French Kids Eat Everything: How Our Family Moved to France, Cured Picky Eating, Banned Snacking, and Discovered 10 Simple Rules for Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters – A Parenting Memoir

I just finished reading this book and I loved it. I bought this after finishing 'Bringing Up Bebe', and I wanted more tips on how to get my child to enjoy more foods. I also wanted to change my own food habits, so this was perfect for me. I hate how I eat and I hate how the way my family eats has affected their health negatively. I am still young and in good health and I want it to stay that way. I don't enjoy eating and food much, because I like to eat and just move on to the next thing as fast as possible. I now realize that by taking my time to eat and to cook healthy meals, I can de-stress and enjoy my life more. Slowing down to enjoy food and family is just what I needed. I am sure that a lot of people (especially Americans) will probably not give this book as good a review as it deserves, because there are a couple of parts in the book that pretty much say that everything about the way Americans eat (as well as some other Europeans and Canada) is so very wrong. I am inclined to agree 100%, because if nothing was wrong with how Americans eat then our childhood obesity rate wouldn't be what it is. But I can see how some people might be ready to get all upset about somebody telling them that their eating habits are wrong. So unless you want to and are willing to make a big change in your eating habits for the sake of your child, don't bother reading this book. It is the slap in the face that I needed and what I think America needs, but is too lazy and complacent to accept. So far my family and I have begun changing our lifestyles, little by little, to follow the 'rules' in the book. It has been amazing. We have had several meals 'the French way' and we have enjoyed them immensely. My daughter is very young (just started solids) so this is the perfect time for me to have read this book. She will never know how bad me and her dad used to eat, and how bad our habits were. I think its great that I will never have to go through a time with her where she will refuse to eat things. Her dad and I are not picky eaters at all and I can't stand to have meals with picky eaters, so we are willing to do whatever it takes to keep her from being like that. The changes we have made so far are small, but we are working slowly towards our goal of eating the way we should at every single meal. This is a great book if you are looking for a lifestyle change that will help you and your kids eat healthier and lead more enjoyable lives. If you are willing to put forth some minor effort to change and you really try at it, its not that hard. I lead an incredibly busy life and this has actually simplified it a lot! The recipes included are great and the anecdotes are funny. It is a fun book to read. I highlighted and underlined a lot of passages to read again. The rules are simple (not rigid) and easy to apply to everyday life, even if you don't live in France. Any family and any person can follow them super easily. ------ UPDATE ------ I just wanted to update my review now that its been several months since I closed the cover. My daughter is now a a busy toddler and is eating more 'big girl' foods. I wanted to revist this review just to say that this book has definitely made a lasting impression on me, my parenting, and my life. This has helped me so much. Currently my family is very busy and we barely have time to do anything, much less take the time to cook nice dinners, but somehow we have been able to carve out time here and there to use dinner as a time to connect, even if we aren't always able to do that with every single meal. We are still working on a lot of the main principles outlined in the book, since its hard to undo 20 something years of 'bad' eating in a few months or weeks. We are just doing what we can, when we can, and its working for us. I really appreciate the many anecdotes in the book and the funny stories now that my daughter is a toddler and has learned to say, 'no', and 'I don't want any'. Often when I offer her new foods she shakes her head and dumps it in the floor. And yes, sometimes it is frustrating but eventually she will try a bit after offering her the food several times in different ways. My daughter doesn't like certain textures so we have to work with her on that, and this book has given me the knowledge that she won't always hate sticky foods, its just a phase and eventually with work she'll get over it. I now know that sometimes you have to try something 100 different ways before you like it. My husband and I have applied this to our own eating habits. He hates squash so I have tried to get him to try it in various dishes in order to test the theories in this book and I do think they work. I have prepared squash for him in almost every possible way, and while he does not like every single dish he does enjoy some of them. Also we have cut out or cut down on a lot of bad eating habits like eating fast food and take away, foods with high fructose corn syrup instead of real sugar, and foods with other nasty chemicals. Now we try to eat as much organic food as possible and as clean as possible. We also prepare almost everything ourselves so we control how much sodium and sugar is in everything. I make almost all of my daughter's baby food, and we are lucky enough for her to attend a daycare that is very much like a creche in some ways. All the kids eat the same food (unless they are allergic) and the teachers encourage them to try new foods and to take time and enjoy eating. They also encourage table manners and healthy eating. They sing songs and read books about eating healthy foods every day, they have play kitchens where they pretend to make healthy foods. They also give the parents a menu of everything the kids eat so we can keep track of their nutrition too. My daughter has eaten a ton of things that most toddlers I know would NEVER eat. She does enjoy a bite of pizza or a muffin here and there. And in the future I have no intention of telling her that she can't have a burger or chicken fingers from McDonald's if she wants it. I just don't want her to think that high calorie food the only yummy food. She needs to know that an apple can be just as yummy as a slice of cheesecake and that a refreshing glass of cucumber water can be as delicious as an ice cold Coca-Cola. I was not raised to appreciate that in moderation EVERYTHING can be enjoyable equally. I was raised to think that indulgence was the best way to enjoy food. Now I realize that a small brownie tastes better than a big one because its a special treat instead of an everyday thing. Obesity can lead to so many health problems like some forms of cancer and heart disease. I don't want that for my daughter. I have seen what these things can do to individuals and families because many of my own family members suffer from these medical issues. It is hard enough when a person is afflicted with a medical problem that they have no control over whatsoever, but to have a medical problem that could have been avoided if you practiced healthy habits its so much worse because it leaves you with regret. Many people don't know that there are alternative ways of living and doing things because they simply do not make the effort to find out. This book and this lifestyle is one of those alternatives for those who are willing to do the work to change. I'm not judging people who have medical problems due to weight because I love dearly some people who do, and I myself am still struggling to get my pre-pregnancy figure back. I know that being a healthy weight isn't just about eating right and exercising, there is a deep psychological aspect that has to do with how we are raised and how we feel about ourselves. I know that and I want to be sure that I do everything within my power to make sure that my daughter is not affected by some of the negative things that impacted me and my eating habits, most of which were definitely psychological. I'm not saying this is the only way or the best way to eat or live your life, but it has worked for me and I think it could work for a lot of other people if they were willing to try it. ------ UPDATE ------ For those who are interested, I've started a blog about how I've been using these rules to help my family and myself eat better. Since I read this book I've lost 100% of my pregnancy weight, and I am now 10 pounds lighter than I was when I got pregnant, and still losing. My daughter is now 18 months old and eats very, very well. [...]<- in case this URL doesn't work, its duncanfamilyeats dot blogspot dot com.

I stumbled upon this book while searching for a different book on Amazon and was drawn in straight away by the title, and then again by the reviews - so it went straight in my cart and I eagerly awaited it's arrival. This book feels like the book I've been looking for, with information I've always wanted but didn't know it! I absolutely devoured every bit of it and could barely put it down. This book contained so many solutions and answers, things I had forgotten or done as a child and never realized the significance of, just so much - for me this book is a treasure. I feel like after reading it I have gone through a shift for sure. I've always been the kind of person that hates eating as it takes up precious time so my goal has always been just fill the gap and go, as fast as possible. This book stopped me in my tracks and revolutionized my thinking and first of all made me wonder 'Why do I have this attitude to food when I have to eat three times a day? Why shouldn't it be a relaxed, fun, social time that isn't stressful in the way that the French do it". As a quick summary the book is about a Canadian married to a Frenchman who decided to move back to his family in a small village in France for a year. It really contrasts the thinking of French vs Americans in relation to food and self discipline and really highlights the short fallings of the culture of 'snacking' that now pervades American culture and how damaging it really is. She noticed fairly quickly how well French children eat without fuss and that they eat all sorts of things in comparison to her children and most others in North America who survive on pasta, pizza, crackers etc. It was so interesting to hear her recount her experiences and what the French solutions were and see how they really worked and how it worked fairly quickly with her own children also. I am excited about this book and hope it gets into the hands of every parent out there who can have an open mind to look critically at how things are and how they could be with not that much more effort. The whole concept appeals to me so much and just feels like this is how it is supposed to be - we should all be sitting together eating and talking and sharing at the meal table each day - with no media - giving each other 100% attention, joking, laughing. The table adorned with a tablecloth and food presented nicely to add to the 'appetite' of the experience. I've started using a tablecloth and love it! Even my 2 year old gets excited when he sees me setting the table for meal times since I've been instituting a few of the changes as a result of reading the book. It's also resulted in me trying to be more mindful in general in my lifestyle and I must say it feels good just to stop and relax and be in the moment at the dinner table. Eating standing is forbidden and I have been guilty of that most of my life - so this is my new standard and again it feels good. For me this book is revolutionary and I really want to find out even more about this whole culture of eating and even more recipes. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it!

I never in my life thought I would raise kids who were picky eaters. I had a few foods I wouldn't eat when I was younger (Brussels sprouts and sauerkraut!), but for the most part I ate what was on my plate and never complained too much. As an adult, I love to eat, and cook, and read cookbooks and books about cooking. And one day I woke up and realized that my children refused to eat anything other than peanut butter, pizza, and pasta. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? So I found this book and immediately put it to the test. We had some bumps and bruises over the first few weeks of the new dinner routine, but overall it was a huge success. The most useful practice in this book, for us, is the notion of the four-course meal, and the positive encouragement of trying new foods. The many examples of how children are introduced to new foods in a French home showed me how I was erring with the latter: I either became upset, or utterly relented in order to avoid a power struggle. Now we relax at the table, and they simply have to sample a new food. Not sampling means not moving on the next course, which is a huge motivator when they see what everyone else is going to be eating next. The four-course meal is not much of a hassle, as I was fearing. I'm cooking the same amount of food, just turning one vegetable into a soup and prolonging the meal. Positive changes we experienced thanks to this book: + I discovered that my youngest loves salad; he will devour it and ask sweetly for more "leaves." + My oldest developed a love for manchego and gorgonzola cheeses, mushroom soup and--gasp!--Brussels sprouts, thanks to a new way of cooking them that at long last I myself was able to enjoy! + My oldest also learned to stop complaining at the table, and instead communicate negative feedback about food discreetly so that his brother will not be affected by his opinion. + Both kids are learning to eat to satisfaction, instead of to fullness. + The kids go to bed with more satiated tummies, don't wake up with hunger pangs in the middle of the night, and rarely wake up ravenous for breakfast in the morning. + Both have learned that snacking is not a balm for boredom. + My oldest is learning the important lesson of delaying pleasure, and that it's okay to be hungry. These lessons are priceless, and although they were already in my list of Things I Want to Teach My Children, I was at a loss as to how to accomplish it, until I read this book. It's not perfect, because it's a real-life story about a human being with opinions and fears and reactions and decades of her own conditioning behind her. But it is a wonderful and informative read, and it contains perspectives that can be employed to enrich one's own life, and the lives of one's children. As other reviewers have stated, I did find the author's outlook on French mores and food customs grating, but I also found it refreshing that she never once tried to hide her real opinions in an attempt to seem more worldly and sophisticated. I couldn't help but have a mental image of her digging her heels in at every turn like a mule, only to find, once she'd yielded to a new experience, that she'd discovered something truly wonderful, enjoyable, and at times also useful. This painful process is how new habits are formed, and the lessons that we learn despite all of our kicking and screaming are the very best ones in life.

My wife and I are big foodie type people. For the first year of our sons life, he ate whatever we put in front of him, which included things like: duck risotto, rattlesnake sausage, any veggie, etc. But after about 13 months, he became difficult. It was like a switch that turned off. About the time he was turning two, we decided that we had enough with his fussiness. He was at the point that he would only eat processed garbage, and only then if it was covered in pesto. Not only that, it got worse in that he would often just lick the pesto off of something and then throw the remaining actual food on the floor! We could not tolerate this behavior and as such, we turned to this book. I would generalize the central message of this book to the following: -there needs to be rules regarding meal times, but they are never enforced in anger -kids are allowed to be hungry...they'll quickly learn that starving themselves is not an option! -everyone eats the same thing -try to make meal time an enjoyable experience -rules are flexible to your family lifestyle So, we started giving these things a twirl in that we would only serve him what we were eating. Note that it took some consideration on our part as we couldn't just eat anything we wanted anymore. For example, we couldn't have crazy spicy food, or something he wasn't capable of consuming easily (i.e., soup because he wasn't particularly good with the spoon.) Anyway, the first week, he went to be hungry every night. That was hard. Also, we would always end dinner with fruit, which he loved, but we would never give him enough to fill up on. That was hard too, but starting the next week, he got the message, which is "you are no longer in control, and you will only get what we put on your plate." Also, he could no longer bank on snacking. So, during the second week, he would start tasting stuff. Admittedly, he didn't always eat it, but the point was that he tried it, whereas beforehand, that was impossible. Now, we've realized some extra things that help in our particular situation, and as such, we made some minor adjustments. And while he is not eating perfectly yet (we've only been doing this for almost 4 weeks,) he usually will at least try something before deciding he doesn't like it. And that's also huge! End result is that our lives are much less stressed. Dinner time was always a battle. That is mostly not the case anymore. First off, we don't need to think "what should we prepare him so that he'll eat?" We just give him what we're eating. That may seem like a small thing to some, but it's actually HUGE! One less thing to worry about!!!! Second, we don't fight with him...and as such, he's become easier going about meal time. Less stress for him, less stress for us. Third, he now sits at the table (we got rid of his high-chair) and he'll actually come to the table on his own when we announce that it's dinner time! Something that warms my heart. So, while we are still a work in progress (and I reserve the right to update this post later on) he has progressed magnificently. Our only regret is that we didn't read this book earlier. Best of luck!

This book is a must-have for an American parent. We started out feeding our child homecooked, good meals, eating as a family, and limiting treats and snacks. Somewhere by age 4, she was eating mostly crackers of various types, cheese sticks, and other junk. Worse of all, the family dinner table had become a battleground. She would refuse just about anything except what was familiar and usually processed. It didn't help matters when our own family members, meaning well I'm sure, began filling our pantry with "good" food for her...microwaved processed meals. So long as it said "organic" or was somehow marketed as healthy, it was okay. It really wasn't. Americans snack constantly. Most of their calories are from junk, "fake" food. Most restaurants are some variant of Fast Food (especially Chili's and Olive Garden types, that cook prepackaged meals passed off as real dishes), and they eat out a LOT! Kids are constantly walking around with some bag of something in their hands. Corporations have caught on and pacify parents with things like "Organic Fruit Rollups". And we have fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. Schools especially, even Pre-K, where the kids are fed Animal Crackers as a morning snack and corporate marketing tools are drilled into them. We tried several books that typically resulted in bribery, punishment, reward, or becoming a line-cook and making separate meals for the kids. It seemed ridiculous because we were eating so much better than our own child. Other parents were of little help, because they all had the same problem with no solutions. By instituting some of the rules outlined in this book, we've changed our household dramatically. We stopped the fighting. We cooked good meals and started eating together, more slowly, enjoying conversation. We eliminated snacks from our house. We encouraged her to try everything, but didn't force her to eat it (a "taste" was acceptable, it would reappear on her plate some other night). One snack a day, between lunch and dinner, and only fruit/yogurt/cheese/applesauce/etc. Desserts were for special meals and occasions (where it had previously been a reward for choking down a sliver of carrot). If she didn't eat, fine, the plate was taken away when the meal was over and she could wait until her next meal. No snacks! (Very quickly, she finally stormed into the kitchen, took back her plate and happily ate everything she had 20 minutes ago declared "yucky!") We started formal dinners once a week to have fun dressing up the table. She was encouraged to help with the cooking more. Eating is supposed to be FUN and enjoyable! Finally, we changed ourselves. We took the time in the morning to make meals and eat together, as well as the evening dinner. We stopped letting ourselves get frustrated, because we knew that we weren't starving her (plenty of yummy food was being served), and eventually she would eat when she got hungry and realized that no, a cookie or box of crackers would never be coming. I recommend this book to every parent.

1 of the top 10 books I've read as a parent. We are all searching for wisdom in the areas of sleeping and eating. After following this for the past 2 years I can say that this one covers about 90% of the struggles with eating. Now if I could only get my preschooler to stop spilling his milk ... In all seriousness I first read French Kids Eat Everything while my first son was still on a bottle. Now, 3 years later, his favorite food is Salmon and he eats pretty much everything. Does he like everything, no, but he tries it ... and if is he really hungry (since he is not snacking like most kids), he actually eats at least some of it. We don't make "kid food." We make real grown up food, and thanks to Karen's advice in this book, they eat it. We have a good friend, whose preschooler pretty much lived on gold fish crackers. I've been sharing the wisdom of this book with his parents for about 1 year and they finally took the plunge, and you know what, now he eats what is cooked for lunch and dinner. It's absolutely amazing. Karen does not address the pyschology behind these methods in her book, but I think the crux of it is that we don't have much influence over our kids thoughts and behaviors, but we do have a tremendous amount of influence over their circumstances. This book is all about modifying the circumstances so that your kids do what you want. No punishment, No rewards. No shame. Just setting them up for success and giving them positive affirmation when they do hard things.

I wanted to read this book after reading "Bringing up Bebe," (BUB) which I really enjoyed, because living in the U.S. all of my life and seeing the horrid diet and habits taught to the majority (but not all!) of U.S. children is appallingly unhealthy. When I become a parent, I want to help my child learn to enjoy healthy foods, to share meals as a family, and to not struggle with emotional eating or bad habits such as snacking on junk between meals. I was looking for guidance between the extremes, between being a total authoritarian on a child's diet ("no sugar ever!") and being one who gives in when a child says he/she will only eat chicken nuggets. I know this seems almost an impossible task in the U.S., where every time your child goes to school or a friend's house or any other event, there is going to be the most processed foods imaginable. I am also drawn to the French approach to food as a source of pleasure, not guilt caused by the perpetual dieting mentality in the U.S. Both of these books deliver insight on these matters and practical guidance I found very valuable. Although there is much in common between the two books regarding the observations the North American women make while living in France, there are a few differences. One, the author of BUB lives in Paris, whereas this author lives in the countryside--both with some different consequences. Two, BUB focuses on a myriad of interesting aspects of parenting, whereas this book pretty much only focuses on food. Each is interesting. However, my dislike (and lower rating) comes from my being turned off by the author's perspective and tone, which some may or may not like (the latter in my case). From my point of view, I would be extremely grateful if I had a job, and my husband had a job, that allowed us to go live in the countryside of France for "an experiment." Moreover, her husband's family lives in that area and was there to help her acclimate to the new culture by answering questions and showing her the ways, even help take care of the children. Not only that, but her husband discovers that he has long missed and begins to recultivate his appreciation for his homeland while her children begin to adapt, grow, make friends, and all-around come to love where they live. To my disappointment, despite all the healthy benefits (from food to friendship) that blossom in her family through this experience, the author decides to make everyone move back to North America, where only some of the good lessons learned in France stick and other bad habits creep back in, because she doesn't want to live there anymore. The scene where she and her husband are walking on the beach, and her husband is visibly upset about the idea of returning to Canada, is heartwrenching--for the husband. I'm not expecting her to be a martyr and sacrifice herself for the happiness of her husband and children, but I just can't help but think, "What I wouldn't give for that opportunity with my family!" True, there are good and bad aspects to both North American and French cultures, things that a person might miss from each depending on which country they were living. However, I think it is her negative perspective and tone, often perhaps aggressive or abrasive (in my mind), that is so off-putting and eliminates sympathy for her self-inflicting misery. I guess I felt she was not very open-minded to the experience, and that personal aspect of the book overshadows the enjoyable tips of French eating habits. From the very beginning, it seems the author is deliberately choosing to play the role of contrarian to anything valuable, such as sneakily shoving snacks into her kids' hands in the car after they cry from not being able to snack all day at school or because her mother-in-law scolded the children and told them to wait until dinner was served--which derails the whole point of trying to get her kids to have better habits. Even though I grew up in the U.S., my mom's side of the family has French roots, and some of the habits/approaches to parenting I read about in the books I realized my family followed to some degree. So, maybe it is not unreasonable to me to hear someone tell a child, "No, you cannot eat until dinnertime; you will spoil your appetite" because of that. (Then again, my significant other, who is not French in any way to my knowledge, also had a similar upbringing--both of us are from the U.S.) I thought that was common sense but apparently not. Even more, this author seems to complain a lot about her husband/marriage, and I was shocked by how out-of-control her children were and how she handled it. Kudos for being honest, I guess, but her portrayal of marriage and raising children made the whole idea seem very unappealing! That shouldn't have been one of the major ideas I took away from the book. Some people may like the author's personality; I just happen not to. I would recommend saving yourself the frustration of reading about what French culture has to offer to parenting from this person who ultimately seems ungrateful.

This book has proven life changing for me and my family. I'm sure it wouldn't necessarily have that impact for everyone, but having followed many of the principles outlined in this book, my 20 month old son eats more foods (and has consistently since 7 months old) than most adults I know. He will gladly eat every meal we are eating, including exotic vegetables, spicy foods, strong flavors, and varying textures. Everyone says I'm "so lucky" but I know that it is due to following the principles in this book. I've even taught myself to "like" foods I've never liked before in my life. The book reads like a story or novel, it's not preachy like a how-to. The author is humble about her own experiences, and it makes the information very easy to digest. I would STRONGLY recommend to anyone getting ready to start baby on solids, has picky toddlers, or is looking for a more broad perspective on food education for themselves. If it didn't look to presumptuous, I would gift this book to every new parent I know. I think food habits in our life are that important. Below is a list of foods my son regularly eats without protest or complaint: - eggs (prepared any way) - brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli, zucchini, cucumber, squash, pumpkin and more... - olive tapenade - all fruits I've ever offered including dragon fruit, avocado, figs, berries, and more... - all kinds of protein including goose, venison, beef, chicken, fish, shellfish, meatballs, meatloaf, beans and more... - hummus, feta & goat cheese, Tzatziki Sauce - rice, oatmeal, quinoa, flax, barley I can go on and on, but you get the idea. People watch him eat and are amazed. I attribute this all to this book. No joke. Meals are so enjoyable- never any angry protest or me having to be a short-order cook.

Das Buch hat mir dabei geholfen das ersehnte Ziel zu erreichen, dass mein Kind mit Freude vielfältiger isst. Innerhalb kürzester Zeit konnte ich eine enorme Veränderung umsetzen! Ich bin richtig dankbar für die Unterstützung!

Because I am French this is really interesting to discover the American's point of view and even more because I live in the USA and do French Cooking Class. Go! don't hesitate to read this book, you will pick up some good ideas.

Love the book. Helped me teach my fussy eater love food.

It is so good to learn with other cultures. So good to know things can be made different. I loved the way she wrote about her experience in France and how she really tried hard to make a difference in her family. It’s inspiring. Awesome that she shared some recipes too!

Easy read, I highly recommend it