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

A lively story of raising a child to enjoy real food in a processed world, and the importance of maintaining healthy food cultures In Italy, children traditionally sat at the table with the adults eating everything from anchovies to artichokes. Their appreciation of seasonal, regional foods influenced their food choices and this passing down of traditions turned Italy into a world culinary capital. But now, parents worldwide are facing the same problems as American families with the aggressive marketing of processed foods and the prevalence of junk food wherever children gather. While struggling to raise her child, Nico, on a natural, healthy, traditional Italian diet, Jeannie Marshall, a Canadian who lives in Rome, sets out to discover how such a time-tested food culture could change in such a short time. At once an exploration of the U.S. food industry’s global reach and a story of finding the best way to feed her child, The Lost Art of Feeding Kids will appeal to parents, food policy experts, and fans of great food writing alike. A lively story of raising a child to enjoy real food in a processed world, and the importance of maintaining healthy food cultures Why is it so easy to find sugary cereals and dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets in a grocery store, but so hard to shop for nutritious, simple food for our children? If youve ever wondered this, youre not alone. But it might surprise you to learn that this isnt just an American problem. Packaged snacks and junk foods are displacing natural, home-cooked meals throughout the worldeven in Italy, a place we tend to associate with a healthy Mediterranean diet. Italian children traditionally sat at the table with the adults and ate everything from anchovies to artichokes. Parents passed a love of seasonal, regional foods down to their children, and this generational appreciation of good food turned Italy into the world culinary capital weve come to know today. When Jeannie Marshall moved from Canada to Rome, she found the healthy food culture she expected. However, she was also amazed to find processed foods aggressively advertised and junk food on every corner. While determined to raise her son on a traditional Italian diet, Marshall sets out to discover how even a food tradition as entrenched as Italys can be greatly eroded or even lost in a single generation. She takes readers on a journey through the processed-food and marketing industries that are re-manufacturing our childrens diets, while also celebrating the pleasures of real food as she walks us through Roman street markets, gathering local ingredients from farmers and butchers. At once an exploration of the US food industrys global reach and a story of finding the best way to feed her child, The Lost Art of Feeding Kids examines not only the role that big food companies play in forming childrens tastes, and the impact that has on their health, but also how parents and communities can push back to create a culture that puts our kids health and happiness ahead of the interests of the food industry. A Lively Story About Food, Family And Identity That Will Make Even The Most Inexperienced Among Us Want To Start Chopping And Cooking. When Journalist Jeannie Marshall Moved To Rome With Her Husband, She Immersed Herself In Italy's Famous Culinary Traditions. But When The Couple's Son Was Born A Few Years Later, Marshall Began To See How Italy's Great Food Culture Was Eroding, Especially Within Young Families. Like Their American Counterparts, Italian Children Were Eating Sugary Cereal In The Morning And Packaged, Processed, Salt- And Fat-laden Snacks Throughout The Day. Busy Italian Parents Were Rejecting Local Markets For Supermarkets, And Introducing Their Toddlers To Fast Food Restaurants. So Marshall Set On A Quest To Discover Why Kid Food Is Proliferating Around The World. Why Do Americans Feed Their Children With Branded Food Products? Is It Really Possible That An Old, Healthy And Delicious Food Culture Like Italy's Can Be Changed In Just One Generation? The Story Offers Insight Into Our Battle With The Food Companies, With Our Own Desires And With Our Culture. Through Discussions With Food Crusaders Such As Alice Waters, With Chefs, Nutritionists, Parents And Italian Food Vendors As Well As With The Big Food Companies Such As Pepsico And Nestle, Marshall Gets Behind The Problems With Our Children's Diets And Offers A Fresh, New Perspective That Will Change The Way We View Cooking And Eating-- Introduction -- The Packaged-food Revolution -- Scientific Mothers -- When Children Learn To Taste -- The Art, Science, And Tradition Of Eating -- Selling Food To Children -- The Tragic Results -- Normal Food -- An Industrial View -- Natural Food Cultures -- How The World Eats -- The Global Market -- Changing Eating Habits In Europe -- The Pleasure Of Food. Jeannie Marshall. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 215-228). "A lively story about food, family and identity that will make even the most inexperienced among us want to start chopping and cooking. When journalist Jeannie Marshall moved to Rome with her husband, she immersed herself in Italy's famous culinary traditions. But when the couple's son was born a few years later, Marshall began to see how Italy's great food culture was eroding, especially within young families. Like their American counterparts, Italian children were eating sugary cereal in the morning and packaged, processed, salt- and fat-laden snacks throughout the day. Busy Italian parents were rejecting local markets for supermarkets, and introducing their toddlers to fast food restaurants. So Marshall set on a quest to discover why "kid food" is proliferating around the world. Why do Americans feed their children with branded food products? Is it really possible that an old, healthy and delicious food culture like Italy's can be changed in just one generation? The story offers insight into our battle with the food companies, with our own desires and with our culture. Through discussions with food crusaders such as Alice Waters, with chefs, nutritionists, parents and Italian food vendors as well as with the big food companies such as PepsiCo and Nestle, Marshall gets behind the problems with our children's diets and offers a fresh, new perspective that will change the way we view cooking and eating"-- Provided by publisher