good can that really do? I think I'll just keep using my old standby approach (everything tastes good with ranch!) and they will eventually be in charge of their own bodies!
May 18, 2022
I bought this years ago when it was being hyped. I hated it and donated it. Seinfeld goes to all kinds of trouble to hide small amounts of overcooked, pureed vegetables in dishes. First of all, the goal should be to get kids to appreciate how good whole foods are to begin with, not to hide them in macaroni and cheese or brownies. Second of all, when they're out of the house do they never eat healthy again? They've grown up on junk food with bits of things hidden in them. Third of all, none of the recipes struck me as tasty at all. There were many more reasons but it was a big no for me.
March 9, 2008
I was curious about this book so I signed it out from the library. I'd read an article in Vegetarian Times a couple of years ago suggesting the idea of adding veggie purees to kids' foods, so I knew the basic idea wasn't all that original, but I liked the general concept and thought I'd check it out.
I've only tried two recipes so far and I probably won't try others simply because the two I tried didn't work very well.
When I tried to make the tofu nuggets, the puree wouldn't stick to the tofu at all. With some effort, I managed to mound some puree onto the tofu and add the bread crumbs, but I don't think any kid would be fooled into eating veggies from this recipe! Plus, the recipe involves salting the tofu and then frying it if/after you manage to get it breaded at all. I don't really need more salt and oil in my diet and I bet most kids don't, either.
I also tried the mozzarella sticks, and those just turned into mozzarella blobs instead of anything stick-like.
If the ideas behind any of the recipes interest you, I'd recommend finding a good recipe to start with and then experimentally adding the veggie puree instead of relying on these recipes.
I was a kid who wasn't really nuts about veggies most of the time (I think kids sometimes get a memo that they're not supposed to like certain things), but as an adult I'm a vegetarian and eat pretty much every vegetable under the sun. I think sometimes kids would eat veggies more if they were cooked with better seasonings, and I also think it's not always such a big deal if kids don't like veggies at a certain rebellious age. At the end of the day, I don't know if the 1/8 of a cup of veggie puree that the kids would get in some of these recipes would really make all that much of a difference in terms of their willingness to eat vegetables.
I've only tried two recipes so far and I probably won't try others simply because the two I tried didn't work very well.
When I tried to make the tofu nuggets, the puree wouldn't stick to the tofu at all. With some effort, I managed to mound some puree onto the tofu and add the bread crumbs, but I don't think any kid would be fooled into eating veggies from this recipe! Plus, the recipe involves salting the tofu and then frying it if/after you manage to get it breaded at all. I don't really need more salt and oil in my diet and I bet most kids don't, either.
I also tried the mozzarella sticks, and those just turned into mozzarella blobs instead of anything stick-like.
If the ideas behind any of the recipes interest you, I'd recommend finding a good recipe to start with and then experimentally adding the veggie puree instead of relying on these recipes.
I was a kid who wasn't really nuts about veggies most of the time (I think kids sometimes get a memo that they're not supposed to like certain things), but as an adult I'm a vegetarian and eat pretty much every vegetable under the sun. I think sometimes kids would eat veggies more if they were cooked with better seasonings, and I also think it's not always such a big deal if kids don't like veggies at a certain rebellious age. At the end of the day, I don't know if the 1/8 of a cup of veggie puree that the kids would get in some of these recipes would really make all that much of a difference in terms of their willingness to eat vegetables.
November 3, 2007
As the parent of a child who eats nothing but pancakes and PB& J (on whole wheat, at least), I bought this book the second I saw it on the today show. Also, chocolate pudding loaded with avocado and only 69 calories shows some promise for me as well!
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I have glanced at this and so far I am still excited, even though I have heard the recipes aren't all they are cracked up to be.
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I started puree-ing. I really recommend a food processor over a blender. The blender is great for margaritas, but hard to scoop out avocado.
I have learned, or I at least suspect, that "roasting" is the same thing as baking, but for regular food items as opposed to desert (I'm not domestic, this is a big step) and also that organic roasted butternut squash is amazingly good.
I have not started all of the recipes, but I am giving this book five stars for the following reasons:
1. I roasted butter nut squash
2. It's fun to decive your kids
3. 3 year old Harry has chosen several items he wants to eat
4. It explains specific nutritional information for commom fruits and veggies
5. it tells you how to prepare fruits and veggies for puree, which also explains to the not-so-domestic how to cook many of the items6. Jessica Seinfeld comes across as a regular person, and I find myself quoting her: "Jessica had started to dread dinnertime, too." or "Jessica said Jerry will pretty much eat anything without complaining."
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I have glanced at this and so far I am still excited, even though I have heard the recipes aren't all they are cracked up to be.
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I started puree-ing. I really recommend a food processor over a blender. The blender is great for margaritas, but hard to scoop out avocado.
I have learned, or I at least suspect, that "roasting" is the same thing as baking, but for regular food items as opposed to desert (I'm not domestic, this is a big step) and also that organic roasted butternut squash is amazingly good.
I have not started all of the recipes, but I am giving this book five stars for the following reasons:
1. I roasted butter nut squash
2. It's fun to decive your kids
3. 3 year old Harry has chosen several items he wants to eat
4. It explains specific nutritional information for commom fruits and veggies
5. it tells you how to prepare fruits and veggies for puree, which also explains to the not-so-domestic how to cook many of the items6. Jessica Seinfeld comes across as a regular person, and I find myself quoting her: "Jessica had started to dread dinnertime, too." or "Jessica said Jerry will pretty much eat anything without complaining."
November 18, 2019
I really like this cookbook. I am single but I picked it up because I have never been a cooker and it looked like something pretty simple. I really like the presentation and the writing style. I don't think the purees take that long to prepare, but I am cooking for one. Maybe if I were cooking for a family it would be different. I have made the applesauce muffins (with carrot puree) and I LOVE them! They are delicious. I also made the scrambled eggs with spinach and the mac and cheese with cauliflower. They are both really good, and I'm excited to try more.
I think people are too critical about this cookbook. The main point of any cook book is to make foods you will want to eat and like to eat. If you don't like the foods you make, then the cookbook isn't good. The whole "deciving" chidlren point isn't the most important thing here, I think it's the fact that the foods you cook are yummy and healthier than buying the food already made. AND it's fun!
I think people are too critical about this cookbook. The main point of any cook book is to make foods you will want to eat and like to eat. If you don't like the foods you make, then the cookbook isn't good. The whole "deciving" chidlren point isn't the most important thing here, I think it's the fact that the foods you cook are yummy and healthier than buying the food already made. AND it's fun!
August 7, 2008
One of my two favorite cookbooks. Although I have only tried a few of the actual recipes, the concept of using pureed veggies in my own recipes has been incredible! I now "sneak" buttnernut squash, carrots and sweet potatoes into many of our dinners, and no one knows! It's a great way to get your family to eat their veggies.
January 27, 2019
Nice clean design. Simple and clear one page directions. Nothing fancy. Nice cookbook for a beginner.
September 3, 2008
I am always looking for alternate ingredients for recipes loaded with a lot of caloric, low-nutrition ingredients. In the end I think foods taste better with more natural ingredients (and without butter dripping through them which I can't imagine people love; it makes me sick to my stomach). So for that I found some good tips in this book. Such as using an avocado instead of butter in a recipe. If you're going to have a treat, why not make a slightly healthier version?
However I highly disagree with the concept of presenting seemingly unhealthy food to your kids with pureed health food in it. First of all, I don't believe in deceiving your children. Sure sometimes deceit is necessary, but it shouldn't be a common occurrence. When my daughter asked me what was in any of these recipes I told her. Start feeding your children healthy food at the onset and they'll be more receptive to natural foods. Secondly, what makes those natural foods better for your system is that your body has to break them down. You puree them so a baby doesn't have to do all that digestive work. The rest of us can and should handle foods without the extra processing. The best option is the apple, not an apple broken down in applesauce.
Having said that, I know that some children are just prone to enjoy certain kinds of foods over others. If you have a child you're having trouble with, by all means get those vitamins and minerals in anyway you can. If my daughter had a difficult time eating fruits and vegetables I would be attempting to sneak them in somehow too. And if you're going to serve something like macaroni and cheese for dinner, throwing in a some vegetable puree is better than nothing. A better option would be to serve something healthier, but sometimes it's just going to be mac and cheese. Just don't use vegetable purees as your only source and only attempt to get your children to eat fruits and vegetable. And don't go around with the misconceived notion that children won't like healthy food without trying it on them first.
Got it? Pick up the book for the healthy substitutes not as a cure-all for getting your children to eat their greens. You should try the old-fashioned way first. Use the recipes for a healthier version of a treat. I don't think these recipes should be used for every meal, only occasional substitutes. I tried a few recipes in this book and some were surprisingly good. Then I tried one (I wish I could remember which) and it tasted just like it sounded: ground up greens mulched with bitter unsweetened chocolate. I've been a little gun shy since. But I'm sure there are better recipes in the book than the few I've tried. Maybe if I ever replace my broken blender I'll try a few more options. The recipes do take a little more effort and planning but that's usually the case when you go with a healthier lifestyle (and once again this isn't the healthiest option).
However I highly disagree with the concept of presenting seemingly unhealthy food to your kids with pureed health food in it. First of all, I don't believe in deceiving your children. Sure sometimes deceit is necessary, but it shouldn't be a common occurrence. When my daughter asked me what was in any of these recipes I told her. Start feeding your children healthy food at the onset and they'll be more receptive to natural foods. Secondly, what makes those natural foods better for your system is that your body has to break them down. You puree them so a baby doesn't have to do all that digestive work. The rest of us can and should handle foods without the extra processing. The best option is the apple, not an apple broken down in applesauce.
Having said that, I know that some children are just prone to enjoy certain kinds of foods over others. If you have a child you're having trouble with, by all means get those vitamins and minerals in anyway you can. If my daughter had a difficult time eating fruits and vegetables I would be attempting to sneak them in somehow too. And if you're going to serve something like macaroni and cheese for dinner, throwing in a some vegetable puree is better than nothing. A better option would be to serve something healthier, but sometimes it's just going to be mac and cheese. Just don't use vegetable purees as your only source and only attempt to get your children to eat fruits and vegetable. And don't go around with the misconceived notion that children won't like healthy food without trying it on them first.
Got it? Pick up the book for the healthy substitutes not as a cure-all for getting your children to eat their greens. You should try the old-fashioned way first. Use the recipes for a healthier version of a treat. I don't think these recipes should be used for every meal, only occasional substitutes. I tried a few recipes in this book and some were surprisingly good. Then I tried one (I wish I could remember which) and it tasted just like it sounded: ground up greens mulched with bitter unsweetened chocolate. I've been a little gun shy since. But I'm sure there are better recipes in the book than the few I've tried. Maybe if I ever replace my broken blender I'll try a few more options. The recipes do take a little more effort and planning but that's usually the case when you go with a healthier lifestyle (and once again this isn't the healthiest option).
November 2, 2010
I don't have biological children of my own. My soon to be legal husband-Mr. Bunny- does. I have quite a few little nieces, nephews, and friends with children. Occasionally, I get to cook for them.
Also, I have two things the author does not. Which are a degree in culinary arts and a certification in nutrition. Take the above info as you will.
Anyway...
I had issues with this book, as did Mr. Bunny when I told him about it. We're both against hiding pureed vegetables and fruit in meals. It's a very deceptive thing to do to a child. I can understand children not liking various foods and being picky about what they eat. By hiding the purees in another dish, they aren't being given the option to like them.
My little nieces will try a new food or an item they don't normally like, if I'm eating it. Also, if I'm at the table raving about the food, it causes them want it. They've said "Ohhh, I want some! Aunt Raye-Raye is eating it!"
What also helps is cooking vegetables and fruits properly. Not cooking them into mush nor serving them undercooked. If you're cooking them wrong, they aren't going to taste like they should.
Another issue I had is, what mother has the time to make extraneous purees? My SAHM friends barely have time to take a shower. I believe my working mom friends would laugh at the very idea. Hell, I'm unemployed with a lot of free time, and even I wouldn't take the time to make them!
I'm rather suspicious about how the finished recipes would taste. Maybe it's just me and my training, but I would notice if you added spinach puree to a pan of brownies. I thought the purees the author wanted to you to add to various recipes were odd. Cauliflower puree in banana bread?
Finally, I had problems with how nutritious the recipes claimed to be. I don't think by adding a couple teaspoons of puree it's going to help much nutritionally. I'm against using "low fat" mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese. They have items added to them that aren't that healthy. As long as you use the former ingredients in moderation, you should be fine. Instead of using cooking spray-like Pam-which also isn't that healthy for you, buy a small oil mister. Put some nice virgin olive oil in it.
Also, I have two things the author does not. Which are a degree in culinary arts and a certification in nutrition. Take the above info as you will.
Anyway...
I had issues with this book, as did Mr. Bunny when I told him about it. We're both against hiding pureed vegetables and fruit in meals. It's a very deceptive thing to do to a child. I can understand children not liking various foods and being picky about what they eat. By hiding the purees in another dish, they aren't being given the option to like them.
My little nieces will try a new food or an item they don't normally like, if I'm eating it. Also, if I'm at the table raving about the food, it causes them want it. They've said "Ohhh, I want some! Aunt Raye-Raye is eating it!"
What also helps is cooking vegetables and fruits properly. Not cooking them into mush nor serving them undercooked. If you're cooking them wrong, they aren't going to taste like they should.
Another issue I had is, what mother has the time to make extraneous purees? My SAHM friends barely have time to take a shower. I believe my working mom friends would laugh at the very idea. Hell, I'm unemployed with a lot of free time, and even I wouldn't take the time to make them!
I'm rather suspicious about how the finished recipes would taste. Maybe it's just me and my training, but I would notice if you added spinach puree to a pan of brownies. I thought the purees the author wanted to you to add to various recipes were odd. Cauliflower puree in banana bread?
Finally, I had problems with how nutritious the recipes claimed to be. I don't think by adding a couple teaspoons of puree it's going to help much nutritionally. I'm against using "low fat" mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese. They have items added to them that aren't that healthy. As long as you use the former ingredients in moderation, you should be fine. Instead of using cooking spray-like Pam-which also isn't that healthy for you, buy a small oil mister. Put some nice virgin olive oil in it.
January 11, 2010
I have a brand new blender and a 6 month old baby, so purees are right up my alley. We eat a ton of veggies, but the main purees in this book are veggies we DONT normally eat, (cauliflower, squash, sweet potato, carrot, and pumpkin.) Who really follows a recipe exactly, but the ideas of what veggies to mix into what kinds of food is so helpful. Also I can make puree for the baby and then use the rest in meals for the family.
My favorite is squash in hot chocolate. We got a ton of hot chocolate for Christmas and 50 glasses of sugar water didn't excite me, but 50 glasses of chocolate flavored squash seems okay. 1 TBS per cup of mix got the thumbs up from my kids.
I made cauliflower, squash, and white bean puree one night after the kids went to bed. Today I am making sweet potato and I have tons of pumpkin in cans. After reading some reviews it looked to me like it was important to have fairly thick purees rather than watery ones, so the blender had a hard time since I used so little water, but I got it done alright. I've been using beet puree in cake and applesauce and banana in breakfast foods for awhile already. Those are winners for sure. By the way, the more water in the puree, the longer a beet cake or muffin has to cook.
Recipe Reviews:
Cauliflower in tuna sandwiches, puree for half the mayo, great!
Cauliflower in potato soup, five stars, I put squash in too, for the cheese color. It worked great.
Squash on grilled cheese, I spread some on a normal grilled cheese like butter and I liked it, but no one else wanted to try it.
I also think squash and sweet potato purees might be nice side dishes "as- is".
I put grated carrot in the spaghetti sauce last night, was that in the book or am I just on a roll?
Health Tip
!!!Use butter NOT "trans-fat-free-margarine" in your baking!!!!
Health Tip
The pages on child nutrition seemed like USDA commercials to me. Kids need lots of veggies, fruit, and whole grains, pretty simple IMO.
My favorite is squash in hot chocolate. We got a ton of hot chocolate for Christmas and 50 glasses of sugar water didn't excite me, but 50 glasses of chocolate flavored squash seems okay. 1 TBS per cup of mix got the thumbs up from my kids.
I made cauliflower, squash, and white bean puree one night after the kids went to bed. Today I am making sweet potato and I have tons of pumpkin in cans. After reading some reviews it looked to me like it was important to have fairly thick purees rather than watery ones, so the blender had a hard time since I used so little water, but I got it done alright. I've been using beet puree in cake and applesauce and banana in breakfast foods for awhile already. Those are winners for sure. By the way, the more water in the puree, the longer a beet cake or muffin has to cook.
Recipe Reviews:
Cauliflower in tuna sandwiches, puree for half the mayo, great!
Cauliflower in potato soup, five stars, I put squash in too, for the cheese color. It worked great.
Squash on grilled cheese, I spread some on a normal grilled cheese like butter and I liked it, but no one else wanted to try it.
I also think squash and sweet potato purees might be nice side dishes "as- is".
I put grated carrot in the spaghetti sauce last night, was that in the book or am I just on a roll?
Health Tip
!!!Use butter NOT "trans-fat-free-margarine" in your baking!!!!
Health Tip
The pages on child nutrition seemed like USDA commercials to me. Kids need lots of veggies, fruit, and whole grains, pretty simple IMO.
April 9, 2011
This book deserves five stars for creativity--the woman is ingenius not just in the idea to put vegetable purees into food, but to then create some amazing recipes that actually taste good. I read this in one sitting at Barnes and Nobles and was pretty impressed. But...the problem I see is that the future is sadly invisible in this type of approach to food and children. At what age do you stop making vegetable purees to put into your foods and start dishing out the real deal? And when that day comes...what are you going to do with the child who does not recognize carrots, broccoli, peas, or any other vegetable, because h/she has never laid eyes on them before? How will you convince them to eat them then?
I think the idea is wonderful, but the practicality is really lacking. I feed my children homemade vegetable purees as babies, instead of the jarred stuff, so they are some more used to the taste of things, but of course many young children are typically picky because of diverse textures and flavors---so that doesn't mean they easily eat real vegetables once they can chew their food. I believe however that it is better to use principles of compromise, fun, and patience, rather than to do it this way---I think getting a ten year old to start eating carrots would be much more difficult than starting with a two year old.
I think the idea is wonderful, but the practicality is really lacking. I feed my children homemade vegetable purees as babies, instead of the jarred stuff, so they are some more used to the taste of things, but of course many young children are typically picky because of diverse textures and flavors---so that doesn't mean they easily eat real vegetables once they can chew their food. I believe however that it is better to use principles of compromise, fun, and patience, rather than to do it this way---I think getting a ten year old to start eating carrots would be much more difficult than starting with a two year old.
May 12, 2008
I was hoping for a slot in the "Good Moms Club" so I got this book in hopes of slipping veggies into my kids food unbenownst to them to get their veggie intake higher. Well, I tried...it didn't work.
I tried 4 different recipes and while the purees were hidden and the kids didn't know they were there, they still didn't love the food. To top it off, the preparation took *forever*. I guess once I have a stockpile of frozen purees it will cut down the prep-time but we didn't like the ones we tried enough to WANT to stockpile purees.
I'm also not impressed with the amount of veggies each kid gets in a serving. If you add a 1/2 cup or 1 cup of puree to a recipe that serves four, the per serving amount of veggies is pretty small. It just seems like less work to get a veggie tray from Sams Club for $9 and let them have at it or not.
I'll try one or two more (maybe dessert recipes this time) and pass the book onto someone else.
~Rhonda
I tried 4 different recipes and while the purees were hidden and the kids didn't know they were there, they still didn't love the food. To top it off, the preparation took *forever*. I guess once I have a stockpile of frozen purees it will cut down the prep-time but we didn't like the ones we tried enough to WANT to stockpile purees.
I'm also not impressed with the amount of veggies each kid gets in a serving. If you add a 1/2 cup or 1 cup of puree to a recipe that serves four, the per serving amount of veggies is pretty small. It just seems like less work to get a veggie tray from Sams Club for $9 and let them have at it or not.
I'll try one or two more (maybe dessert recipes this time) and pass the book onto someone else.
~Rhonda
October 8, 2011
I grabbed this on a whim at the library. As I read through I realized that Jessica Seinfeld assumes that making purees of every vegetable (mostly squash, carrots or sweet potatoes) instantly makes a dish "healthy". Oh, look at me, so tricky and getting my kid to eat their veggies. I realize some kids are picky, but come on. As a mom, I also deal with reality and introduce my child to different foods so I do not have to spend all of my time mashing and pureeing different concoctions for her to eat. She eats vegetables raw and cooked because she likes them, not because I tried to fool her with some trickery like a crazed kitchen elf. I thought I was being too harsh, so I made a few dishes. My kid will eat anything and even she knew they were not good. I hate saying this, I really do, but if she were not Jerry Seinfeld's wife, methinks there would be no cookbook.
April 5, 2012
Why not trick your kids into eating "good foods"? What a terrific idea! Because veggies are shite, everyone knows that. Right?
Or maybe you can just get in to the habit of modeling good eating, enjoying food, (vegetables included) and not making meals into a power struggle. It's just crazy enough that it might work.
This book sucks because its premise sucks. I haven't made any of the recipes because I would rather cook vegetables unhidden and offer them (over and over, at every meal) to my kid while eating them myself. Because vegetables are delicious! And there are plenty of people who eat them not out of some duty to themselves or their parents but because they enjoy them. I bet you a million dollars that none of those people's parents ever hid vegetables in macaroni and cheese to deceive them into eating them.
Or maybe you can just get in to the habit of modeling good eating, enjoying food, (vegetables included) and not making meals into a power struggle. It's just crazy enough that it might work.
This book sucks because its premise sucks. I haven't made any of the recipes because I would rather cook vegetables unhidden and offer them (over and over, at every meal) to my kid while eating them myself. Because vegetables are delicious! And there are plenty of people who eat them not out of some duty to themselves or their parents but because they enjoy them. I bet you a million dollars that none of those people's parents ever hid vegetables in macaroni and cheese to deceive them into eating them.
June 28, 2009
Yesterday I checked this book out at the library and today I bought one for myself at Seagull Book. It's a smart book to have, full of tips and some serious concocting. This author is serious about her stuff, presented with vintage charm and a Mother-Knows-What's-Good-For-You strength.To be appreciated also are Vitamins and Minerals tables geared specifically for children.
I love the idea of fortifying fun foods with extra nutrition from vegetable purees. It's my husband who won't eat vegies if they aren't peas or carrots. I am looking forward to sneaking in some vitamins from other sources to him, because he needs them too. Ah-ha, what a fun secret I'm going to have.
I love the idea of fortifying fun foods with extra nutrition from vegetable purees. It's my husband who won't eat vegies if they aren't peas or carrots. I am looking forward to sneaking in some vitamins from other sources to him, because he needs them too. Ah-ha, what a fun secret I'm going to have.
December 9, 2018
So for me it’s really weird reading a cookbook for a book challenge and review. I use cookbooks but no haven’t ever sat down and “read” a cookbook. I chose this one for a challenge in a book club. I bought this book when it first was published because I remember the Seinfelds on either “Live With Regis and Kelly” or if it was already “Live with Kelly and Michael”. Either way, it was when my 3 kids were young and my husband and I were very tired of feeding the kids foods in the “brown” category such as chicken nuggets, hot dogs, French fries, “tater tots”, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and marinara, grilled cheese, and sometimes grilled chicken (if we were lucky) 😊 At this point in our lives, we were cooking two or more meals a night like short order cooks because we sure weren’t eating dinasaur shaped “chicken” nuggets. So the adults had a real meal and we made to order dinners for our kids. When I saw Jessica Seinfeld on TV showing how easy it was to get real vegetables hidden in kids food, it was like magic to me. I also asked myself why I didn’t think of it myself! So I immediately went to the bookstore, they existed back then, and bought this beautiful hardcover cookbook at full price.
It is a gorgeous book when it’s new. It’s hardcover but spiral bound inside which made turning the pages easy and the pages didn’t try to close because of the spiral binding inside. The illustrations are made to be reminiscent of the 1950’s family but were colored with pastels: light pinks, blues, greens, yellows, etc. It’s actually quite beautiful. The point of the cookbook was to purée vegetables and put them in different sauces such as spaghetti sauce, barbecue sauce and sauce for stir fry. Then move up to adding finely chopped vegetables of any variety into meatballs, hamburgers, etc.
I want to finish this review because I used it quite a bit when my kids were younger and talk about some of the kids’ favorites. However it’s 1:36 am and I want to go to bed. But I highly recommend it if you have picky eaters but I think the things in this cookbook became pretty commonplace after this book came out. It was a lifesaver for my family and eventually ended the need to make multiple meals a night. I give it 5 stars!
*I will come back and talk about specific recipes that worked and didn’t.
It is a gorgeous book when it’s new. It’s hardcover but spiral bound inside which made turning the pages easy and the pages didn’t try to close because of the spiral binding inside. The illustrations are made to be reminiscent of the 1950’s family but were colored with pastels: light pinks, blues, greens, yellows, etc. It’s actually quite beautiful. The point of the cookbook was to purée vegetables and put them in different sauces such as spaghetti sauce, barbecue sauce and sauce for stir fry. Then move up to adding finely chopped vegetables of any variety into meatballs, hamburgers, etc.
I want to finish this review because I used it quite a bit when my kids were younger and talk about some of the kids’ favorites. However it’s 1:36 am and I want to go to bed. But I highly recommend it if you have picky eaters but I think the things in this cookbook became pretty commonplace after this book came out. It was a lifesaver for my family and eventually ended the need to make multiple meals a night. I give it 5 stars!
*I will come back and talk about specific recipes that worked and didn’t.
June 4, 2022
What a great book very educational
June 13, 2017
4.5 stars. I love this cookbook! The reason that I didn't give it 5 stars is that some of the recipes call for margarine, which I don't use. But aside from that, I'm singing the book's praises. Jessica Seinfeld and the nutritionists whom she partnered with clearly put a lot of thought into each page. It has some outstanding recipes (my son and husband loved the sloppy Joe's and butternut squash soup!) many of which can be made vegetarian by substituting with tofu. Nutrition tips for kids are also provided, and a guide on how to make purées. I had checked this out from the library, but decided to buy my own copy!
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