365 Foods Kids Love to Eat: Fun, Nutritious and Kid-Tested! - Softcover

Sheila Ellison has a B.A. degree in psychology from the University of Southern California, and is the creator and author of the very popular and successful "365" series of parenting books, including 365 Days of Creative Play and 365 Afterschool Activities. These books have grown out of Sheila's lifelong involvement with children, her many volunteer efforts on their behalf and her founding of community youth groups and mentoring programs. The mother of four children, she has recently completed national media tours presenting her ideas on successful parenting along with new products that make life with children easier. She is currently writing her next work.

Dr. Judith Gray is internationally known as an author, teacher, leader in dance research, and speaker on future trends in education. A former Executive Director of the Girl's Club of Tucson, Dr. Gray has been an educator at both the high school and university levels. A mother of four, she is currently helping to develop state-of-the-art high schools in Washington and is on the Antioch University teaching faculty. Dr. Gray is also the coauthor of 365 Days of Creative Play and 365 Afterschool Activities and has also published three books on dance.

Orange and Sweet Potato (4 months)
Ingredients:
1 sweet potato; 1 teaspoon butter; 1/2 orange

Directions
Peel, chop and boil sweet potato in a little water, drain and then mash with a little butter. Squeeze orange into sweet potato and stir. If baby is 9 months or older, add peeled, finely chopped orange segments.

Note: Try wrapping pieces of fruit in clear, sterilized muslin secured with a rubber band, for baby to chew on.

Yogurt Shake
Ingredients:
1 cup nonfat fruit flavored yogurt (or plain yogurt with 3 tablespoons unsweetened jam added); 1 cup favorite fruit juice; 1 cup ice cubes

Directions:
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Eat with a spoon, a low-fat slushy delight! Yield: 2 servings.

Puff Pastry Cheese Twists
Ingredients:
8 ounces (225 g) packaged puff pastry; 1 egg; 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll out pastry 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface to a neat square. Using a sharp knife, cut into strips 5 inches by 1/2 inch. Brush the strips with beaten egg and sprinkle with cheese, covering pastry evenly. Twist each pastry strip to form a spiral. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden. Good for lunch box snack! Yield: 12 - 15 servings.

Note: Good eating habits can be easily learned when meals are planned to give a balanced diet and children are allowed to eat what they wish from what is placed before them. This is good advice from therapists Genevieve Painter and Raymond Corsine in The Practical Parent. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1984), p.59.

Ice Cream Cone Cakes
Ingredients:
Flat bottomed ice cream cones; Cake mix; Frosting mix; Cake decorations; Muffin pan

Directions:
Prepare cake mix according to directions. Spoon the batter into the cones until they are 2/3 full. Place the cones on the muffin pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 12 to 15 minutes. When cool, frost and decorate. Yield: 12 - 15 cupcakes.

Activity: Tell your child something about the day they were born.