Ok. I admit it.
I love Sesame Street.
Since about the age of 3 I think. I always connected with Cookie Monster and his madness, with Grover and his exhausting demonstrations and of course with the friendship of Bert and Ernie.
Every so often I search out what new events present themselves on that magical street, and today I found something interesting. Sesame Street just came out with a new cookbook called Let’s Cook. The New York Times interviewed Grover about it. It’s worth the watch. Check it out HERE.
We still need to check out the recipes – some sound like they might not quite fit our recommendations – but the overall message seems good. Find ways to encourage kids to engage in healthy eating. Although the fruit smoothie Grover suggests uses fruits with a higher sugar content, he also makes a plug for adding some Kale to the mix.
Grover a big Kale fan – who knew!
Another aspect that came from the interview with the author of the cookbook, Susan McQuillan, connected to recent research that showed that when kids participate in cooking their own foods, then they were more likely to eat those foods when they saw them in a cafeteria. So many of the recipes in the book contain places for your kids to help out in cooking. That seems like a great idea. In this way kids become engaged in learning about healthy foods and better choices, rather than just being told what they should eat.
We will check out the recipes and suggest substitutions where needed. Regardless, we appreciate that Sesame Street is making an effort. Sure maybe some of the recipes are not perfect, but they present a place away from processed fast foods. Best to start somewhere.
Plus if Cookie Monster is willing to trade out a cookie for a veggie – then there is truly hope for all.
Have you tried this cookbook with your kids? If so tell us about it! Share in the comments below.
As always – To Your Health
