What this book actually is, is a series of anecdotes regarding the author and his daughter which are cute but sometimes too cutesy. The author also is a bit of a hipster which is fine because he's a food critic in Seattle - what do you expect? So there is a lot of description of foods that kind of seem like he's rubbing it in your face that he has better taste in bacon than you do. But in the end I really didn't care about that all that much.
There is no sage wisdom to be found to convincing your child to eat interesting foods in this book but it's reassuring in a sense that even this guy can't get his toddler to be less picky. The book points out a few things about eating and having a kid to feed that totally goes along with my philosophy on what we do with our kids. First, our oldest toddler is involved in the food preparation process to the extent that he can be. I have not yet let him chop things like the author's daughter, but I imagine he's not far off from that. He does however, get to measure and pour ingredients as well as mix things. Sometimes, I've found that his involvement in the preparation process makes him more interested in the eating process. And sometimes, like the author, I find that this makes no difference.
I've also not thrown down a moratorium on the typical kids foods that he likes. He likes mac-n-cheese, and chicken nuggets. I try to get the whole grain mac and the no additives chicken nuggets but I do occasionally, when Daddy is out of town, allow for this kind of fun meal. Lately when I've been meal planning for the coming week, I ask our oldest what he'd like to have for dinner one night. I feel like this gives him a little agency into what we are eating and that dinner time truly is family time. When we go to the grocery store, which he loves because we live in the South and Publix gives free cookies to kids, we also talk about what the things we are buying are going to become. It's been a semi-success.
Lastly, we make one meal at night and that's what the kids eat. I try to include one ingredient that I know they would be interested in so there is at least something they are familiar with, but sometimes that doesn't happen. We don't make a big deal out of it if they don't eat anything, but we congratulate them when they try something new. I'm trying to make eating a positive experience for them if I can. But I'm not going to be running back and forth to the refrigerator to try to accommodate every request. So all in all, I liked the laid back tone of this book. Probably because it reinforces my own philosophy and who doesn't like reading a book you agree with?
A few of the recipes I wouldn't mind trying but since I got the Kindle edition of this one, it's not going to happen. It's just to difficult to try to go back through and find the recipe. Of course I say that now, but every now and then I have these crazy ideas.
It's a quick and easy read but not groundbreaking or life changing.
3/5 Stars.
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