New Cookbooks and Nutrition Guides for Parents and Families
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Big Ideas if You’re Short on Time
The Little Big Cookbook for Moms is exactly what its title suggests: a handy little guide packed with a ton of great family recipes. That’s 250 recipes, to be exact, plus more than 100 recipe variations, including a section for families with food sensitivities (think gluten-free and dairy-free). Among the book’s vintage-illustrated pages, you’ll also find shopping lists, suggested menus, and useful advice tailored to busy moms, from lunch bag safety to tips on buying organic produce and notes on how to stretch one recipe into multiple meals. Co-authors Alice Wong and Natasha Tabori Fried, both NYC moms and veterans of the cookbook scene, bill this little book as a great go-to for moms who may need a little confidence boost in the kitchen. (Welcome Books, 2012; $24.95)
Nutrition, in a Nutshell
At just under 400 pages, it might exceed the term “nutshell.” But if you have a question about your child’s diet or nutritional needs, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll find the answer in the second edition of Nutrition: What Every Parent Needs to Know. Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the major professional association of pediatricians in the U.S., this guide spans birth to adolescence and covers everything from allergies to eating disorders to what to do when Grandma wants to feed your sweeties a few too many cookies. (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2011; $14.95)
What About Mom?
Along with a bundle of joy, a newborn also brings a lack of sleep, new struggles with time management, and the acceptance of the baby weight you put on during pregnancy—or not! In the cookbook Parents Need to Eat Too by Debbie Koeing, the author shares her healthy recipes that save parents the time, energy, and stress that come with juggling time-consuming meal-making with the schedules of their infants and toddlers. These mom-tested recipes not only satisfy the grown-up bellies at the dinner table, but each recipe includes a “Make Baby Food” section that helps you make the meal work for babies who are beginning solids. Sections include nap-time recipes, one-hand meals, Slower Cooker dishes, and nutritious recipes to support moms who are breastfeeding. For more on the author, visit debbiekoeing.com. (Harper Collins, 2012; $16.99)
Advice from a Mum Across the Pond
If you’re like most parents, you want to make food fun and healthy for your kids, but you may not know exactly what you need in your kitchen to achieve this tricky balance. In Favorite Family Meals, the UK-based bestselling author of 17 books on children’s food and nutrition (and a mother of three herself), Annabel Karmel, presents a cookbook packed with shopping lists, recipe ideas, and practical advice—in short, all of the ingredients for a successful kitchen. You’ll find smart and simple ideas for nutritious family meals along with quick tips on lunchbox foods and homemade frozen dinners that fit easily into a busy parent’s schedule. Your copy will be justly dog-eared and food-splattered in no time. (Atria Books, 2012; $22)
Ready, Set…Cook!
Many parents find themselves heating up microwave meals for their families on busy days and feeling guilty about it, but with Missy Chase Lapine’s new book, The Speedy Sneaky Chef, you’ll have all the tools to cook a quick and nutritious meal instead. Lapine, a Westchester-based mom of two who serves as a member of Parenting magazine’s team of experts, is famous for her recipes that help parents “sneak” healthy foods like beets and Brussels sprouts into the meals of unassuming kids. With shopping lists, make-ahead recipes, and many quick-fix ideas for the foods you already cook, Lapine’s newest book in the Sneaky Chef series has a wealth of information on how to make your family’s favorite packaged foods more nutritious and delicious. (Running Press, 2012; $20)
Bye, Bye, Gluten!
If you or someone in your family has a gluten intolerance, or if there’s another reason you’re transitioning your family to a gluten-free diet, Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s newest book, Deliciously G-Free, is a good place to get started. The cookbook includes 100 recipes for meals like spaghetti and meatballs, waffles, burgers, and even cupcakes. Besides creative ideas for gluten-free family dinners, you’ll also find foods specifically tailored to transitioning kids to a gluten-free diet. Known best as one of the co-hosts on The View, Hasselbeck is a mom of three living with celiac disease. Deliciously G-Free is a family-focused follow-up to her first book, The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide. (Ballantine Books, 2012; $30)
Simple, Healthy, and Kid-Friendly
The staff at Parents magazine know all about how important good food is for growing bodies. In Parents Quick & Easy Kid-Friendly Meals, the editors offer more than 100 simple, healthy recipes for every meal of the day and the snacks in between. The book is based on the expert advice of America's foremost childcare experts and includes tips on feeding picky eaters, fun ways to introduce your kids to cooking and kitchen prep, and easy instructions to prepare nutritious family meals. Many recipes have fun names kids will appreciate, like Nutty Noodles and Pear-Bear Muffins. Buy the cookbook and you'll also receive a free subscription to Parents magazine. (Wiley, 2012; $19.99)
