The Dinner Diaries: Raising Whole Wheat Kids in a White Bread World

by Betsy Block

A harried mother of two, Betsy Block is in pursuit of the perfect family meal: local, toxin-free, humane, and healthful. But soon she finds herself in a mealtime maze beset by conflicting, often unrealistic advice, and further complicated by two picky kids and a finicky husband. Determined not to give up the good-food fight, she comes up with a creative ten-step makeover plan. She consults experts, visits farms, and overcomes the pitfalls, struggles, and triumphs of eating well when busy schedules, surreptitious lunch trades, snack machines, permissive grandparents, and willful temptations intervene.

As entertaining as it is informative, The Dinner Diaries is for any family who wants to change the way they ear—one forkful at a time.

Includes charts, food lists, recipes, tips, and suggested culinary and farm programs for kids.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Parenting, Cookbooks, Memoir

272 pages, Paperback

First published July 8, 2008

About the author

Betsy is an acclaimed author and longtime freelancer who has a lot of thoughts about what to eat - and why.

Her book, The Dinner Diaries: Raising Whole Wheat Kids in a White Bread World (Algonquin 2008), received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, was Family Circle's Book Pick of the Month, the Progressive Book Club's Staff Pick, and was featured in Everyday with Rachael Ray, Boston Globe and The Washington Post. Betsy has spoken about it regionally and nationally, in person and on the radio.

Her writing includes food features, profiles, health articles, restaurant reviews, travel pieces, essays, and lifestyle stories for NPR, Wondertime, Cookie, Entrepreneur, Natural Health, Epicurious.com, The Boston Globe, Boston magazine, and online city guides Sidewalk and CitySearch.

Betsy graduated with honors from Brown in 1988 and received her Master's from Tufts' Fletcher School in 2014. She lives near Boston with her husband and is always available to talk to her two now-adult kids, who call more often than she ever dared hope.

Reviews

[Angiefm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those books that, when I got it home, I wasn't sure why I'd bought it. So naturally, I didn't have great expectations when I started it. I was pleasantly surprised--I've been doing a lot of reading lately about food and feeding and the ethics and economics of food, and frankly it can all get very overwhelming. I liked Betsy Block's approach, though. She walks you through every step of her family's food makeover, from meat to whole grains to that Waterloo of most families with young children--snacks. She and her husband do a lot of reading and hands-on research about each topic and she shares their conclusions and solutions (and compromises) with the reader.

The options she chooses aren't too extreme, though it is true that these choices are going to be way out of the time and money budget of many families. Even if you can afford the CSA share, the staples from Whole Foods, and the farm-raised meats, it's an unusual family that has time to actually cook all these things every day. And she acknowledges that--her job as a food writer means that she has flexibility, and her background means she's a good and efficient cook. She gives more than lip service to the idea that things won't really change in this country on a wide scale until the food industry or the regulatory agencies step up and try to fix the broken system. In short, a good read.

[Janie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review A

Near the beginning of this book, Block contacts a nutritionist for professional guidance in evaluating what to change about the way her family eats. After 'five minutes of awkward conversation' the nutritionist says that she doesn't want to work with Block basically because organic food is elitist, and it doesn't make a nutritional difference – and focusing on it is not just a nutritional waste but an affront.
Block remarks to the reader that, upon reflection, this nutritionist was with an organization funded by the FDA, and she should have expected no better. (Though Block suggests this nutritionist might not be such a sycophantic crank if she weren't eating 'too much sewage sludge', a fair-enough reminder of some egregious conventional farming practices but rhetorically unnecessary ad hominem.)

I can't point too many fingers here: I too should do a little more research before delving in to work supported by foodstuff charlatans: It was only after I became disgusted by this book, throwing it down on the couch where it landed on its front cover, exposing the back cover reviews, that I noticed who endorsed it.
Who? Representatives from huge-scale foodstuff companies. Certified Organic foodstuffs, sure, but still, complete with megacorporate interests, lobbying power, and nutrition-policy arm-bending. (I don't need to snark about what kind of sludge Block might be getting too much of, because she tells you herself.)

Review II

If you eat 10 pounds of organic, fat-free candy, you will feel sick. If you read 10 chapters of this book, you will likewise feel sick.

Review 3

I told my spouse “I'm not even sure how to write a review of this book without sounding so berserk that no one will take my critique seriously.” He offered a few ideas, all of which were funny but none of which I can remember because my brain was still flooded with original rage.

And Now, Alas, Some Sludge

The most maddening part of the whole book (and it was hard for me to pick) are the little quick-reference insets. I'm not sure they were her idea ... they're linguistically distinct and awkwardly spliced in. This is a person who can't control anything about the food her family eats, least of all her associated rage; a person to lies to her sugar-addicted children about what she eats; a person dangerously armed with damaging misinformation; offering pat, cutesy-font advice and glib warnings. [It could be farce; maybe I've been taken in. >_>, <_<]

Otherwise, I have complaints about pretty much none of the writing and pretty much all of the content.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book at the dollar store for guess how much? A dollar! But I really liked it! I read it in like literally, a day. However! It was a day where I spent 5 hours laying out, working on my tan. So I had some free time for reading. It could be read much more slowly and thoughtfully and still be thoroughly enjoyable. It was fun to read, but also really educational. I feel healthier just having read it...

[Heidi Klinowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

With 3 very young grandchildren I find myself looking at foods the way I did with my own children back in the 1970s: What are these ingredients? How can I make it healthier for them? How can I get them to eat more veggies? etc.
Many of the suggestions in this book were things I'd already done but there's always room for new ideas.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was worth only three stars (more autobiography and fewer recipes than I'd hoped for--I should have paid more attention to the title). But I'm giving it an extra star because it inspired me to eat kale. Voluntarily. More than once.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book ... Informative, packed with ideas, yet reads like an entertaining memoir by a mom who spent a full school year trying to makeover her family's diet. Truly enjoyed it!

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a mom to picky children, so I really do understand where Betsy Block is coming from in her concern for how her children are eating (or not) and their health and development. I get it, I really do, but she really needs to lighten up. Her children sound so finicky that if I were in her shoes I'd just be glad that they're eating something. When my two older children were younger (8 to 14-ish; they're in their 20's now) I decided that if they didn't like what I made for dinner they could microwave themselves a baked potato or a scrambled egg. They each probably lived off eggs and potatoes for a good two years (and I wasn't cooking anything completely weird, and yes, I am a good cook, so the food was edible). My youngest child is 9, and we are back to the "What is that I don't like it even though I don't know what it is" stage. I didn't miss this. Last night my husband, the older son, and I had pasta with lemon sauce for dinner. Little boy had eggs. At least he's eating. Eventually he'll grow out of this; the older two did.

[Maryrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really related to this book. Many of us start the food wars with our children while they are still in utero. We try to get every gram of nutrients reccomended by What to Expect When You Are Expecting, even though we really want the most awesome preggo dinner ever, which is a bucket of ribs, topped of by using nutter butters as a spoon for chocolate frosting from the can.

Then the baby arrives and we feel guilty if we don't breastfeed, and defensive if we do, especially if your baby does not want to eat on the magical schedule of every 3 hours. I especially had this problem with my daughter who was (and still is a grazer).

We really dream about being able to be the smug mommy on the playground, who can give her child broccoli on the playground while the other children are having oreo's and just be able to smile that smug mommy smile and talk about how you are so lucky that little Jimmy prefers fresh veggies and organic, free range salmon to anything sweet.

We read articles in parenting magazines about the wonderful children who eat anything. Barbacoa! Kimchee! Passion Fruit Smoothies! Kale.

Then you actually have the small children. Small children who only want pasta and chicken nuggets. Children who point to a box of Trix and try to argue that its healthy because its Fruit Flavored and you find yourself telling your daughter no actual fruits were harmed in the making of Trix. You buy fresh produce with every intention to lovingly prepare it, but you either forget that its in there or you get so discouraged from the constant negotiations about the amount of produce that actually has to be eaten, that you sigh and reach for the box of Mac-n-cheese.

Betsey Block has also felt our pain. And she took the time to write a book about it. With good humor she takes us through a year of trying to get everyone to eat healthfully. From experiments with whole grain baking, to eating organic to really getting to know her meat, she takes you through the journey, never taking herself too seriously and giving you some good ideas about how to do a family food makeover yourself.

I would really love a follow up book to see if she and her family have kept up the healthy eating, or have moved back to their previous habits.The Dinner Diaries: Raising Whole Wheat Kids in a White Bread World

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betsy Block, mother of two, and wife of a picky eater, is just trying to do what most of us are trying to do – put a decent, healthy meal in front of her family three times a day. But in these days of genetically modified crops, fish full of toxins from polluted waters, and meat from CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations, like our local Perdue chicken houses), it’s a lot more complicated to figure our what is healthy than it used to be. Then, add in the ethical concerns: Was this food obtained from a sustainable source? What about Fair Trade, providing a living wage for the farmers that produce this food? Once these questions and problems have been probed and considered from every angle, the author sits down with her husband to a meal of tilapia, local and organic greens, whole wheat pasta, spelt, and local ale. The food is “low-fat, high-fiber, low-glycemic-load, local, fresh, environmentally sound, mostly ethical…” and AWFUL. The kids won’t eat it, and the adults understand why, for it is by turns bitter, bland, mushy, and dry. And we haven’t even talked about the cost yet! Maybe her philosophical friend Ruth has it right: “Don’t throw out the good in search of the perfect.” All of this knowledge is good, but we can’t let it paralyze us. I hope that the more I learn about all the aspects of food, the more I will be inspired to take small steps toward improving the nutritional and ethical quality of what I eat, and what I prepare for my family. Growing some herbs and vegetables, buying meat and milk from local sources, patronizing local orchards and farmer’s markets, all of these are small steps I can take now – even without giving up bananas or macadamia nuts!

[Angie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yes, I've rated this book zero stars. Not 1 star for "didn't like it." But zero stars for I HATED IT. I finished this book solely so I could write a review of it. I HATED this book. The author was snarky and irritating. And slow. Not in her writing, but in her learning. HELLO!? If you're going to be disgusted because your kids are eating the potato chips that you brought into the house, don't bring potato chips into the house! She advocates that parents hide treats just for themselves and lie to their kids about it. She is scattered and talks about the problems with getting your family to eat healthily, locally, environmentally friendly, fish friendly, organically, and dealing with them being picky eaters. The reviews that praise this book as being an answer for time-crunched moms who want to feed their kids better just leaving my jaw on the floor. The book was NOT very useful. It wasn't practical. It was whiney and I was constantly appalled by her stupidity. On top of all this, she's clueless that some people might be vegetarians because they believe in a philosophy about the treatment of animals. She's insulting to people who feel that this is a moral way to raise their children. Mostly, I feel guilty because I recommended that our public library buy this book.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is so well-intentioned, so personal, so full of useful information, but honestly it made me feel so bad about how I feed my family (and I feed them well) that I put it down for nearly a year before I could bring myself to finish it. And I'm afraid I won't put many of her suggestions into action because it's all rather overwhelming: the charts on good fish and bad; the boxes with websites for more info; the earnest tips and recipes. Here's an example: "Excellent breaking news: the intensity of the lunchtime fiasco seems to have subsided. Andy [her husband:] has been packing Maya [her kindergartner:] slightly less healthy lunches than I'd like, but still ones we can all tolerate. He gives her "natural" cheese crackers along with cucumber and carrots, or dried raspberries instead of fresh apple slices." This snack seems so much better than tolerable to me, I really had to put the book down there for a time. It's a shame, because the writing is engaging and I think there are valuable lessons here. But people still feeding their kids baloney and doritos would find it too extreme, and people like me (who think crackers, vegetables, and fruit make a fine snack) are going to be alienated.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've heard this described as a family friendly version of Animal, Vegetable Miracle. I think it is both more and less than what that description implies. The basic premise is that the author's family wanted to improve the way they eat, both for their health and the health of the planet. They won't be raising much (well, basically any) of the food themselves, so they begin sourcing for local, sustainable products. Along the way, they investigate toxins in foods and food containers, RDAs for children and vital nutrients, humane meat consumption, and much more.

This is a 'real world' locavore project. The family is dealing with raising two young children, working (both in and out of the home) and combating some pretty ingrained food preferences and sugar addictions (I've got one of those preschool sugar addicts at home!)I enjoyed all the stories and tips/tricks to encourage picky eaters, but I thought the prose was a bit stilted at times and the chronology seemed to move around. But, taking everything into consideration, including the website recommendations, I enjoyed this read!

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book after I left story time at the library with my 2-year-old. I thought the idea was interesting-- a mom tells her story of how she changed the eating habits of her family.

I got about 2 chapters into it and couldn't stand to read any more. The author really turned me off with her descriptions of her family and parenting style. (She is upset that the kids eat so poorly, but then gives in to their whining. She also decides to let the kids eat whatever they want and the 10 year old starts drinking lattes. It goes on and on...)

The first couple chapters made it obvious that the author was not any kind of authoritative voice on the subject, and her stories annoyed me instead of amusing me, so I decided I had better things to spend my time doing. If you want a good book on feeding your kids, I would recommend "How to Get Your Kid to Eat...But Not Too Much." Much better book!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised to find I loved this book. I was a little skeptical, mainly because it received mediocre reviews. But it completely defied my expectations.

The author, Betsy Block, documents her attempts to transform her family's diet to be more healthy, organic, and eco-friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her struggles in getting her family to come on board, and how she slowly but surely made her home a place with wholesome food.

One aspect of her book that I appreciated was all the research she had done. She goes into detail about why organic, local, animal-friendly foods are important. I also appreciated the recipes she included at the end that I'll be sure to try.

To sum it up - this was a great book for anyone thinking of changing the way their family eats. Block makes it seem so doable that I plan on slowly changing what I eat as well. Great, entertaining, informative read!

[Little · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's like Block wants to be the Michael Pollan of soccer moms, but she just comes across as snobby, narcissistic, and impossible. For example, she talks to a dietitian who says that championing organic food is the wrong path to improving nutrition in America (you know, because if a kid has eaten a total of 6 different kinds of vegetables in his life and an average of 5 vegetables a week if you include the 4 servings of french fries, pushing for those occasional few carrots to be organic isn't going to improve much for him). Block's response is, "I thought calling organic food elitist was elitist." She also gloats about how healthy her kids are being when they eat falafel for dinner one night. Say Betsy, falafel is deep fried. I don't know why you're so impressed with yourself about that one.
I read a handful of chapters and then just gave up. Clearly I live on a different planet from Ms. Block. She's got nothing to say to me.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boston resident Betsy Block, a mother of two, chronicles the ten-step overhaul of her family's eating habits. The issues she tackles are hardly ground-breaking (the typical: less sugar and meat, more omega-3 fatty acids and whole grains, switching to local and organic purchases whenever as possible) but her writing is so honest and easy-to-relate to that I was quickly drawn in. This book is as much about the trials and tribulations as it is about food. Block's children and husband are much more ambivalent about the changes in their diet and frequently frustrate her with their reluctance to try new foods. Through it all Block's candor and humanness prevail. A small selection of (mostly) kid-friendly recipes, sustainable food lists, and educational family outing or field trip ideas are included.

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mom tries to improve her family's diet, mostly focused on what's healthy for them, but also focused on what's healthy for the planet. She's a funny writer and shares some really funny stories about her family that made me laugh out loud.

Her kids and husband are really picky eaters. I don't have such picky eaters to deal with but I still found the steps she took really interesting. Parts (the chapter on which fish to eat in particular) were informative and gave me information I'll use in my own shopping.

For me there wasn't anything earth-shattering or that I didn't already know was an issue or something to think about. For someone just getting interested in food and where it comes from and what it does to us I think this would be a great book--it won't make you feel guilty either. A fun read even if you already have a good handle on our food production and health issues.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't finish this one. This author lives in a world of indecision. The basic idea is that she (and her fairly supportive husband) want to overhaul their family's diet to be healthier. They are all picky eaters and she decides to consult a nutritionist, a farmer, a ...I don't know. She does go to a place where they slaughter pigs to learn more about, what exactly, I do not know.
I do know that there were times when I really wanted to shake her and say, "consistency and decisiveness go a long way in good parenting"!! If you want your kid to stop whining over the vending machine then make rules about WHINING, not pop tarts. It felt like a never-ending ramble of which I did not want to relate.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ms. Block seems determined to make things as complicated as possible. Her final conclusions are: eat less meat, eat more vegetables, eat more whole grains,and be aware of what goes into your food. Ummm...duh! The whole book just seemed silly and a little too rambling for my taste. I am also endlessly amused by people who seem to have no grocery budget. Some of us can't afford organic produce and free-trade sugar! Another issue was her hiring a nutritionist. In the real world, if I want my family to eat better, I find healthy recipes and start serving them. I don't whine to a nutritioist about how hard it is to eat healthy and then do it. The tables in the back were slightly helpful, but again, could be summed up with eat more veggies and whole grains.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I don't have kids, but this book would be great for parents who want their families to eat healthy meals. Betsy Block was very funny, as were her husband and two kids. I really liked hearing about her family and their step by step process as they tried to become healthy. It also gave me some ideas of what I should and should not be eating (especially types of fish). Overall, the author made this topic interesting and fun to read about, unlike many books on this topic that can be pretty dull.

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was kind of a fun read. It's about a mom's journey to getting her family to eat better. While I am not willing to be as determined in certain things as her (like getting milk and eggs from somewhere closer to the source than Costco), it encouraged me to be a bit more proactive in introducing a few new things to my kids. I am also glad to see that my kids are far better eaters and much more adventurous than hers, so I feel like I'm a step ahead.

Just a fun read that gives you some good thoughts to ponder.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite what I expected. I really got the feeling that she wrote this book because it was 'The Cool Thing' to write about. She mentions a lot of other books, and 'field trips', but I don't get the impression that she really got anything out of them.

On the whole, it reads like a Chic-Lit novel - the plucky heroine trying to do 'x' (in this case change her family's diet) with all sorts of opposition, but triumphs in the end (of course) when said family comes to the realization that a healthier diet isn't a bad thing. There are so many other better books on the subject out there already.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read July 2008. (Bought at the Strand in New York City.)

July 2008 review: Interesting but ultimately depressing book about eating healthily (and getting your kids to do the same) in our "white bread world".

April 2011 review: Rating remains the same. The question of how to balance nutrition needs with environmental concerns, the local food movement, etc. is a complicated one - and I'm not sure this book has the answers people are looking for.

[Laurie]

I enjoyed The Dinner Diaries--Block is a witty writer who captures some of the humor and heartache of feeding her children--but I often wished I could tell her to relax and just let her kids eat some candy/crackers/cookies, etc.; it's really not that bad. At my house we strive for moderation, and my daughter eats plenty of things that, judging from this book, Block would condemn.

Matthew (my husband) recommended this book on his blog:
http://www.rootsandgrubs.com/2008/07/...

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an odd book. I found the author to be, well, a tad too self-righteous for my comfort. I can't imagine being this hard on the food choices my kids want to make. It was like a somewhat more challenged version of Kingsolver's recent book. I definitely preferred Kingsolver and would recommend that over this.

The idea here was that it would be Kingsolver for the folks with young children, but it doesn't work that way in practice, and while it was interesting, I can't really recommend it.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept is great. I'm very interested in the food-makeover journey that she takes on. I'm a huge advocate of understanding and being responsible for where your food is coming from, whether or not it's healthy for you and whether or not it's healthy for the environment. The downside of the book for me was the author's tone. She was incredibly negative. She seemed to approach the whole subject with a whoa-is-me attitude.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a breezy, easy read. I think it would be a good book for someone venturing into the food politics issues for the first time, but for someone who has already read a lot into the issues, this was mostly review. But the personal and sometimes hillarious stories of Betsy's attempts to get her family to eat better are great.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all of us who want to eat organically, locally, and sustainably. Betsy Block will make you feel good about any progress you make on your journey by revealing hers to us. She never makes you feel badly about the beef jerky or chips in the pantry but provides guidance and resources for making incremental yet significant changes in the way you bring food to your table.

[Sheli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay...I'll never actually do any of this stuff...I guess I just hope that, in some ways, it will help me get my kids to eat a little healthier. This was, by far, the best book I've read about healthy eating for kids...funny, informational...and, she knows it's hard work, she doesn't act like it is the easiest thing in the world to puree a bunch of shit and fool your kids into eating it.

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I stopped reading this book. Some of the positions were a little extreme for me (like dairy is bad!), and her kids seemed like spoiled brats. I wanted it to have more strategies or more basic nutrition information I guess.