In the opening of a new children’s book called “Just Try One Bite”, the rhyme is “Hi Mom. Hi Dad. It’s time we talked about oatmeal and carrots, pasta and cakes, mustard and custard and fried chicken steak; about pork butts and peanuts, and the choices we make. There’s a certain role reversal here, as kids beg their parents to try a healthy eating. Adam Mansbach and Camila Alves McConaughey co-wrote the book. Alves McConaughey joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes via Zoom to talk about this new story of precocious eaters.
Interview Highlights:
Why the authors wanted to get kids thinking about food choices:
“The relationship with food is so important,” said Alves McConaughey. “I’m not here to tell parents what to feed their children, how to feed their children. But you know, the inspiration behind [the book] was to remind in a fun and funny way that the conversation about food – where it comes from, how it works, what’s good, what’s not, why… It’s an extremely important conversation, and I’m a big believer that the sooner you start this conversation, the more likely you’ll teach your child good habits for life.
“I come from a farming family, and the relationship with food between the seat and the table was very clear to me growing up. But we never had the conversation about sugar. I had so much sugar what I wanted growing up. And what am I still struggling with today? After having three kids and an adult life, it’s sugar. I still have to struggle with that,” admitted Alves McConaughey “I feel like if we start this conversation early with the kids as a whole, and make it fun, fun, take the guilt out of it…that’s something that will pay off.”
Start the food relationship on the right foot:
“We are going to have this relationship for the rest of our lives. We have to eat every day, every day, don’t we? said Alves McConaughey. “The relationship with food should be fun, and it doesn’t have to be too complicated… You’re going to start having more fun with food, and then all of a sudden you become more curious. You start to ask yourself, ‘What’s the next level for me to improve on?’ To the right? ‘And what’s next?’”
The charming and very relevant illustrations of Mike Boldt:
“After Mike does the illustrations, Adam is like, ‘I can’t imagine the words on the page without the characters.’ He’s like, ‘You really see them. You really feel them. He’s done such a great job. You feel like you’re right there with the kids going, “Come on, in your face, mom and dad!” “It’s a multicultural family, you know; it’s my family, it’s Adam’s family,” said Alves McConaughey.
“I have three children. Adam has three children; Mike has three children and the editor has three children. I think we could all really see ourselves in this book in terms of trying to get our kids to “try just one bite”. And I think the majority of parents go through the same difficulties, whether they are easier or more difficult.
“Just Try One Bite” by Camila Alves McConaughey and Adam Mansbach is out now.