The Picky Eater Project: 6 Weeks to Happier, Healthier Family Mealtimes

Muth, a pediatrician and registered dietician, teams up with James Beard Award–winning cookbook author Sampson to help families collaborate in the kitchen. The two authors, both mothers themselves, present a six-week plan including 40 well-designed recipes to encourage children to eat more adventurously. The key, they believe, is getting children involved: “I believe most every child will enjoy most every healthy food, if those healthy foods are what there is to cook, share, and eat,” writes Sampson. In addition to recipes, each chapter contains a mission (“Create an environment that supports more adventurous eating”), strategy (“Cook together”), and measurement, explaining how to gauge success (“Parent and child perception of shopping experience”). Each recipe includes a list of equipment needed, age-appropriate suggestions on how to involve children in the cooking process, and ways for kids to personalize their meals by substituting ingredients. The healthy dishes for all ages include classic hummus, vegetable soup, fajitas, and fish tacos, while introducing flavors such as cilantro, mint, basil, and crushed red pepper. This is an informative, accessible book sure to expand tiny palates and bring families together in the kitchen and at the dinner table. [em](Jan.) [/em]