Jessica Seinfeld on making food 'deceptively delicious'

Jessica Seinfeld, 36, enjoys tricking her kids. The Baby Buggy founder and author of Deceptively Delicious is a pro at getting children Sascha, 6 1/2, Julian Kal, 4, and Shepherd Kellen, 2 next week, to eat healthily, despite their best intentions to avoid her efforts.

I was spending so much energy trying to get them to eat vegetables — bribing them, begging them, whining at them. I wanted to take the conflict out of mealtime.

Jessica accomplished her goal by dedicating Sunday afternoons to making purees out of the hated vegetables. Some of her biggest hits? Sweet potatoes hidden in pancakes and cauliflower in chicken salad and mashed potatoes. Despite her pre-meal prep, Jessica knows first-hand that dinnertime isn’t easy.

I have three kids crawling around my kitchen while I’m cooking dinner, and it drives me crazy. I’m afraid one is going to stick his hand in the oven while the other is trying to get ice out of the freezer and the third is about to fall out of a chair.

That’s why, Jessica says, she tried to keep her recipes in the new book down to 20 minutes, max. Jessica is also a big fan of family dinners — even when she can’t make it, it’s important to her and Jerry that at least the kids chow down together.

I’m home for dinner four out of seven nights. Sometimes meetings run late, or I have a fund-raiser. Sometimes I can’t be home. But my three kids always eat together, whether it’s with me and Jerry, my mother, or our babysitter.

However, what they eat when it’s a dinner-with-dad night doesn’t exactly meet Jessica’s standards. She laughs that with 53-year-old Jerry,

It’s cereal, cereal, cereal!

Source: Cookie, September issue, p. 108

Do you hide anything in your children’s food? Does it work?

Comments

She only eats dinner with her children 4 nights a week? That seems sad… And how is she cooking if she is only home half of the week?

Sarah’s note: She spends all her Sunday afternoons cooking for most of the week.

- Spiff on August 17th, 2007

This is brilliant! Even I need to eat more veggies so maybe I need to look into the book just for me. I wish they had this stuff out when I was a kid.

- Charity on August 17th, 2007

Ooohhh, I want this book!! Getting the 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day has always been a struggle for me, let alone my 2 year old! I definitely could use some creative ideas on how to sneak in all that good stuff into everyday food.

- Candace on August 17th, 2007

I think it’s wonderful that they have a family dinner table. Even if one parent works late it’s a great idea. I was surprised at the number of my friends and their families that eat in front of the TV. What a great way to sneak veggies in as well!

- Loralee on August 17th, 2007

check out the Amazon link. The two people who positively reviewed the book are not parents. What does Anderson Cooper know about getting children to eat veggies??? LOL

- me on August 17th, 2007

I try to hide veggies in my kids food. Sometimes it works sometimes not… Pumpkin is also good in pancakes and waffles. Pasta sauce is another good place to hide veggies. These kinds of cook books really are helpful and it’s nice to see more of them on the market. I don’t eat enough veggies myself so I think this is good for the whole family.

- Kris on August 17th, 2007

I definitely sneak veggies in – chop up the veggies real small and put them in Mac & Cheese, hamburgers, casseroles. I make it so that it is really hard to pick them out – it is easier just to eat the dish, veggies and all.

- Amy Jo on August 17th, 2007

How funny that Jerry feeds the kids his beloved cereal! Sounds like my dad:)

- Xan on August 17th, 2007

The only thing I have been successful with is hiding things in pancakes. I’ll put ground flax seed or wheat bran; things like that. It basically tastes like nothing and doesn’t do TOO much to the texture. DH doesn’t even notice but if he knows, he won’t eat them.
One time I did hide tuna in my son’s spaghetti sauce. He likes to mix cheese and sauce and dip pretzles in it. Tried the tuna and it worked exactly once, but only because I told him after. You can NEVER tell them!!!! You just have to keep trying and experimenting, using a little at a time so you don’t waste good food.

- Karen on August 17th, 2007

Spiff, why is that so sad? How about the mothers out there that have to work 2 jobs or more just to feed their children it’s a sacrifice you have to make as a working mother. Sure it’s her choice that she goes to work seeing as she really doesn’t have to but I think it’s not that bad of a sacrifice to make when you are ruinning a foundation who helps other families who can’t quite afford it. I think she does a wonderful thing. It’s a trade off and I don’t see a huge problem with it. She seems like a great mother none the less to want to take the time to figure out how to keep her children healthy when most parents give up or just don’t care what their kids eat as long as their fed. At least it isn’t once a week.

- Hope on August 17th, 2007

Kate Gosselin the mother of sextuplets and twins does the same thing and her kids have no clue they are getting veggies cause they cant taste them. I like this idea for any one and everyone! I’m also in love with the fact that Jessica said, the kids eat with the babysitter and not ‘nanny’.

- corky on August 17th, 2007

Spiff my mom was home probably once a week or less for family dinners, and my dad about the same. I don’t feel I missed out on anything.

- Natasha on August 17th, 2007

I tried that once as I was babysitting for a family, where the mother instructed me to feed her kids the broccoli and salmon fillets that she had bought. I cooked it, but they refused to eat it. So I put the kids infront of the TV, went to the kitchen and made “pirate burgers” out of the broccoli (veggie patties) and “cannon balls” out of the fish. They loved it but I felt horribly bad about what I was doing. I felt that I was betraying them. So… tricking children into eating something they don’t want to eat is just not for me.

- Anna on August 17th, 2007

I guess I’m lucky – my son eats better than I do! He’d rather have asparagus than ice cream any day of the week! It drives his grandfather crazy since he is always trying to “spoil” him and sneak him snacks — my son always says “no thank you” and runs off in search of the nearest veggie! Maybe i should buy the book and try the tricks when my father comes for dinner!

- brannon on August 17th, 2007

Anna-

That was a great idea! Why do you feel bad about it? Sometimes kids are just resistant to trying new things or eating things that are good for them–not because they don’t like the taste, but just on principle. There’s nothing wrong with a little trickery as long as it’s for their own health.

I’ve had to hide cold medicine in cookies before (you soak a vanilla wafer in the medicine and when they eat the cookie, it just tastes like a fruity cookie) – I knew my baby would not take the medicine on his own, but it would make him sleep a lot better. I wish you would come over and trick my toddler into eating some veggies.

Jessica’s book sounds like a good idea.

- PSB on August 17th, 2007

I don’t get it. What’s the point of hiding veggies in your kids food? Of course, you get them to eat some veggies now, but you’re not teaching them to eat healthy. My mom never made a big deal of making us eat our veggies, she would just feed them to us as she would any other tasty food, so we always ate and still eat our veggies without complaint. I do the same with my kids, the will eat virtually any kind of veggie and like it, and I fll most of it is because I don’t make a big deal about getting them to eat, they see me eating it too. Hopefully they’ll grow up and still eat healthy, like I did.

- katiep on August 17th, 2007

Whoa, Jerry is 53 years old? Holy toledo!

- Dawna on August 17th, 2007

Is it a coffee table book?

Ill bet its all about nothing!

Yadda yadda yadda!

Sarah’s note: Seinfeld fan!

- preesi on August 17th, 2007

I think it is sad because it is her CHOICE to be out late working and going to fundraisers. She doesn’t NEED to be out, she chooses to. In my mind, that is different than a parent that has to work to put food on the table.

I also think there are a lot of moms that work and make a very concerted effort to be home for their family. It is all about the choices you make, and I personally feel that if you have made the choice to have a family, you should be around to raise your children.

Finally, I think that having a “babysitter” that is probably around all day long and is feeding your children dinner at least multiple times a week is no different than a “nanny.” To me, a babysitter is someone who comes over for a couple hours maybe once a week while your husband and you go out to dinner. Just because she calls her helper a “babysitter” doesn’t make her different than a “nanny.”

- Spiff on August 17th, 2007

I think we’re lucky as we’ve never had to hide fruits or veggies in other food from my kids. My 6 year old son will try anything (from sushi to Thai to Greek, he loves them all) and his favorite sandwich is a tomato/avocado/cheese. My youger son is 4 and although his taste are as eclectic, he will eat any steamed veggie I put in front of him (with the exception of brussels spouts). The 5 servings aren’t so hard as they have fruit w/breakfast, veggies w/lunch & dinner and fruit after dinner and fruit or veggies snack. I’ve always just served them steamed veggies w/their meals so it’s just what they are used to. My 6 year old even requests cherry tomatoes in his school lunch…

- SY on August 17th, 2007

OMG Why didnt my post get posted!? It was all Seinfeld quotes!

- preesi on August 17th, 2007

Hiding healthy foods in kids’ meals has been working for me with fantastic success since I started using a book called The Sneaky Chef about 5 months ago. Sure, I also offer my kids veggies straight up, but why not add even more real nutrition to the foods they eat anyway?

It’s great to see another book on the subject coming out. If we can make the same things kids like to eat more nutritious, why not? Our entire country would benefit from this simple idea.

Of course, since Deceptively Delicious isn’t available yet, I can’t comment on the recipes it has. But I can totally vouch for the ones in The Sneaky Chef book. Wow. Our kids’ diets have been transformed! The veggie puree idea Jessica uses is exactly the same, so I imagine her recipes will be good also. More power to this great idea!

- MarciaBG on August 18th, 2007

Spiff: There is nothing wrong with a mother working even if she doesn’t have to. Some people feel a need to be fulfilled in other areas of their life as well, and that makes them better parents.

It’s really sad that no matter how much progress women make we’re still stuck with having to deal with the attitude that it’s only okay for a woman to work if she has to, but she’s not aloud to want to work. This is not 1950. Mothers have a right to have a piece of their lives that is just there’s. A woman doesn’t have to be chained to her child 24/7 in order to be a good mother.

- Kate on August 18th, 2007

I totally agree with Kate! Well said!

- gargoylegurl on August 19th, 2007

I’m definitely looking forward to Jessica’s book. I am a recent auntie and taking the position in full force! Coming home from an entire day’s work and then starting my second job (part-time) nanny is quite the task. My biggest challenge is finding recipes that are quick, easy, and healthy! My favorite’s are The Sneaky Chef and Everyday Italian, I am looking forward to adding Jessica’s book to my collection!

- Taylor Callahan on August 20th, 2007

I think Jessica’s book is a great idea and that people in the celebrity circles are interested in good health and most important, how to feel good about our childrens nutrition. I purchased a copy of a simular book already out there titled “The Sneaky Chef” by Missy Lapine, http://www.thesneakychef.com; As a parent, I would do anything to make only one menu at family mealtime, mom’s you know what I mean. The receipes I have used from The Sneaky Chef have helped. Good luck with the new book Jessica!

Linda

- Linda on August 20th, 2007

I already have a book that has recipes with purees. “The Sneaky Chef” –written by a real mom I might add. You can buy it on amazon… a much less expensive buy than Jessica’s book.

- eos on August 23rd, 2007

@ eos

‘a real mom’. Does Jessica not qualify as a real mom?

- Bella on August 23rd, 2007

Why are we fighting against each other?
Some Moms work outside the house, some don’t…but we’re all working. Working really hard to do the right thing for our families no matter what our circumstances.
So if it’s one night or five nights around the dinner table…pizza or veggies, just make it count and stop beating each other up in the Mommy wars!

- Kate on September 29th, 2007

When I was growing up we ate what was put on
the table and that was that. There was no
need for my mother to go to all this extra
effort hiding nutritional stuff in our food.

Kids should learn what vegetables look like
in their natural state and they will learn
to make healthy choices.

- Karen Cochrane on October 16th, 2007

It’s great to read all these varied comments on this book.

I personally dislike this book and take issue with it on a bunch of levels. I ranted like a crazy woman about this on my blog and so it is refreshing to hear what other folks think, whether we agree or not.

Thanks for joining in the debate!

- The Yummy Mummy on October 19th, 2007