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Science Experiments You Can Eat #1
Science Experiments You Can Eat
Incredible Edible
Experiments
Ever wonder
what makes popcorn pop? why cakes rise? how jelly gels?Your kitchen will be transformed into a laboratory worthy of a mad scientist as you make startling discoveries about how cabbage can detect acid, how bacteria makes yogurt, and how decomposed sugar turns to caramel. Then after a long day at the lab you can relax and eat your results: soup, biscuits, pretzels, cupcakes, or cookies.
Vicki Cobb's seminal book has been revised and updated to encompass advances in modern technology but still provides what all kids want: a legitimate excuse to play with their food!
Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
221 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Cobb
113 books107 followers Vicki Cobb, the “Master Chef of Hands-on Science,” a graduate of Barnard College and Columbia’s Teachers College, is a former science teacher with a M.A. in secondary school science. The publication of her classic book, Science Experiments You Can Eat, (an updated, revised edition was released in 2016 by HarperCollins) established her as an innovator in hands-on science. Take a look on her website www.vickicobb.com to get a sense of her playful and accessible approach to science in her 90+ books for grades K-8 that cover physics, chemistry and biology, biographies, geography, and the human body.
She is also pioneering a video project based on her book We Dare You! Check out the hilarious videos at www.wedareyouvideos.com
She has performed “Science Surprises,” her interactive and engrossing show for kids, in 49 of the fifty states (missing only North Dakota) as well as internationally. A veteran motivator/professional development presenter of day-long in-services/keynote speaker, Vicki uses her expertise, humor, wit and background as an educator to inspire teachers to make science teaching the highpoint of their day. Currently she is president and founder of iNK Think Tank, Inc., a nonprofit company that focuses on the contribution that nonfiction literature and its authors can make to education. She contributes to: The Nonfiction Minute, www.nonfictionminute.org/ (which has had 5+ million page views over the past five years) and has been a Contributor to the Huffington Post and has recently launched www.vickicobbsblog.com in connection with the Nonfiction Minute, where she writes commentary on education and reviews nonfiction books as inspiring reading for children hungry to learn about the real world. .
Vicki Cobb received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2012.
She is also pioneering a video project based on her book We Dare You! Check out the hilarious videos at www.wedareyouvideos.com
She has performed “Science Surprises,” her interactive and engrossing show for kids, in 49 of the fifty states (missing only North Dakota) as well as internationally. A veteran motivator/professional development presenter of day-long in-services/keynote speaker, Vicki uses her expertise, humor, wit and background as an educator to inspire teachers to make science teaching the highpoint of their day. Currently she is president and founder of iNK Think Tank, Inc., a nonprofit company that focuses on the contribution that nonfiction literature and its authors can make to education. She contributes to: The Nonfiction Minute, www.nonfictionminute.org/ (which has had 5+ million page views over the past five years) and has been a Contributor to the Huffington Post and has recently launched www.vickicobbsblog.com in connection with the Nonfiction Minute, where she writes commentary on education and reviews nonfiction books as inspiring reading for children hungry to learn about the real world. .
Vicki Cobb received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 24, 2016
Originally reviewed for YA Books Central: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsnon...
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I was issued only a one-chapter sample of the book (15 pages) rather than the book in its 256 page entirety. As such, my impressions are woefully limited in some respects—for which I apologize.
I absolutely loved the idea of this book. As huge fans of Alton Brown’s famously cerebral cooking show, Good Eats, my kids have long enjoyed the marriage of recipes and ingenious explanations for the scientific concepts behind them. My hope was that Science Experiments You Can Eat would provide them with a similar merger of visual, whimsical, and interactive.
The book’s recommended age range is 8-12 year olds, but due to minimal illustrations and lots of dense text making use of more advanced vocabulary, I would recommend it as better suited for ages 10 and up. The meringue experiment (exploring the properties of egg whites) felt like an interesting and age-appropriate choice—given appropriate adult supervision. The explanations for why protein molecules behave the way they do under various conditions was clear and concise, albeit a bit dry in presentation.
I regret that, due to the sample size, I can’t comment on the efficiency of the overarching buildup in lessons and concepts. I also wish I could offer a rundown of my favorite section and experiment. (The chapter I was given was actually chapter 5 out of 11, and so I’m not certain how much more I might have appreciated the progression if I’d been able to read what led up to it.)
According to the table of contents, the chapters are labeled as follows:
Food For Thought; Solutions; Suspensions, Colloids, And Emulsions; Carbohydrates And Fats; Proteins; Kitchen Chemistry; Plants We Eat; Microwave Cooking; Microbes; Enzymes And Hormones; and Science Experiments We Do Eat. Additional tools listed include: Measuring Calories, How To Read A Nutrition Facts Label, Cooking Terms And Instructions, Equivalent Measures, and Scientific Glossary.
Science Experiments You Can Eat is inspired in concept and strong on the technical front. I would have liked to see more illustrative engagement in what small portion of it I was shown, but I do suspect the complete product would be a useful learning tool for kids in more of a Middle Grade range.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I was issued only a one-chapter sample of the book (15 pages) rather than the book in its 256 page entirety. As such, my impressions are woefully limited in some respects—for which I apologize.
I absolutely loved the idea of this book. As huge fans of Alton Brown’s famously cerebral cooking show, Good Eats, my kids have long enjoyed the marriage of recipes and ingenious explanations for the scientific concepts behind them. My hope was that Science Experiments You Can Eat would provide them with a similar merger of visual, whimsical, and interactive.
The book’s recommended age range is 8-12 year olds, but due to minimal illustrations and lots of dense text making use of more advanced vocabulary, I would recommend it as better suited for ages 10 and up. The meringue experiment (exploring the properties of egg whites) felt like an interesting and age-appropriate choice—given appropriate adult supervision. The explanations for why protein molecules behave the way they do under various conditions was clear and concise, albeit a bit dry in presentation.
I regret that, due to the sample size, I can’t comment on the efficiency of the overarching buildup in lessons and concepts. I also wish I could offer a rundown of my favorite section and experiment. (The chapter I was given was actually chapter 5 out of 11, and so I’m not certain how much more I might have appreciated the progression if I’d been able to read what led up to it.)
According to the table of contents, the chapters are labeled as follows:
Food For Thought; Solutions; Suspensions, Colloids, And Emulsions; Carbohydrates And Fats; Proteins; Kitchen Chemistry; Plants We Eat; Microwave Cooking; Microbes; Enzymes And Hormones; and Science Experiments We Do Eat. Additional tools listed include: Measuring Calories, How To Read A Nutrition Facts Label, Cooking Terms And Instructions, Equivalent Measures, and Scientific Glossary.
Science Experiments You Can Eat is inspired in concept and strong on the technical front. I would have liked to see more illustrative engagement in what small portion of it I was shown, but I do suspect the complete product would be a useful learning tool for kids in more of a Middle Grade range.
October 13, 2017
I remember having this book as a child, and bought the updated version for my GED classroom - and it doesn't disappoint. It's fun just reading - and even more fun when you attempt the experiments. (I only wish I had a kitchen in my classroom, because many of these involve an actual stove.) This ties creating food (that actually is tasty) while walking through the chemistry, physics, biology of its forms and transformations. If you like Alton Brown, you'll love this.
June 24, 2017
These updated version has modern drawings and easy to read layout. I used this book to add practical info and teach science in my lessons at my job as a youth librarian. One of my favorite parts was at the end when it describes how to read a nutritional label.
December 10, 2021
Why is not all science taught like this? Why is this not an elementary chemistry semester? It even has home ec lessons included!
January 29, 2021
The book I found was published in 1972.
This remarkable little gem would have been wonderful for me to have found with my first science fair. It is very interesting learning the scientific principles of very common foods, such as gelatin, jelly, muffins, mayonnaise- to name a few. How much fun it is to cook one's understanding of chemistry. I would say most of this is easily done - with supervision- for elementary students to try.
I am so very happy there is a second volume.
As is so very often the case, this is perfectly accessible for adults to learn about their foods.
This remarkable little gem would have been wonderful for me to have found with my first science fair. It is very interesting learning the scientific principles of very common foods, such as gelatin, jelly, muffins, mayonnaise- to name a few. How much fun it is to cook one's understanding of chemistry. I would say most of this is easily done - with supervision- for elementary students to try.
I am so very happy there is a second volume.
As is so very often the case, this is perfectly accessible for adults to learn about their foods.
June 26, 2025
Fabulous fascinating book for children learning about science through cooking. I first found this book years ago when doing home education with my son and he loved trying the experiments, this later version is updated to include the use of a microwave for some experiments too. Highly recommended to anyone with children, but is also interesting and fun for adults.
December 3, 2021
A great book for kids, especially with Moms who love to cook and can help them. Some of the experiments are super simple, so even littlest kids can enjoy them (dissolving Kool-aid in water). Some are quite a bit harder and learn some of the higher grade science principles.
December 31, 2017
Fun experiments for the whole family!!!
May 19, 2023
Conceptually fun but it's visually very dense with minimal images or illustrations and occasionally complex ideas that aren't quite fleshed out enough for the target audience.
500-599-natural-science
November 19, 2019502.8
July 25, 2016
SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS YOU CAN EAT, written by Vicki Cobb and illustrated by Tad Carpenter, is an enticing classic that blends scientific information, DIY engagement, and fun. Carpenter’s delightful illustrations and design complement Cobb’s clever text and interesting experiments.
What I like most about this book is that it teaches children to think while enjoying themselves. Cobb stimulates children’s hunger not just for food, but also learning. She encourages kids to ask questions—and to honor their questions. The reader-friendly book engages on many levels. It offers a wonderful range of edible subjects to explore in one’s kitchen laboratory. The book’s great organization—with Materials and Equipment listed before the Procedures and followed by Observations—makes it easy to implement the experiments. Space for interactive notes encourages and validates the reader’s visceral sense of personal adventure.
Just as I have saved my favorite children’s cookbooks for eons because they hold many moments of joy, discovery, and accomplishment, SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS YOU CAN EAT is a fun and informative classic! It’s no wonder that earlier editions, published in 1972 and 1994, have been revised and updated to include new procedures, new experiments, and new information on nutrition.
I also like the intelligent way Carpenter’s attractive designs convey an awareness of diversity. Additionally, elements like the Glossary and How To Read a Nutrition Facts Label add to the book’s educational value.
Highly recommended.
What I like most about this book is that it teaches children to think while enjoying themselves. Cobb stimulates children’s hunger not just for food, but also learning. She encourages kids to ask questions—and to honor their questions. The reader-friendly book engages on many levels. It offers a wonderful range of edible subjects to explore in one’s kitchen laboratory. The book’s great organization—with Materials and Equipment listed before the Procedures and followed by Observations—makes it easy to implement the experiments. Space for interactive notes encourages and validates the reader’s visceral sense of personal adventure.
Just as I have saved my favorite children’s cookbooks for eons because they hold many moments of joy, discovery, and accomplishment, SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS YOU CAN EAT is a fun and informative classic! It’s no wonder that earlier editions, published in 1972 and 1994, have been revised and updated to include new procedures, new experiments, and new information on nutrition.
I also like the intelligent way Carpenter’s attractive designs convey an awareness of diversity. Additionally, elements like the Glossary and How To Read a Nutrition Facts Label add to the book’s educational value.
Highly recommended.
May 18, 2009
A fun book full of science experiments that use food to prove their points and you can eat what you make. The instructions are simple and warn you not to eat certain things like iodine tested food.
January 12, 2008
This book is really fun, it has all these different recipes for science experiments. If you have a science thing for school, you should use this(you can eat it afterward...)
March 29, 2008
Just got this for Glen - was recommended in the Unschooling Handbook. Looks like a lot of fun - will review later.
December 17, 2012
This is not your ordinary science book, or an ordinary cook book, it is a science cook book. this book has many diffrerent experiments that you can do.
Want to read
June 17, 2014Looks like fun, but will wait until kiddo can participate more in the measuring and such like. Maybe next summer.
Read
April 26, 2016Science can be more hands on I'm my classroom because we will be able to learn and eat science first hand.
January 15, 2008
Science with recipes. Answers questions like "Why does bread rise?"
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews