Books - Healthy Eating for Children and Families

Grow It, Eat It: Simple Gardening Projects And Delicious Recipes
(2008, Dorling Kindersley, Hardcover)

Involving kids in preparing fruit and vegetable dishes can actually increase their consumption, according to researchers. And getting them involved in growing their own fruit and veges can also help their eating habits, as they get to see fruit and vegetables in a non-threatening environment like the garden… rather than staring at them from a dinner plate!

This beautifully illustrated children’s book from The Royal Horticultural Society provides simple step-by-step advice for growing fruit and vegetables and also explains how plants are pollinated, how to make compost and all about the different creepy crawlies you’ll find in the garden. Each gardening section is logically followed by simple step-by-step recipes to produce tasty pies, soups, salads, desserts and many more tasty morsels. Most recipes are limited to five or six simple illustrated steps showing kids clearly what to do. The book is full of fun projects to get kids moving! Holidays are a great time to start new projects and keep your children occupied. Order your copy now in time for the summer holidays.

Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets To Get Your Kids Eating Good Food
(2007, HarperCollins, Hardcover)

Tried everything and you still can’t get your children to eat vegetables or fruit? This book is your answer to dinner-time battles. Author Jessica Seinfeld, wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, provides simple, healthy, deceptive meal solutions. And deceptiveness is the key!

Children’s natural neophobia (fear of new foods) drives them to avoid new foods. Providing repeated exposures to new foods is an important tool in overcoming neophobia, scientists estimate that 10-15 exposures of new foods are required before a child will accept new foods. A great technique is to offer children a bite sized piece of the disliked vegetable or fruit every day for a fortnight away from main meal time. And if that doesn’t work then what?

Take Jessica Seinfeld’s great advice on how to add more fruit and vegetables to your children’s diet. Pureeing fruits and vegetables in batches, then adding to meals will ensure your child is getting all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients they need. It may sound like a short-term fix, but it may actually help in the long run too! Exposing children to subtle flavours of fruits and vegetables regularly – unbeknown to them – may help your children to unknowingly develop a taste for them. And familiarity is important, once foods are familiar they’re more likely to be eaten when served at dinner time.