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One of the biggest struggles parents face is feeding their children. From birth we are worried about them getting the right amount of milk at the right times. Then weaning comes along and we need to make sure they’re getting a balanced diet and all the nutrients they need whilst watching so much of it get chucked on the floor. These worries continue as the children get older, as many turn their noses up at vegetables or only eat beige food. But, award winning family food blogger Emily Leary has launched a book to save every parent’s sanity and she sent me a copy for our family to read and enjoy.
Get Your Kids to Eat Anything is a five stage programme to change the way the whole family think about food. The book is a beautiful work of art, hardback (and available on Kindle too) and full of bright colours – it instantly made me want to get in the kitchen.
The philosophy behind the book is to not only help parents to help children to eat a more varied, healthy and nutritious diet whilst trying new things but also to make healthy, exciting food easier for parents, giving them ideas that can fit easily into busy family life without all the battles that so many families face when they sit down to eat at the table together.
I was surprised that Get Your Kids to Eat Anything was so much more than a recipe book. Although it includes 70 family-friendly, delicious recipes it actually introduces a whole new approach to family meals, aiming to overcome picky eating and make new normal for all members of the family.
The five stage programme within the book teaches families how to start off slowly by introducing unfamiliar foods gradually before learning more about where foods come from and their relationship to one another. Then you need to discover the fun in food, learn techniques to make variety the norm for your family and finally step into the unknown, discovering flavour combinations that even us as adults haven’t thought to try before.
The book starts off by introducing staple ingredients to have in your food cupboard, fridge and freezer – many of which you probably have at home already – even if you’ve never really been sure what to do with them. The book talks about how to prepare your family for this new culinary adventure that you are going on together. Because that’s what it is – an adventure of the senses.
Throughout the books I learnt more about food items, food groups and nutrition as well as ways to help talk about food – describing it’s textures, flavours and smells. There are activities to complete throughout the book that can really get children involved in the kitchen but not just with cooking but learning more about every ingredient and parts of a meal as well. This is something that LP and Little Man really enjoy – learning facts whilst they cook or eat.
Get Your Kids to Eat Anything helps you to meal plan and even if you currently have the same six meals on rotation the book challenges you to add one new meal per day or even a new ingredient or flavour to an old favourite meal. The book isn’t about having completely new meals every single time but about adapting the way you meal plan, cook and eat to incorporate a more varied and healthy diet for all members of the family – even those who are most reluctant.
The recipes in the book cover everything from breakfast, lunch and dinner to snacks, treats, desserts and even dishes to put in the middle of the table to share as a family. Plus, each recipe has tips on things like how to vary it in the future, how to make it last longer or how to make it fit with the different tastes that your family may have.
Every recipe has a full page colour picture of the finished dish and it gives so many serving suggestions within the photos too – rather than being just an image of something straight after being taken out of the oven, the dishes are often shown mid-meal, with people tucking in and enjoying the food with side dishes, drinks and family around them.
Within the book there are spaces to log the recipes you’ve tried and how your family have found them so you can keep a journal for future reference. It also give prompts for conversations about the food, opening up dialogue around the flavours, ingredients and the finished dish.
I love that the book has little adventures within in – getting children to take the lead in the supermarket, talking about where food comes from and growing your own herbs to use in cooking. There’s also ideas of ways to make food fun – with different colours, different shapes or even food that you construct yourself at meal times.
As you can see from the photos, we’ve been cooking some of the recipes from Get Your Kids to Eat Anything and it’s definitely inspired us to think outside the box when it comes to food. We often stick to the same meals – or the same types of meal – and hardly vary the ingredients or try new flavours for fear of the children not liking it.
Since trying Get Your Kids to Eat Anything we’ve been adding new ingredients to meals and getting the children more involved in meal planning too. One thing I’ve found is they love to eat colourful food – if it’s colourful and they can recognise a few aspects of it then they’ll try it and often really enjoy it too.
I have never read a book like Get Your Kids to Eat Anything before and I have already recommended it to so many other parents who have made off hand comments like ‘He’ll only eat chips/pasta/mash’ or ‘She used to love vegetables until she started school and now she doesn’t touch them’. Get Your Kids to Eat Anything can help with those issues and so much more. It’s a book that will benefit the whole family.
The book is so much more than a recipe book. It’s a real resource to teach your family to try new things, embrace new flavours and open up the dinner table to whole new experiences that will change the way you eat as a family for life.
iain maciver says
very interesting book for the picky eaters
Solange says
I have a fussy eater in the family so would love to give this book a try.
Natalie Burgess says
My little girl is such a fussy eater and I really struggle with mealtimes, especially as I like most foods. This book would be great to win xx
Andrea Fletcher says
My grandson is a fussy eater so would like to read this.
Sadiyya Maryam says
To encourage my daughter to eat and try a different range of foods as she likes to stick to familiar things she is used to and enjoys. And as she loves reading and helping me in the kitchen it would be a fun way for her to use this recipes with me and enjoy the food!
Geri Gregg says
I’d love to win this to help me get my son to eat more veggies
Helen Craigs says
I would love to win this book for my daughter. She has a 2 year old little boy and 12 week old baby girl. My little grandson was a brilliant eater but since turning two he has become very picky, hope this will give her some great ideas!
Sanna P says
My kid is terrible with veg and fruits… would be good book to try!
Rachel Butterworth says
My eldest nephew is such a fussy eater. My sister in law would really benefit from this book.
Sam E says
Oh my gosh I really need this book, I have two picky eaters aged 7, and I have been hoping for years that they just grow out of it and become less fussy, but we are making very slow progress so far…
Mary Lucking says
I would like to win this book for daughter for weaning her son
Helen Tovell says
For new inspiration for some foods that neither the children or us are keen on
Kerry Taylor says
My little boy likes to live on spag bol and beans on toast. I’d love some variety to mealtimes…
Emma - Life According to MrsShilts says
Love your photographs Donna, they’re brilliant. I’ve bought this book so not commenting to win just wanted to say how much I love the book already and cannot wait to cook more of Emily’s brilliant creations.
Rich Tyler says
Great for my 2 boys
Claire woods says
I’d like my son to be more adventurous and try more new foods to eat.
Amy Bondoc says
my daughter is such a fussy eater thius book sounds brilliant
Jamie Edwards says
I would love to win this book, I though I had it in the bag because my first will eat anything, my 2nd child however if so fussy and her younger brother is copying her now too!
Annabel Greaves says
I really need some tips on how to get healthy nutritious food into the kids so this is a great read
Ruth Harwood says
This would be great for ideas on how to get the kids to eat their veg and explore new foods! x
Katie Harmer says
I would like to win this book because I am a fussy eater, not too keen on healthy food. If this book can get kids to eat anything, then just maybe it will work for me! ?
ADEINNE TONNER says
I think this would be very handy to have especially trying to get them to eat vegetables which can be challenging
Margaret GALLAGHER says
Got 3 rather fussy nephews – will sort them out for sure !
Lisa Wilkinson says
Because my daughter is annoyingly fussy
Carole Nott says
This looks like a book with lots of original ideas
lorraine kirk says
I’d love to win this book for our family as my son is a fussy eater and refuses to try new foods. This book looks full of great advice and recipes
Sheri Darby says
This would be a great help with my fussy children
Allan Fullarton says
My son is so fussy. Looks like a good read.
Kim Neville says
I have a very fussy son and this book would help with some new recipes to try
Rebecca Whatmore says
My little cousin
Faye Reed says
I’d like to win as I need some new ideas of things to make the kids.
Troy Easton says
Give it to my Cousin.
Donna W says
I’m always looking for new meal ideas for my 2 little ones but often end up rotating the same dishes for them. This book looks great!
paula cheadle says
because 2 of my granddaughters are fussy eaters
Kat says
It will give me some ideas of food to try with my daughter
Catherine Gregory says
My 18 month old has turned into a fussy eater and most day eats no veg and I am so stressed about his diet so really hoping this could give me new ideas to try please
Sarah Cooper says
I would like to win to learn of new recipes for my children to try.