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The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood: Ten Ways to Get Your Family on the Right Nutritional Track
America's foremost childcare experts present a practical, appetizing, easy-to-follow eating plan for shaping children's tastes and metabolisms toward optimal health.
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2006
19 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
William Sears
159 books169 followersDr. Sears, or Dr. Bill as his "little patients" call him, is the father of eight children as well as the author of over 30 books on childcare. Dr. Bill is an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine. Dr. Bill received his pediatric training at Harvard Medical School's Children's Hospital in Boston and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto -- the largest children’s hospital in the world, where he served as associate ward chief of the newborn nursery and associate professor of pediatrics. Dr. Sears is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and a fellow of the Royal College of Pediatricians (RCP).Dr. Bill is also a medical and parenting consultant for BabyTalk and Parenting magazines and the pediatrician on the website Parenting.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 21, 2015
My family and I eat a whole foods, plant-based diet (WFPB), so I started this book knowing I probably wouldn't agree with quite a bit of the nutritional advice. What I was looking for was more ideas on how to steer my children to healthy eating. I was rewarded! We will forevermore refer to good foods as "grow foods," and other foods as either "red light" or "yellow light" foods. I called something a grow food one time, and my son took to it immediately.
That being said, I definitely disagreed with a lot of what the author thought were grow foods. Again, that's coming from a WFPB perspective, so that might not be relevant to others' decisions to read this. I WAS impressed by his take on supplements (he says they're probably not necessary if your child eats almost exclusively grow foods), and his reference to the well-established fact that dairy is not necessary for good nutrition (he says as long as it's not replaced with sugary drinks). I wasn't expecting to hear these from him, both of which are closely in line with the WFPB way of thinking.
This book was a little outdated in regards to child psychology and what leads to eating disorders. I felt like I was reading the manual my dad used to raise me. Which was good and everything... But my siblings and I all have issues with food. There was a lot of good offered here though, and I'm glad I took the time to read it.
That being said, I definitely disagreed with a lot of what the author thought were grow foods. Again, that's coming from a WFPB perspective, so that might not be relevant to others' decisions to read this. I WAS impressed by his take on supplements (he says they're probably not necessary if your child eats almost exclusively grow foods), and his reference to the well-established fact that dairy is not necessary for good nutrition (he says as long as it's not replaced with sugary drinks). I wasn't expecting to hear these from him, both of which are closely in line with the WFPB way of thinking.
This book was a little outdated in regards to child psychology and what leads to eating disorders. I felt like I was reading the manual my dad used to raise me. Which was good and everything... But my siblings and I all have issues with food. There was a lot of good offered here though, and I'm glad I took the time to read it.
June 28, 2013
Good information, but it could have been a booklet. He keeps repeating himself. I guess to drive the point home, but if you chose to read the book, I don't think you were needing much convincing to begin with. I like the way it gives ways to explain healthy eating to kids when making good food choices.
October 22, 2007
This is really a fantastic book for people wanting an overview of "how to feed your kids". Everything is very simple but comprehensive, from discussions of essential fatty acids, to the dangers of high fructose corn syrup, to how to gently nudge your kids in the right direction. Especially appreciated are the suggestions on how to talk to your kids about food in terms of "grow foods" and other phrases that don't have the same connotations as "healthy food" or "bad food" so that you are not inadvertently making the junk stuff more alluring because it is forbidden. There is great passion in this book; the risks of cancer, diabetes and heart disease are much scarier when you consider them for your children. The gift of good eating habits and a taste for healthy food really is one of the best things you can possibly give kids. I myself can't stand kale and I'd love it if I could get my kids thinking it tastes good!
One of the best aspects of this book is the chapter on the "12 Best Grow Foods". These are the foods that have the most nutrition per calorie. It's very simple to change your diet remarkably just by adding at least some if not all of these 12 foods. Among them are blueberries and oatmeal, so it's not as if they are all unpalatable "health foods".
The one complaint I have about the book is the typical Sears folksy style with a catch phrase or corny joke on every single page, as well as the assumption that everyone reading the book is the mother in a very traditional mother-father-children nuclear family scenario. Dr. Sears mentions that at first, your husband might be taking the kids out to sneak fast food. I found suggestions like this somewhat offensive and sexist, even if they are largely true. I'd like to see dads get some credit now and then instead of portrayed as bumbling oafs. But perhaps that's an issue for another time...
One of the best aspects of this book is the chapter on the "12 Best Grow Foods". These are the foods that have the most nutrition per calorie. It's very simple to change your diet remarkably just by adding at least some if not all of these 12 foods. Among them are blueberries and oatmeal, so it's not as if they are all unpalatable "health foods".
The one complaint I have about the book is the typical Sears folksy style with a catch phrase or corny joke on every single page, as well as the assumption that everyone reading the book is the mother in a very traditional mother-father-children nuclear family scenario. Dr. Sears mentions that at first, your husband might be taking the kids out to sneak fast food. I found suggestions like this somewhat offensive and sexist, even if they are largely true. I'd like to see dads get some credit now and then instead of portrayed as bumbling oafs. But perhaps that's an issue for another time...
December 10, 2008
I better start by saying I am partial to the Sear's family and the books they write as well as their philosophies in general.
Having said that, I really thought this book was a great tool towards finding the relation between how kids behave and grow and what they eat and how/what to feed your family.
I consider myself to be fairly educated in terms of healthy foods, so when I first started reading this I though "I already know and do a lot of this" and as I kept reading it seemed to be repetitive. But then I realized even though I already had some of that information and though I was doing those things I really wasn't doing them as much as I should like your vegetable for the day being just a can of peas at dinner....not ideal.
Anyway it was a very easy read and the repetition only played to emphasize the importance of the information.
This stuff in here isn't hard or yucky. And parents need to WAKE UP and realize that they play a big role in shaping the way their children will eat for the rest of their lives!
This also helps you to remember that all those yummy looking boxed foods aren't out to make kids healthy but make money....read the labels.
ANd lastly that it is okay to eat stuff outside the best as long as it isn't all the time. They call it a "90/10" family. you eat well 90 percent of the time and allow the extra 10 for the occasional splurge. Realizing even things like cheap brand mac and cheese would be part of the 10 percent....or better yet just make the healthier version...real pasta real cheese!
Having said that, I really thought this book was a great tool towards finding the relation between how kids behave and grow and what they eat and how/what to feed your family.
I consider myself to be fairly educated in terms of healthy foods, so when I first started reading this I though "I already know and do a lot of this" and as I kept reading it seemed to be repetitive. But then I realized even though I already had some of that information and though I was doing those things I really wasn't doing them as much as I should like your vegetable for the day being just a can of peas at dinner....not ideal.
Anyway it was a very easy read and the repetition only played to emphasize the importance of the information.
This stuff in here isn't hard or yucky. And parents need to WAKE UP and realize that they play a big role in shaping the way their children will eat for the rest of their lives!
This also helps you to remember that all those yummy looking boxed foods aren't out to make kids healthy but make money....read the labels.
ANd lastly that it is okay to eat stuff outside the best as long as it isn't all the time. They call it a "90/10" family. you eat well 90 percent of the time and allow the extra 10 for the occasional splurge. Realizing even things like cheap brand mac and cheese would be part of the 10 percent....or better yet just make the healthier version...real pasta real cheese!
December 27, 2021
I borrowed this book from a friend recently and it was an excellent read. It’s part of the Sears Parenting Library and was written by Dr. Bill Sears, Martha Sears, Dr. James Sears, and Dr. Robert Sears. More information on the Sears philosophy and practice can be found on their website.
My family and I are embarking on a new lifestyle and are trying to find ways to make healthier food choices. This book gave some great advice on how to introduce and keep kids interested in “grow” foods. I really found the perimeter food shopping strategy, one that I already do, to be a good rule to follow. What was interesting in reading this book was the shopping experience with the children present in a typical big-box supermarket. As an adult, it’s easy to overlook the marketing and celebrity/cartoon endorsed goods, but as children it’s much more difficult. The food choices that kids are bombarded with are so intense, that’s it’s no wonder kids don’t always make great food decisions.
We are making an attempt to start good eating habits early in our house, but this book would be helpful to anyone with, or without, kids who wants to eat better. The advice given was practical, realistic, and simple. If you have a chance to read this book, it’s a quick read with some excellent information.
My family and I are embarking on a new lifestyle and are trying to find ways to make healthier food choices. This book gave some great advice on how to introduce and keep kids interested in “grow” foods. I really found the perimeter food shopping strategy, one that I already do, to be a good rule to follow. What was interesting in reading this book was the shopping experience with the children present in a typical big-box supermarket. As an adult, it’s easy to overlook the marketing and celebrity/cartoon endorsed goods, but as children it’s much more difficult. The food choices that kids are bombarded with are so intense, that’s it’s no wonder kids don’t always make great food decisions.
We are making an attempt to start good eating habits early in our house, but this book would be helpful to anyone with, or without, kids who wants to eat better. The advice given was practical, realistic, and simple. If you have a chance to read this book, it’s a quick read with some excellent information.
March 8, 2010
Overall I thought this book was very helpful, it is basically a family guide to nutrition and I learned a lot about how our bodies work, what causes things like diabetes, heart disease, etc. in more detail than I new before. The first couple of chapters of this book were pretty worthless and a little bit preachy, but skim over them and you'll get to good and useful information. My one complaint about this book was that Dr. Sears focuses so much on certain foods like fish, yogurt, and nuts and my son is allergic to all of them. I know these foods are good for you but I wish he would have talked more about other foods you can eat with similar benefits. Also, I was hoping the recipes in the back of the book would be beneficial for me, but I think there was only one recipe that did not contain any major allergens in it. I still think this book was worth reading for me, and would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about basic nutrition.
August 1, 2016
The Sears' address a lot of basic principles in this book about family nutrition. They state theri beliefs about a good diet and how to get there.
I have noticed that with the Sears' books, there tends to be a lot of filler text, and opinions that can be skimmed through while still getting the necessary information out of the book. There also seems to be a good amount of information that is repeated. I do like them though, as the Sears' tend to have a more natural, and conservative view on many issues. You have to understand that their writing may come across a little 'preachy' - just look past is because they do have a lot of good information. Overall, this is a good starting point if you're looking to start paying attention to what you eat.
There are NO Notes/ References/ Sources included for this book - which is a big issue for me since they mention so many statistics and studies, but don't provide much insight as to where those came from.
I have noticed that with the Sears' books, there tends to be a lot of filler text, and opinions that can be skimmed through while still getting the necessary information out of the book. There also seems to be a good amount of information that is repeated. I do like them though, as the Sears' tend to have a more natural, and conservative view on many issues. You have to understand that their writing may come across a little 'preachy' - just look past is because they do have a lot of good information. Overall, this is a good starting point if you're looking to start paying attention to what you eat.
There are NO Notes/ References/ Sources included for this book - which is a big issue for me since they mention so many statistics and studies, but don't provide much insight as to where those came from.
October 5, 2008
This is a scary book because it tells you everything you suspect but don't really want to know about the food you eat everyday. It motivated me, while pregnant, to significantly clean up my diet (which was all ready pretty clean), and I forced my husband to read certain passages that I found especially shocking or useful so that when our daughter came we could get her started on a good track nutritionally. Well, she's six months old now and her diet is far superior to mine. I'm going to continue to follow the Sears family's advice with her, though not as strictly as they suggest. Without a full-time cook and housekeeper and endless budget it's too much to prepare salmon and bok choy for her everyday. But it is very simple to keep her away from juice and other sugary drinks, white flour products, etc (at least until she starts going to school!).
February 10, 2009
When I started reading this book I just felt really fat and just plain awful. Although the more I read I really enjoyed it. I come from a family with pretty bad eating habits so I do as well. However I didn't realize how bad until I read this book. I would recommend this book to anyone not just parents. So...I may not be eating to Dr. Sears approval but I am more aware of what I eat. With childhood diabetes and obesity on the rise this book is very informative. Not just making a healthier lifesytle but you could help, alter, etc. A.D.D., A.D.H.D, and many other disorders. So I know I am jumping from one thing to the next, there was just SO much wonderful information I don't know what all to say. Shopping tips, kid tips, receipes, etc. I will probably read this book again in a yr or two and will often use it as a reference book. :)
September 13, 2015
The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood is written for families to learn how to instill a healthy way of eating for kids.
I am not totally sure, but think that this book was likely recommended to me through my Mommy & Me classes. I decided to read it to get a better grasp on nutrition for children, primarily what sorts of protein might be good for my daughter. I found myself frequently frustrated with the condescending nature that the material is presented in. Additionally, the book is very repetitive. However, the strongest thing I have taken away from this book that I ought to ensure that I buy foods that do not contain high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated anything, and colors with a number associated (such as red #10 or whatever).
I am not totally sure, but think that this book was likely recommended to me through my Mommy & Me classes. I decided to read it to get a better grasp on nutrition for children, primarily what sorts of protein might be good for my daughter. I found myself frequently frustrated with the condescending nature that the material is presented in. Additionally, the book is very repetitive. However, the strongest thing I have taken away from this book that I ought to ensure that I buy foods that do not contain high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated anything, and colors with a number associated (such as red #10 or whatever).
April 2, 2008
I think this is a great book, very informative about food and how food affects our physical, mental, emotional health. I will use a lot of information that I learned from this book. However, I did think the author was a little ...condescending? or judgemental? of people who don't adhere strictly to their plan. I am not married to a doctor and don't live on a doctor's salary (like the author, who actually has 2 salaries) so as much as I would love to buy all organic, all free-range, DHA-enhanced foods from the health food store, I don't have the budget for it - and it would be nice to not feel guilty about that.
April 30, 2008
While a lot of the information in this book seems pretty obvious, I have to say that it is pretty amazing how easily one can lose track of what your family is actually eating. I breast-fed my child, I made all my own baby food, I try to only buy organic produce/dairy/meats, and yet my son (and myself) was still eating all kinds of crap that I've kind of simply ignored. After sitting through a parent-teacher conference all about my child's inability to focus, I bought this book and threw several things away from our shelf. My son is remarkably better focused and a lot less grumpy in the morning, too- he just needed a better diet. I love all the Dr. Sears books that I've read.
February 12, 2009
Did you know that the brighter the food (assuming it's not dyed with red #40), the healthier it is? So, if you're choosing between broccoli and cauliflower, go for the broccoli. I appreciate The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood because it framed nutrition and health for my child in a way that I can apply to my whole family. You should see my copy of the book. There are flagged pages so frequently, it's hard to find a section that doesn't contain information I want to refer back to later. I recommend this book to parents, but also to anyone who has food issues, wants to eat better, stop a cycle of sugar cravings, or otherwise improve one's health.
October 24, 2008
Ok, so I didn't read this book cover to cover. I read half-way through, really really loved it, and then felt like the author began repeating himself over and over and I ended up just skipping around after that. But I really like the nutritional ideas in it and the explanations for why we need to eat better, and we are implementing many of them but it does take time to change old habits, which is why I kept it on my shelf for so long. I loved his ideas of nutritional foods to eat. I would have loved even more ideas.
August 1, 2014
I have actually taken this off my physical shelf. I have learned more about nutrition and the effects of including oils, and animal products in the diet and Dr Sears does not seem to support a vegan diet. I do think the book has good things to say about additives, reading labels, and how junk food harms the body (my definition includes more). I am so disappointed in the aims to make money buy selling vitamins instead of simply sticking to encouraging fruits, veggies, and other fiber- and vitamin-rich foods.
January 28, 2008
Finally a straightforward way to discern whether food is really good for you or really not, and how to teach your children so they can see right past the cartoon icon advertising the marshmallow cereal or totally unhealthy fruit snacks. My kids have loved the change, they behave better, they feel better, and haven't gotten sick in the eight months following (even through the Christmas season). I know it's because we're eating "grow foods."
April 25, 2019
This was a great book. I agreed with most of what they said and found myself really inspired by it. I would highly recommend this book to other mothers out there that have ever wondered what they should be feeding their kids. This book will have accounted for us changing the way we talk and think about food at our house. We had changed our diets a year or two ago but this inspired me to be more talkative with our kids about why we eat what we do (and don't eat what we do).
October 16, 2007
The most important thing I took away from this book is the big three to avoid: high fructose corn syrup, trans-fats, and food dyes. By eliminating these items from my diet, I can avoid the majority of junk food/empty calories.
Very readable, but Sears keeps returning to the same points which is good for reinforcement, but gets a bit dull reading.
Very readable, but Sears keeps returning to the same points which is good for reinforcement, but gets a bit dull reading.
February 24, 2008
A good read on nutrition for the whole family. It was well laid out with a lot of great nutrition information and ideas. There was a lot of good recipes and lists of healthy things to feed kids in all food groups. I think Dr. Sears is a little condescending, and I-can't-believe-the-crap=you-feed-your-kids, but there was so much great information in this book, I give it four stars anyway.
Currently reading
August 26, 2008This is a great learning book. The Sears family are all in the medical field, make regular apperances on the Dr. Phil show, and really know what they are talking about. This book gives the reader a great deal of knowledge with regards to food, sugars, and what's best for you and your children to eat.
I am getting some great ideas from it.
I am getting some great ideas from it.
August 20, 2009
Good nutrition is good nutrition. Nothing earth shattering in here. I was hoping for more toddler specific suggestions - particular foods that are good at this stage of physical/mental development, portion sizes, etc. Not much of that in here. Glad I borrowed it from Family Connections and didn't buy it!
September 12, 2007
excellent resource for healthy eating, with tips on how to encourage the same for your kids. A bit repetitive, as most of his books are, but the info is worth repeating. Highly recommend this one for anyone with small kids.
Currently reading
February 29, 2008This the third book I'm reading from the Sears Pediatric Dynasty :)
I've heard of metabolic programming before (that your nutrition early on will set your cells on a path, good or for bad) This book begins by discussing that idea, so my interest is piqued.
I've heard of metabolic programming before (that your nutrition early on will set your cells on a path, good or for bad) This book begins by discussing that idea, so my interest is piqued.
April 29, 2008
I loved a lot of these ideas and agree with a lot of them. I don't know that I am ready to live this diet completely at this point in my life, but I have tried to adjust my thinking about things like corn starch, processed foods and fast food and what it does to us in the long run.
November 24, 2008
Filled with practical advice about how to improve eating at home. Most importantly, it outlined the scientific basis for filling our bodies with certain types of foods, and the adverse effects of not doing so. Super motivating.
November 25, 2008
If you are a parent (of kids still at home) you should read this. If you are already a healthy eater, you will know a lot of the basics given, but it tells the whys behind what is considered "healthy". Interesting info. on diabetes and ADHD, too.
February 5, 2010
I picked up this book after hearing Dr. Bob speak at an area LLL conference. It's an easy read with lots of information to keep guiding us towards better nutrition. I think I would be done already if I didn't have so many mouths to feed, LOL!
July 10, 2009
This book was very good about pointing out ways you could incorporate better nutrition into your family's diet. It wasn't as preachy as some books can be, which I find annoying. This one had several practical tips for incorporating healthier carbs, proteins, and fats into your meal plans.
November 30, 2009
I enjoyed this book, I didn't read it cover to cover, but I certainly enhoyed the chapters I read. The best thing I learned is how to make healthy breakfast drinks to get your kids started off on the right foot.
January 5, 2011
Another fantastic book from the Sears Parenting Library!! All parents should read this to get great information on what we should be eating to achieve optimum health and how to get our kids to eat healthy! A quick and easy read, but bursting with vital information!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews