Never before have we been so removed from our food source! So many children have absolutely no understanding of where their food comes from, or how many resources it takes to simply make the lunch they take for granted every day in their lunch box.
Thankfully there are some wonderful books, targeted for children, which will help them connect the dots from field to table.
The wonderful picture book How Did That Get In My Lunchbox gives the youngest audience a early view of how the food in their lunchbox is made.
The other two books I am profiling this week were adapted from their very successful adult counterparts, Omnivore's Dilema and Fast Food Nation.
Omnivore's Dilema: Young Readers Edition gives them a wonderful understanding of the many ways food gets to us and how the choices we make have a direct effect on the world around us. After one chapter of Chew On This, your kids may never eat in a fast food restaurant again!
I hope this week's selections give you some great tools to get your kids informed and smarter when they make choices about what they eat.
Imagine how proud you will be when they pass on the fries and ask for that organic apple. OK, I may be a little ahead of myself but know they will never look at their dinner plate the same way again.
To see my full set of reviews, visit my blog at www.onegreatbook.com
Title: How Did That Get In My Lunchbox
Author: Chris Butterworth
Target: Preschool - Grade 2
What this book is about:
This book takes a look at what is in a kid’s lunchbox, and shows children how their food got there. It takes you from the fields, to the processing, to the store. You learn what goes into a slice of bread, how milk is turned into cheese and even shows the cocoa pods where the chocolate beans come from—all the way to the chocolate chip cookie!
Why I love this book:
First off, it is a wonderful introduction for kids who probably have never thought about the origin of their lunch food. We are currently so removed from the food chain, that it gives children a colorful introduction to just what it takes to get that food onto the shelf at a store.
Additionally, I love the illustrations by Lucia Gaggiotti. They are bright and fun, with a classic retro feel. The pictures alone will get kids to pick up this book. I know all of my kids grabbed it off the table when I brought it home, with no prodding at all.
Who this book is for:
All kids. A wonderful way to start talking with them about the origins of what is on their plate.
Final thoughts:
Now if someone could just tell me how to stop my kids from eating their desert first!
To see my reviews for older children on books that help them understand their food choices, visit my blog at www.onegreatbook.com
