| Reviewers Comments: | The Fruit and Veggie Quantity Recipe Cookbook is a well-organized cookbook that includes a variety of recipes. All recipes are portioned for 25, 50 and 100 servings, in addition to family-size portions for smaller groups. Recipes are categorized into soups, salads, breakfast items, side dishes, main dishes, and desserts. Most recipes use many USDA commodity products taken from Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs.
This cookbook includes 30 recipes, all focused around fruits and vegetables. The recipes use fresh, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables. Using canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, where applicable, can help reduce recipe cost especially when fresh fruits and vegetables are not in season. Recipes have been modified to meet the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters recipe criteria. Additional resources include links to more information about fruits and vegetables and Fruits & Veggies—More Matters.
All recipes include the nutrition information per serving. Recipes generally use low-cost, healthy, and readily available ingredients. The recipes are child-friendly and many have fun, engaging titles that kids will enjoy. The cookbook includes two taste-test surveys, one for elementary students and one for middle and high school students and adults. Each survey features a likert scale for students and adults to rate their thoughts on the look, taste, small and texture of the recipe that they are rating.
This cookbook can be helpful to SNAP-Ed providers, who may choose to use the larger recipe servings when making recipes in quantity for classes and special events. After the recipe is prepared for the group, the educator may then distribute the family-size versions of the recipes to SNAP participants so they can cook the recipes at home. Next to each recipe, there is a place where the educator can include his or her own notes about each recipe. The educator should understand basic cooking concepts and conversions before using this cookbook. |
