Cooking Time Is Family Time

A ground-breaking cookbook shows parents how to get their children away from the television and into the kitchen to spend time together preparing fun meals kids will actually eat, and includes 125 recipes with age-appropriate instructions.

Fredericks's considerable experience as a food publicist, mother and educator (she helped develop a food-based curriculum for grades K-3) informs every page of this practical yet heartfelt guide. Parents might panic at the mere thought of having children in the kitchen, but Fredericks demonstrates how even toddlers can help with mealtime preparation. What's important, she stresses, is the process, not the resultsAthough following her advice will eventually lead to interesting and nutritious meals, less-picky eaters and a more cohesive family. The first four chapters lay out the basics, from lists of inexpensive kitchen utensils (one set per child) and equipment, to illustrated step-by-step instructions on knife handling. The next six, organized by food group, include recipes for such adventuresome fare as Egyptian Stuffed Vegetables, Miso Soup with Shrimp and Yogurt-Pomegranate Parfaits. Fredericks includes a chapter on how to resolve conflicts in the kitchen and another that suggests holiday recipes and menus; an appendix gives information on nutrition. A real trailblazer, this is as informative a parenting guide as it is a cookbook. (Aug.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Fredericks, a single mother of two sons, helped develop a "food-based curriculum" for kindergarten through third grade that she teaches in New York City schools and is used in other schools throughout the country. Here, she tells how, after her divorce, she was able to develop her children's interest in food and cooking so that dinnertimeAboth preparation and eatingAbecame one of their favorite parts of the day and more or less restored their family life. She offers guidelines for other parents, along with 125 recipes set up for participatory family cooking ("let small children peel the onion," etc.). Some parents will laugh at the idea of their children eating Coriander-Scented Crab Ravioli and will find Fredericks overly idealistic. However, it worked for her, and other parents will be interested in her approach. For larger collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.