Book Review: French Kids Eat Everything

I haven't posted a book review in quite a while, but I just had to share my latest read French Kids Eat Everything written by Karen Le Bilion.

Picture from karenlebillon.com.

In this book Karen shares the story of her family moving from Vancouver, BC (Canada) to France and the food journey they embark on. It's a real and funny story that had my husband and I in stitches as I read it aloud on our recent trip South. 

When Karen arrives with her family in France she is surprised by how the French approach food. French families don't snack, their children eat (or at least taste) everything and they can sit for long periods of time at the table without complaint. In contrast, her little girls are use to constant snacking, they turn their nose at offending foods (which includes most things) and the are impatient at the table.

As Karen takes us on her journey to discovering the French way of eating she offers "rules" and research to support them. Her tone is open and humorous. Ultimately she discovers how the French approach to eating allows children (and adults!) to enjoy a wide variety of food and become healthy eaters. 

This book helped me pin point the reasons for a some of our food "issues". For example, Monkey will eat constantly if I would let him. He loves food and will eat everything! Many moms have told me how fortunate I am to have a child that eats anything, but there are other issues we have to deal with. Monkey constantly complains of feeling hungry. I don't think he has learned to cope with the feeling of hunger, or perhaps he eats because he's bored. We've been trying a "no snacking, four meals a day" approach. Already, I am noticing a difference. When he comes to me whining about his hunger I let him know that it's alight to feel hungry and that the next meal will be in X amount of time. I'm noticing that he is whining decreasing and he seems eager to wait and eat well at each meal.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. In many ways the French way of eating makes much more sense that our North American way which has a host of problems. Borrow it, buy it and definitely read it! Let me know what you think.