Picky eaters are a problem. Getting our kids to eat healthy foods is a problem. Heck, getting ourselves to eat healthy foods is hard! But authors Marie Akisawa and Motoko Kimura think they have the answer. Just eat the Japanese way.
In their book, Eating the Shokuiku Way, they talk about the importance of raising kids with healthy food habits (more energy, less obesity) and how to incorporate the principles of Shokuiku into your family, whether you are raising babies or teenagers.
So what is "shokuiku"? In Japanese, it translates to "food education". It's a way of life that fosters a healthy relationship with food.
I've heard some of the advice in this book before - engage your kids in meal planning and execution, talk to kids about where the ingredients come from or the family history of the recipe you're making, it takes multiple times to introduce a food to a child before they actually like it. Other tips were new, such as triangle eating, but honestly, that sounds like giving mom more dishes to clean after dinner.
There are a few recipes in the book that the authors claim are kid-friendly, but if you have food allergies or need to eat a specific type of diet, the recipes may not be easy to replicate with alternative ingredients.
While it was interesting to read about Japanese culture, there were a few things that I didn't like about this book. I was concerned about the practice in Japanese schools to keep a reluctant eater in front of his or her food until he or she eats something. I don't think that's a way to foster a healthy relationship with food, and most child development experts will tell you NOT to do that.
I also wasn't fond of the authors writing in the third person. All the passages about Motoko and her son read a little too Gallant and Goofus - remember them from Highlights? "Because Motoko has raised her son the Shokuiku way, he is an adventurous and excellent eater" (p. 41), while his American friend is super picky, and the picky eater's mom is a pushover. Well, how special for Motoko and her son.
There are also illustrations sprinkled throughout the book, and I would have preferred to see actual photography of food or Japanese customs as opposed to a black-and-white drawing of an empty Bento box. And some of the drawings (always labeled "Figure #" like some science textbook) were just unnecessary. I don't need to see what "bribing a kid with sweets" looks like. I get it.
If you're interested in trying a new method of helping you and your child make healthier food choices, then you might find this book helpful. But you might find yourself rolling your eyes several times.
Eating the Shokuiku Way is published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. It's available to purchase now. I received a free review copy.
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