For the legions of harried moms who have tossed in the dishtowel on cooking healthy meals (or any meals!), the easiest-ever guide for bringing super nutrition back to the kitchen.

Getting dinner on the table night after night can be a challenge. So it’s no surprise that busy moms often rely on fast food, takeout, and convenience meals like macaroni & cheese, chicken nuggets, and fries. The kids love it but the drawback is that little twinge of guilt moms feel every time they feed their family another not-so-healthy meal. At the end of the day, many children end up with a poor diet high in sugar, saturated fat, and calories … a major factor in the rising rates of obesity.

Finally, here are realistic guidelines designed to give families a healthy meal makeover.
The Moms lay out a 5-Step Meal Makeover Plan, explaining how to market good nutrition to kids, establish food rules, and make life easier in the kitchen.
In The Best of the Bunch chapter they reveal which brands of kid convenience foods–hot dogs, frozen pizza, and more–are the best tasting and most nutritious ones out there.
The Moms show how to stock a healthy pantry and whip up delicious anytime meals using pantry staples.
They even serve up 120 reworked recipes for family favorites such as Fast-as-Boxed Macaroni & Cheese, Squishy Squash Lasagna, Cheesy Broccoli Soup, Sweet Potato Fries, and Chocolate Pudding with Toppers.

I think the authors are right on the mark with their advice on kids trying new foods, no "yuck!"s etc. Their philosophy is similar to our own house rules, and as a result my boys (3 and 7) are great eaters. I had the pleasure of meeting the authors at a bookstore signing, and I was very impressed with their knowledge, sensibility, and friendliness!


Skeptic: Convinced!!   January 23, 2004
 31 out of 31 found this review helpful

I pride myself on being a pretty good cook, so the idea that a cookbook would contain recipes that were not only easy (being a working mom with five kids made that important), interesting to my children, and, compelling to myself and my partner seemed impossible. I really enjoy this cookbook. I have liked nearly every recipe I've tried--the kids have been much more open than I ever imagined--and some of the tips have already infiltrated their way into other meals. I appreciate the ease of preparation; I appreciate the range of foods suggested; I appreciate the graphics and side bars of the book. In other words, I am convinced. I really urge you to give this cookbook along with the authors' suggestions about changing your family's eating habits a try.


Not only for Moms and families   September 15, 2005
 24 out of 24 found this review helpful

This is a great guide for tweaking your cooking and becoming aware of the many ways you can adjust your own recipies to add nutrition and flavor while cutting out sodium, processed foods, etc. Yes, the recipies themselves are different and tempting in their own right and are creative enough that you can serve them to anyone, not just children/teens. An excellent primer begins the book about how to gradually add nutrition and fiber to your diet over a period of weeks, so you don't have to feel on a "gung-ho" nutrition kick to make some meaningful changes. Includes fun recipes with titles such as "Sweet & Nutty Thai Thing" (a scaled-back/simplified pad thai), plus an entire chapter on one of my favorite subjects "Breakfast for Dinner". A helpful volume for any cook and most any occasion.


Just add carrots...   April 14, 2004
 21 out of 35 found this review helpful

I bought this book based on the reviews- they all seemed positive and encouraging. If you are really clueless in the kitchen, this book will definitely help you. If you know your way around the kitchen and are looking for some fresh, new ideas for healthy meals for your family, avoid this book. The authors' ideas for making a meal healthy most often include adding a carrot or two. Almost every recipe involving ground meat touts adding grated carrot to add extra vitamins and nutrition. Anyone can add carrots to a recipe. I could add shredded carrot to my creme brulee and call it more nutritious, but I doubt it would sell many cookbooks.

I was hoping that this book would help me with creative new ways to present food to my small children in order to get them to try new things, while helping me maintain my modest grocery budget. Most of the suggestions in this book involve a trip to a specialty grocery store, or the organic aisle at my supermarket- either way increasing the money spent on groceries. This book was a huge disappointment to me- I didn't need a book to tell me to avoid fast food. It contains too much common sense, and isn't worth what I paid for it.


Healthy eating and great taste!   May 3, 2004
 20 out of 21 found this review helpful

This cookbook is the best! With 3 teenagers, our schedules are busier than ever. The recipes are quick and easy to prepare, and my kids love them!! The Fiery Steak Fajitas, and Hunan Beef and Broccoli are 2 family favorites. The books tips on stocking a healthy pantry is especially helpful (I only buy omega 3 eggs, now)! This book is so reasonably priced that I've bought many copies...now when friends have us over for dinner I give a copy of the book instead of a bottle of wine. They love it!!!