Grow It, Cook It

Grow It, Cook It is the children's cookbook that starts with the seed of a good idea. More than a cookbook, this innovative book offers a fresh approach to healthy eating by getting children involved in food right from the start. Children will learn that when they eat a carrot, they're biting into a root; salads are made up of leaves; and berries are the fruit and seeds of plants, encouraging an early appreciation of food and its origins.

The recipes in the book take the homegrown fruits, vegetables, and herbs and use a variety of cooking methods and store-bought ingredients to transform them into truly homemade meals. All the "crops" can be grown in pots, so young chefs don't even need a large garden to enjoy Grow It, Cook It.

This wide-reaching title combines instructions for growing edible plants with recipes based on the harvest. The spreads, formatted in the publisher’s signature combination of numerous, high-quality color photos and small text paragraphs, begin with overviews of plants’ growth cycles and gardening basics, from soil to containers to pests. The book then moves on to pages focused on individual fruits and vegetables, each discussion followed by a related recipe or project. Such a wide agenda leaves little room for sufficient information to guide children through the intricate process of raising plants in their particular climate. The lush photos of ripening vegetables, though, will spark children’s curiosity and inspire them to learn more. Some recipes include specific suggestions for adult supervision, but most children will need help anyway as they prepare the delicious, often sophisticated culinary treats, such as small pumpkin tarts. An attractive introduction to both gardening and healthy meals, this title will be welcomed by adults seeking hands-on resources that discuss where food comes from. Grades 3-6. --Gillian Engberg