It’s Not About the Broccoli: Three Habits to Teach Your Kids for a Lifetime of Healthy Eating

Sociologist Rose takes an innovative approach to children’s eating; her premise is that the more parents focus on nutrition, the less healthfully kids eat. The mother of a 12-year-old daughter, Rose points out that most American children eat poorly in spite—or perhaps because of—what she calls the “nutrition mindset” of many parents. “Agony” over nutrition, she asserts, can lead to overeating, picky or junky eating, and stress. Rose presents a thoughtfully crafted plan (the Teaching Approach) to form basic habits that focus on proportion, variety, and moderation. She helps parents identify their own eating hang ups when it comes to feeding their children (i.e. nurturer, food police, nutritionista) and then provides methods of helping children establish habits they can carry into adulthood. “The Big Fix,” for instance, calls for “Eating Zones” (times when eating takes place), “The Rotation Rule” (no food served two days in a row with the exception of milk), and giving children choices. Rose walks readers through her Teaching Approach step-by-step, using scenarios that illustrate issues and hands-on solutions. Creative and clever, Rose comes to the table with a fresh perspective and a practical plan for teaching kids lifelong healthy eating habits. Agent: Betsy Amster, Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises. (Jan.)