Nutrition Coach Online

Sneaky Chef Review

September 25th, 2008

A mom recently mentioned The Sneaky Chef cookbook to me and I was surprised that I had not heard of it before! It sounded like a great idea, but I needed to investigate further. After reading more about the recipes and ideas behind the recipes, I have mixed feelings about this book. I like that this cookbook focuses on increasing the nutritional value of foods that kids are already eating. I think it is a great first step in changing the eating habits of your kids (and husband, wife or partner). It would be great for a stay-at-home mom or dad that has time to prepare the purees used to sneak veggies into the recipes. It would also be great for a family that has established VERY picky eaters – mom, dad and/or the kids.

What I don’t like is that this book perpetuates the myth that kids will only eat kids foods. If these recipes are used long-term, you are doing nothing to encourage the enjoyment of healthy foods, especially fruits and veggies that are now thought of as impossible to get kids to eat without drenching in ketchup or ranch or hiding some how. Also, the purees used to sneak fruits & veggies into the recipes do take a considerable amount of prep time. Plus the amount of time that is required to cook the veggies down to a soft mush results in the loss of a considerable amount of nutrients. And the amount of puree used in each recipe (1/4 to 1 cup), when divided among the serving sizes, results in a tiny amount of these fruits and veggies actually making it into your kid. If they currently don’t eat any fruits or veggies, this is an improvement though!

I do recommend the using it as a short-term stepping stone, or as a supplement to your repertoire of healthy cooking options. Not recommended though, as your sole cooking method, especially for long-term development of healthy eaters!

Pick up a copy of The Sneaky Chef at a discount here.

Entry Filed under: Food, Nutrition, Recipes