The Lost Art of Feeding Kids: What Italy Taught Me about Why Children Need Real Food

I loved it as a memoir type story. The last part was kind of agonizing to read. Feb 01, Sam Dye added it. This is a delightful book with the fresh perspective that living in a foreign country gives to one's experience. She also documents the changes that have happened in Italy as a results of the increasing influence of big corporate processed foods producers.

Her experience of going to a delightful beach area not far from Rome and then later going back with her son and husband is poignant. Her first trip was a great italian restaurant with real food cooked with fresh ingredients and the next trip w This is a delightful book with the fresh perspective that living in a foreign country gives to one's experience. Her first trip was a great italian restaurant with real food cooked with fresh ingredients and the next trip was horrible processed Nestle food and sweets that spoiled the whole experience she was looking forward to sharing with her son.

She a Canadian brings a lot of insight into the effect of advertising on small children. Her 3 yo son was demanding to have things he had seen on TV and then after they moved and decided to just use videos for his entertainment and not install the TV feed he changed. He was more settled and she comments that later walking by a McDonalds elicited no response at all. It was just another restaurant. She clearly outlines the evils of the multinational corporations and even goes into the absurdity of "corporate personhood".

An example of anything goes if they are being loyal to their shareholders is the ConAgra Foods salmonella episode. They "had found salmonella in its processing plant in Georgia in , but they didn't make an announcement and did not recall the peanut butter.

The FDA made an inquiry, but didn't pursue the issue aggressively. Con Agra didn't alert its customers to the potential danger. Three years later, after hundreds of people had become sick from salmonella in the peanut butter, the FDA finally demanded that the company turn over its records. Sep 27, Heather rated it it was amazing. Full review is on my blog: She stresses the importance of societal norms in creating a food culture and its significance to overall health. Having not grown up in a strong food culture the likes of which is common in Italy, the entire Full review is on my blog: Having not grown up in a strong food culture the likes of which is common in Italy, the entire idea behind it was somewhat foreign to me but I love the idea and it is something that I desperately want to implement with my own family.

I want my kids to grow up helping in the kitchen because through this they will develop cooking skills from shopping and storage to preparing meals as well as social skills, budgetary management skills, and will hopefully! The book begins with a short history of her childhood which is to frame her experiences as an adult and make it easier for North Americans to relate to her and how she and husband James arrived in Rome.

The chunk of the book however follows her struggles as a mother to wade through all the BS and implement the healthiest choices for her son, from the introduction of first foods, to temper tantrums post-swimming lessons because little Nico wants a sugary treat from the vending machine … experiences any mother can relate to, regardless of where she lives Dec 17, Courtney rated it really liked it. Marshall does a thorough job of exploring the damage caused by processed food products displacing the things people have been eating for millennia, and provides several suggestions on how to reverse it.

I share her enthusiasm for educational projects designed to encourage greater "food literacy" in the general public, but she and I diverge, I think, when it comes to how big a role government intervention should play. While Marshall does not directly advocate specific government programs or strategies, she waxes positive about individuals and ideas that would draw heavily on government regulation to fix the broken food system.

I look at these schemes and see the good intentions of their proponents, but also the potential for unintended consequences. Indeed Marshall herself touches on several instances in which public policy helped create the current situation: Sep 28, Laura rated it it was ok. If you read 'French Children will Eat Anything' you've pretty much covered the ground laid out here.

She's in Italy instead of France, but they're very similar books.

See a Problem?

I found Marshall to be kind of preachy; also, she's Canadian and as an American it was a little tough for me to relate to some of her comparisons. It's not that I disagree with her generally, I don't , but I didn't think that she laid out solutions to all the problems she brings up. Feeding kids regular food, staying away from pro If you read 'French Children will Eat Anything' you've pretty much covered the ground laid out here. Feeding kids regular food, staying away from processed food. I liked 'French Children' better because the author was less preachy and I found the book easier to relate to.

Instead of showing us how babies and children absorb culture, Marshall hits us over the head by telling us. There isn't anything wrong with this book, but you only need to read one of the two and this is the weaker of the two. She also should have included some recipes. Dec 26, Shannon rated it it was ok. I was expecting a more first person account of her experiences with her family. There was some of that, but there was also some talk about global attitudes and did policy. None of it was very in depth, and very few of the things she brought up were fully fleshed out. My biggest problem with this book was the chapter where she talked about weight gain, and all it's ills, saying that weight gain causes illnesses in people, where actually weight gain is sometimes and symptom of whatever it is that i I was expecting a more first person account of her experiences with her family.

My biggest problem with this book was the chapter where she talked about weight gain, and all it's ills, saying that weight gain causes illnesses in people, where actually weight gain is sometimes and symptom of whatever it is that is making you sick, and also sometimes just how bodies are. Being fat isn't bad for you, it just is. Dec 31, Nada rated it really liked it Shelves: This book - part research and part memoir - is based on Jeannie Marshall's experiences of moving from North America to Italy and the food of both cultures.

The research presented reinforces the need to change our approach to food and the food industry. The personal anecdotes are interesting and add a lighter touch to the book. A really interesting book for anyone interested in food and the global industry that surrounds it. Read my complete review at: Jul 08, Stephanie rated it really liked it. I'd give this book 4. It starts out super strong, with descriptions of visiting local produce markets in Rome and cooking from scratch. It also discusses the benefits of eating traditional food from anywhere and therefore partaking of ancient cultural wisdom.

However, the middle gets pretty bogged down with food politics and policies.

• The Lost Art of Feeding Kids!
• Erotique et Rhétorique: Foucault et la lutte pour la reconnaissance (Ouverture Philosophique) (French Edition).
• La Razón del Mito (Spanish Edition).

And it's hard to believe that all that pasta and bread is good for anyone Feb 10, Linda rated it really liked it Shelves: Very thought provoking book about how we feed our kids and how our tastes are developed from pre-birth through childhood. I know now why my daughter loves asparagus and spinach - they were available almost free when I was expecting and nursing the child. Jeannie's stories are great and I almost can see myself at the markets in Italy. Would have given 5 stars if it had pictures and more hope for the future. Aug 07, Angela rated it it was amazing. An eye opening read.

Marshall advocates a return to wholesome, unprocessed food and home cooking to combat the health problems that plague our society and, increasingly, our world. I found her research into other cultures and their diets fascinating. She argues that the consequences of globalization are more than economic. The American fast food way of life is spreading across the globe and destroying our health and food culture.

Apr 07, Ang rated it it was ok. I'm not saying Marshall is wrong about anything she's saying. She's pretty much right on.

But oh my god the tone. May 07, Charlotte rated it it was amazing Shelves: I loved this book! I loved the story interwoven with the food and I think it's important for us to eat better! This book encourages me and in some ways showed me how to do it without being preachy. Dec 28, Veronica rated it did not like it.

I was very lucky to win a copy of this book from goodreads. I will post a review once I have received and read the book. I was not a fan of this book. It has a lot of 'no duh' moments. How to Feed Yourself. Good, Better, Best Wines, 2nd Edition. Mukoita II, Cutting Techniques.

Set for the Holidays with Anna Olson. Comfort in an Instant. The Seven Culinary Wonders of the World. Jerome Eckmeier and Daniela Lais. Anthony Rose and Chris Johns. Skinnytaste One and Done. Jones and Gina Homolka. Sous Vide Made Simple. The Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook. For the Love of Cheese. Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack. The New Rules of Coffee.

Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen. Sous Vide for Everybody. Adeena Sussman and Chrissy Teigen. Staub and Amanda Frederickson. Editors of Martha Stewart Living. Air Fry Every Day. Canning in the Modern Kitchen. Eat at Home Tonight. Looking for More Great Reads? Download our Spring Fiction Sampler Now.