More Cookbooks for Kids

Continuing on from yesterday, I present more cookbooks for kids…

You can’t talk about cooking for kids without mentioning Rachael Ray. Now, my kids LOOOVE her. They go nuts when they see her picture. My three year old can even ID her as a cartoon on the cover of her book and pick her out in the cookware at Kohls.

Her cookbook is cute enough. It is cleverly arranged according to age, which is helpful on the surface. The problem is, if you’re looking for say, soup, that a 5 year old can make, you’re taking your chances with this book. It’s not chock full of recipes. It’s actually more full of drawings, stories and anecdotes. Like Rachael’s TV show, it’s really about entertainment with a side of cooking. And that’s okay for the kiddos for a bit. But when they’re in the “can we make something” mood, it’s not terribly helpful.

There are no groundbreaking recipes here, and quite frankly, nothing that you haven’t made before – except maybe presented differently. And for kids, there’s nothing wrong with that.

My oldest daughter (she’s 5) loves the book. The size of it is kid friendly (it’s small) and the illustrations are very kid-appealing – the picture of the “worms and eyeballs” recipe makes her giggle every time. Again, it’s just weak on the cooking side. But Katie’s too young to figure that out.

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It’s weird to me that Strawberry Shortcake is so hot again. I loved her as a kid. The Strawberry Shortcake that I knew, though, is definitely not the Strawberry Shortcake of today. No bloomers. No puffy hats. Now she’s all about tee shirts, long pants (and sometimes, capris) and trendy haircuts. Strawberry Shortcake is (to quote Amy): cool.

Strawberry Shortcake’s friends are updated, too. Apple Dumplin’s fashion sense leaves something to be desired, but that’s excusable since she’s a baby. Angel Cake sports new denim overalls and Ginger Snap brings a Latin flair. Orange Blossom is now African-American and Huckleberry Pie is (gasp) a boy. In fact, there’s a whole new slate of characters including Peppermint Fizz, Coco Calypso, Blueberry Muffin, Rainbow Sherbet, Seaberry Delight, Lemon Meringue, Raspberry Torte, Crepes Suzette, Tea Blossom, Tangerina Torta, Frosty Puff, Apricot and Cherry Cuddler (whew). And everyone of them has a pet (or two) and a backstory. 1980, it’s not.

That said, the updated Strawberry Shortcake also comes with a new line of merchandising. Fortunately for me, in addition to the normal toys, games and videos, there are books. Especially fortunate for me, there are cookbooks. Katie has, after all, decided that she will be a “cooker” when she grows up.

The thing that’s so great about cookbooks for children is that there are a number of lessons to be learned. It’s not just great entertainment. It’s an education. We learn reading and math – and science.

Additions in Berry Yummy Cookbookmake it easy to explain how things work to children, too. There is a section on “Kitchen Rules” and a description of things you might find in a kitchen (like wisks and colanders), as well as cooking terms (bake, beat, blend, you get the idea) and measuring tips. And to make it really easy for the reader, there is a “Strawberry Key” on each recipe: one strawberry means that you can do most of the steps by yourself; two strawberries mean that you’ll need an adult to help for some of the recipe and three strawberries mean that you absolutely must have an adult to help.

The cookbook is divided into chapters on Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Dessert and Snacks & Drinks. I was expecting really easy recipes with pre-fab ingredients. Not so at all! Recipes include such fare as Spectacular Berry Pancakes, Super Stuffed Baked Potatoes, Cheese Puffs and of course, Strawberry Shortcake with real whipped cream.

Yes, the berry references can get annoying. And yes, it’s saccharine-y sweet. But the kids love it. It’s all good fun.

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cookbooks, Rachael Ray, Strawberry Shortcake