The Very Hungry Caterpillar

In The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, a caterpillar goes through the metamorphosis process and emerges as a beautiful butterfly. Your child will love Carle's amazing artwork and counting all the foods that the caterpillar eats. After reading this book make a Cherry Hungry Caterpillar as featured on Family Fun Magazine's website.

How I Become A Pirate

In How I Become A Pirate by Melinda Long & David Shannon, Jeremy Jacobs, a little boy building a sandcastle at the beach, gets recruited aboard the pirate, Braid Beard's ship. Jeremy soon discovers that the pirate life is not all it's cracked up to be. Have fun pretending to be pirates with your child, go on a treasure hunt and then make an edible Pirate sandwich! Arggh!

Pirate Sandwich

(from ZiggityZoom.com)

2 slices white bread (or wheat)Red pepper

Olive slices
Cucumber
Radish slice
Chives
Orange nose (carrot, orange pepper or cheese)
Sandwich filling of choice (turkey, cheese, ham etc.)

Cut slices of bread into circles with a sharp knife. Fill sandwich with a combination of your favorite ingredients, such as ham and cheese, turkey and cheese, turkey and avocado slices.

Now, cut a large red pepper slice to make the bandana of the pirate. Cut two little pieces to make the "ties". Add eyes, nose, mouth and ears, as shown. Use olive slices without pimentos for earrings.

If You Give A Moose A Muffin

If You Give A Moose A Muffin by Laura Joffe Numeroff, explains why it is a bad idea to give a moose a muffin. See if you give a moose a muffin he is just going to want more and more from you and cause you a lot of havoc and stress! Seriously though, this book is very funny and will be one you will want to keep in your personal library. After reading this book you will be famished and will want to eat some muffins. Be sure to make these Banana Chocolate Chip Moose Muffins...delish! Just be sure not to share with any moose on the loose!

Banana Chocolate Chip Moose Muffins

1 Egg

1/4 cup Vegetable oil

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1/2 cup Nonfat plain yogurt

4 each Medium ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup mini c

hocolate chips

2 cup All purpose flour

1/4 cup Wheat, germ

1/2 cup Sugar

2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using 2 muffin tins, line a total of 16 cups with paper liners and spray each liner with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine egg, oil, vanilla, yogurt, and mashed banana. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being sure to get up any flour from bottom of bowl. Try hard not to overmix, which can make tougher muffins.

5. Place about 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden. A cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

6. Let muffins cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a rack.

7. Serve warm or at room temperature. Muffins may be placed in freezer bags and frozen for up to four weeks.

What Kids Can Do:

* Prepare the muffin tins.

* Mash the bananas with a fork.

* Break the egg into a small bowl.

* Mix the wet ingredients.

* Whisk the dry ingredients.

* Older children can add the batter to the muffin tins.

Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, January - February 2008

The Ants Go Marching

The Ants Go Marching by Mary Gruetzke is a cute rendition of the classic song "The Ants Go Marching." Your child will count along with these silly ants who only want to get out of the rain. After reading this book help your child make some crunchy Ants on a Log. Enjoy!

Ants on a Log
celery sticks
peanut butter
raisins
knife for spreading

Cut the celery into logs. Spread the peanutbutter on the logs and add the ants...I mean raisins!

Snow Day

Snow Day by Lynn Plourde follows one family's idyllic snow day routine from morning to bedtime in poetic verse. The family enjoys yummy, warming winter fare; have fun playing out in the snow; and enjoy playing together beside the fire. You and your child will want to join in the fun! After reading this book make some homemade Hot Cocoa (see recipe below) and for a snack do some Cupboard Carousing (eat whatever you have in your cupboards)! To go further with the story you could enjoy some Oatmeal in a Brown Sugar 'n' Cream Bath and

Plumpy Pumpkin Muffins for breakfast. Then for lunch or dinner make a Kit and Caboodle Stew (use whatever you have on hand) and biscuits. "Snow Day, yummy snow day."

Hot Cocoa

(from Hershey's 1934 Cookbook (C) 1992)

3 tblsp sugar
2 tblsp Hershey's Cocoa (or any baking cocoa)
Dash salt
1/4 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups milk
Marshmallows or marshmallow creme

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and salt; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Beat with rotary beater or wire whisk until foamy. Serve hot, topped with marshmallows.

Optional: before whisking add in a little bit of cinnamon.

McDuff's Wild Romp

In McDuff's Wild Romp by Rosemary Wells, it is Sunday dinner time and McDuff, the dog, and Purlina, the cat, both want the precious fallen Turkey Tidbit. Who will come out victorious and what will happen in the process? Your child will laugh at McDuff and Purlina's antics! After reading this book enjoy some Turkey Tidbits:

Turkey Tidbits

(aka Turkey Meatballs)

1 pkg ground turkey

2 oz breadcrumbs (plain or Italian flavored)

2 oz Parmesan Cheese

1 egg (beaten)

Chopped onion to taste (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on the sheet.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly with your hands.

Use a tablespoon or a cookie scoop (or your hands) to make small meatballs. This mix holds together well and is easy to work with.

Place the meatballs on the wire rack. Bake for 10 minutes, flip and bake for 10 minutes more.

Optional: I like to place the meatballs under the broiler for a few minutes more so that the tops brown and a bit more fat drips below.

Serve as spaghetti and meatballs or make kabobs and enjoy!

Saturday Night At The Dinosaur Stomp

What do dinosaurs do on a Saturday night? Get together with their friends and dance that's what! Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Carol Diggory Shields is a really fun and rhythmic read. Your child will probably want to get up and dance along with the dinosaurs! After reading this book and dancing enjoy some Swampwater Punch. Yummy!

Swampwater Punch

Mix orange juice, gingerale (optional) and blue food coloring. Pour into clear glasses

and add a gummy warm and Swedish Fish to each glass. Enjoy!

Gregory, the Terrible Eater

Do you have a picky eater? Then you need to read, Gregory, The Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat! Gregory is a goat who thinks he's an average goat, but his Mom and Dad are concerned. See Gregory likes to eat people food like fruits and vegetables, eggs, fish and bread. His parent's just want him to eat cardboard, pants and tin cans, but Gregory doesn't want to touch any of his parent's fare. Can they come to a compromise? Read this book to find out! Then serve up Gregory's Healthy Breakfast and Gregory's Shoelace Spaghetti. Enjoy!

Gregory's Healthy Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs
Orange Juice

2 Pieces of Waxed Paper
Serve scrambled eggs and orange juice. On the two pieces of waxed paper write a note from Gregory to your child!

Gregory's Shoelace Spaghetti

Cooked Spaghetti & Sauce

Food Markers (two different colors)

Use food markers and color a few pieces of spaghetti in a repeating pattern to make it look like colored shoelaces. Lay the pieces across the top of your child's bowl of spaghetti.

Storybook Foods

Welcome to Storybook Foods! In each post you will find a children's book recommendation and a fun food idea to go along with the story. I hope that you and your children have fun reading and eating together! I also hope that my ideas will inspire you to go further with each story that you read!