The Cleaner Plate Club: More Than 100 Recipes for Real Food Your Kids Will Love

This crayon-colored real food manifesto from mommy bloggers Bader and Benjamin gives parents plenty of ammo in the never-ending battle to get their kids to eat better, though it will likely be used more as a reference than a playbook at the end of a long day. Concerned parents will appreciate arguments for the benefits of eating better and avoiding processed foods; suggestions on dealing with picky eaters; shopping tips; and the organic vs. conventional debate. Profiles of common vegetables should broaden the palate and pantry, but some tips are disappointingly obvious ("don't go grocery shopping with kids who are hungry or tired"). And while recipes do present healthy alternatives, not all are time savers: few parents will want to whip up pumpkin gnocchi with walnut cream sauce and balsamic reduction after work. The duo deserves credit for a healthy take on chicken nuggets (baked), and their list of "faster than drive-thru dinners" that come together in a flash. Locavores well-versed in the benefits of a diet emphasizing fresh vegetables will likely find few surprises, but others will find a helpful resource for healthier eating. (Jan.)