Fortunately
for busy parents, there is a wealth of family-focused cookbooks on the market
that make nutritious and kid-approved lunches, dinners and snacks a snap. But
if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sea of choices, breathe easy! After
consulting our arsenal of mommy-chef bloggers (and adding in a few of our own
personal favorites) we’ve compiled a list of our most beloved cookbooks for
families. Bon appétit!
Best For Bakers:
“Baking From My Home To Yours” By
Dorie Greenspan
“This book is a bible for home bakers,” says
Kelsey Banfield, the blogger behind The Naptime Chef. “Virtually everything in
here is manageable and delicious for the home cook. Owning this means you will
never be at a loss for what to bring to a buffet, bake sale or book club
meeting!”
“The photos
are gorgeous, and I could happily make desserts out of this book and no other for
the rest of my life,” agrees Jenna Helwig, culinary instructor, personal chef and
founder of Rosaberry.com.
Great For Young Kids:
“Apples for Jam” by Tessa Kiros
“This book is full of family-friendly
recipes,” says Banfield. “Chapters are arranged by food color and filled with
pictures of children’s artwork as well as mouthwatering dishes. This book pairs
family life with wonderful food and a healthy dose of whimsy.”
The Veggie Best:
“Rebar: Modern Food
Cookbook” by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz
“This
cookbook springs from a vegetarian
Columbia
the book’s hearty soups and inventive salads,” says Helwig. “I feel so healthy
when I eat these dishes, and yet they’re completely satisfying.”
The New Classic:
“How
to Cook Everything” by Mark Bittman
“I love, love this book, as well as ‘How to
Cook Everything Vegetarian,’” says Stacie Billis, of the One Hungry Mama
blog. “Both offer simple, quick and easy recipes with variations that are great
and, more importantly, demonstrate how%uFFFDto adapt a recipe. If you
cook from either of these long enough, you’ll figure out how to improvise your
own versions even if you’re not a great natural cook. Plus, the sheer variety
of recipes in each book is amazing.”
“This
cookbook is always the first place I check when I’m searching for a way to cook
a specific dish or ingredient,” says Helwig. ”While the recipes are generally
straight-forward, Bittman’s passion for home-cooked food is clear.”
For Fun In The Kitchen (A Tie)
“Kitchen Playdates” by Lauren Bank
Deen
“This book
gives parents great ideas on ways to get the kids active in the kitchen, and keep
the parents having fun too,” says Jessi Walter, the founder of the NYC kids’
cooking program Cupcake Kids! “Each recipe has a party or play date idea to go
along with it, so it’s sure to be an event that both kids and parents will
enjoy!”
“Kids’ Fun & Healthy Cookbook”
by Nicola Graimes
of great photos, food facts and tasty twists, step-by-step instructions on how
to make the recipes and a detailed ingredients and equipment list so you are
sure to have everything on hand before you start cooking,” Walter says. “This
book is a great intro for reading chefs as it gives a nice overview that they
can follow on their own with just a bit of help from mom or dad. Each page
makes me want to run into the kitchen and get cooking!”
The Timeless Favorites (A Tie): %uFFFD
“Barefoot Contessa Family Style” by
Ina Garten
“Ina Garten’s an oldie but goodie–everything
in here is written with family life in mind. Brimming with tips and ideas, Ina
knows what family’s eat and how to feed them,” says Banfield.
“Lidia’s Family Table” by Lidia Bastianich
“I keep this one close at hand at all times,”
says Billis. “The recipes in this cookbook are inspired by family dinners. Some
recipes are more complicated, but are still attainable challenges, perfect for
Sunday night dinners. Most are elegant, easy to follow and pay off big time.
Even the simplest dishes in this book will make you feel like a domestic god or
goddess.”
The All-In-One:
(Editor’s Pick)
“The Illustrated Quick Cookbook” by
Heather Whinney
This book
includes a photo of every dish she mentions, and groups recipes in helpful
categories like “easy entertaining,” “after work recipes,” and “cheap eats.” It
even has a menu planner section that expertly pairs dishes together. Finally,
the book also has sections divided by main ingredients (like fish, chicken,
eggs, and a host of vegetarian options) so you can easily peruse the recipes
that call for what you already have in the kitchen.
For Inspiring Bravery At The Dinner Table: (Editor’s Pick)
“The Gastrokid Cookbook: Feeding a Foodie Family in a Fast-Food World” by
Hugh Garvey and Matthew Yeomans
Created by two dedicated foodies and their wives, this book serves up
sophisticated but kid-friendly fare that the whole family will be excited to
try. The book is colorful and full of pictures, and offers parents advice on
raising unfussy and adventurous eaters.
For The Pregnant Foodie: (Editor’s Pick)
The Gourmet Pregnancy
This book
is filled with seemingly decadent but simple, healthy and nourishing recipes
tailored specifically to the needs of pregnant women. All recipes have been
approved by an obstetrician, so you never need to worry if one of the recipes
or ingredients is safe for you and your baby.
For more culinary inspiration from our bloggers, jump over to our family food blog, Yummy Delicious!%uFFFD
