Eat Your Science Homework: Recipes for Inquiring Minds

by Ann McCallum Staats

Hungry readers discover delicious and distinct recipes in this witty companion to Eat Your Math Homework. A main text explains upper-elementary science concepts, including subatomic particles, acids and bases, black holes, and more. Alongside simple recipes, side-bars encourage readers to also experiment and explore outside of the kitchen. A review, glossary, and index make the entire book easy to digest.

Genres: Science, Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

A former educator with a master's degree in education, Ann McCallum Staats is an award-winning author. Her book "Fantastic Flora: The World's Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants" (Candlewick/ MIT Kids Press) shares how some of the weirdest plants survive and thrive. She is also the co-author with astronaut Karen Nyberg of "A Quilt of Stars," releasing Fall, 2026. When she's not writing, Ann travels, mentors, and connects with audiences. Find out more at www.annmccallumbooks.com or on Instagram @annmsbooks or other social media.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dash of science plus a cup of cooking equals a plateful of fun.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avl. on openlibrary.org and hoopla.

Not perfect, esp. for vegetarian families, but the recipes do look appealing and the science is well-explained... at least for middle school on up?

Why, when I had kids who needed portable lunches, did it never occur to me to make 'hot pockets' from refrigerated pizza dough and our favorite toppings/fillings? And now I learned that when one has a queasy stomach, choose eggs instead of milk, because the latter is slightly acidic, and the former slightly basic.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A broad range of science is presented through the science of cooking. I think it would be a great add-onto the discussion of each concept presented. Plowing through the book just to complete the recipes might diminish the impact of each concept. Just my opinion. Who doesn't like a hands-on exercise in learning, especially one you can eat.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

laid out in a cool way! perfect for stem Activities!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool book that incorporates cooking with science concepts. Of course, cooking is science, but this book also includes things like sedimentary rocks and black holes - things that don't automatically bring to mind cooking. I think kids would really enjoy it. I probably shouldn't give it 5 stars just from looking through it quickly without trying the recipes, but I suppose part of the fun would be experimenting with the concepts.

Great for kids in grade 4 and up. Some of the concepts are actually pretty advanced, so even junior high kids might get a kick out of it.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the Math Homework better. Some of the recipes seemed to be stretches...but the sidebar activities were excellent.

[pati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Food chemistry for the budding chef - great way to learn some of the basic science concepts.

[Adrianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

We made three of the recipes. One was successful. The others... well, I couldn't leave the recipe alone. I had to alter it. Luckily, my kids are very forgiving and we laughed off my quirkiness.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a whole bunch of little people around me who are opposed to science but not at all opposed to eating. This adorable book offers a remedy for that problem.

The author combines recipes with basic science information that explains science associated with making the food, in ways I certainly never anticipated. For example, take “Sedimentary Pizza Lasagna.” First the author defines the three basic categories of rocks, one of which is sedimentary. She explains that when the Sedimentary Pizza Lasagna bakes, the ingredients meld together to create a sediment. Then she illustrates how to rate the sediment using the Mohs Scale of Hardness. (Thank heavens I’m not cooking here; I’m sure I would earn a “ten” for some of my baking, and not as in “best” but in “hardest.” The first time I tried pecan pie comes to mind….)

Then there are the very exciting “Invisible Ink Snack Pockets.” You not only learn about how to make invisible ink, but you get to write secret messages on the top of each snack that will become visible at it bakes!

Ingredients are simple, the cooking instructions are very clear, and they indicate which parts might require the help of an adult (such as for lighting the oven).

At the end there is a “Science Review” and a glossary.

The adorable illustrations by Leeza Hernandez use animals for cooks, scientists, and tasters. There are fun details hidden in most pictures for those who play close attention.


Evaluation: This combo primer for both cooking and science should appeal to a wide range of ages.