cover image Healthy Lunchbox: The Working Mom's Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim

Healthy Lunchbox: The Working Mom's Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim

Rallie McAllister. Lifeline Press (CA), $19.95 (250pp) ISBN 978-0-89526-137-3

More than just a cookbook, this volume addresses the growing epidemic of obesity in American children (and adults) with detailed explanations of the risk factors, causes and dangers. It also provides practical solutions--occasionally oversimplified--to help with a variety of issues that may hinder a working mom's ability to keep her kids fit and healthy. For example, McAllister explains,""nutritionally speaking, afternoons represent a four-hour danger zone for children, especially when they're home alone, without the benefit of maternal supervision."" The tips she offers for setting TV limits, scheduling structured activities and making homes fitness-friendly might not be feasible for all families, but they're worthwhile suggestions. The back of the book focuses on healthy lunchbox meals; recipes for breakfast, snacks and lunch are generally simple and appealing, and they employ some wholesome packaged products for convenience. Nutritional information (including""G-factors: grams of fat, carbohydrates, and protein"") is included for each recipe, and advice on what's best to get at the grocery store or the fast food chains mean even the busiest moms could benefit from the information contained here.