The Piccolo Chef Cookbook

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Cooking with your kids is a lot of fun, and it’s the best way to teach them some great healthy eating habits! The Piccolo Chef Cookbook by Tina Fanelli Moraccini and Lilian Palmieri is a healthy way to start getting the kids not only interested in helping you out in the kitchen but getting them to eat it too.

We’re all busy sure but meal time should be family time also. Why not get them in the kitchen and pitch in on making the meals as well?  The idea being Piccolo Chef is encouraging the kids to be a part of that meal. It boosts confidence and even creativity. My own kids have so much fun helping me make a meal and they are more willing to eat it rather than when I simply just set food down before them. You engage them in the entire process they are much more likely to get something more out of it, and that’s worth all the time in the world. It’s quality time spent as a family and they will have so much fun you’ll want to do it everyday!

The cookbook is full of inviting pictures, wonderfully illustrated throughout . Each recipe is easy to read and clearly written directions. There’s tips throughout each as well, nutritional and even kitchen tips to help you and the kids create some wonderful meals. With Chapters on Breakfast through dinner and even snacks you have everything covered. There aren’t any hard recipes in here either, so they are truly kid friendly, and appeal to both adults as well as kids. I really enjoyed the breakfast section, with school in full gear we need healthy yet friendly morning meals and this book had wonderful ideas. The California Frittata was my favorite while the kids begged for the Buckwheat Pancakes.

 I enjoyed the kitchen tips given, ideas about ways to spruce up meals, brighten up dishes by simply adding different colors of vegetables not to mention the idea of making a shopping trip into an adventure. This is something I have used with my four kids since they were little. Just by involving them into a task has them more willing to try a new item. We make it a rule of thumb to try one new food each week, and they are the ones that get to pick it out. Encourage those kids to get into the process from beginning to end you will soon see some picky eaters become much more willing to try new things!

If you are looking for a refreshing new take on cooking with the kids, I highly recommend The Piccolo Chef Cookbook, full of beautiful pictures and fully loaded with tips to get the entire family involved with your daily meals. The recipes throughout are healthy, fun and a nice change to your normal menu.

•  The Piccolo Chef Cookbook : 208 pages
• Tina Fanelli Moraccini and Lilian Palmieri
• Publisher: iUniverse;
• ISBN-10: 1475978081
• ISBN-13: 978-1475978087

This review was shared by Have Sippy’s contributing  blogger, Melanie. You can enjoy more recipes by checking out her blog- My Side Of Life, Connect by Facebook and/or Twitter too!