The adventurous eaters club Mastering the art of family mealtime

Supernatural actor Collins and his wife, Vicki, debut with a mixed if well-intentioned cookbook that introduces 100 recipes in the hopes of "welcoming children into the kitchen and inviting them to become adventurous cooks and life-long food lovers." Steering clear of junk food, the authors share techniques for integrating plenty of fresh produce into recipes while still making them appealing to children, such as green confetti frittata (the confetti is torn rainbow chard), pink gnocchi (beets dye the pasta pink), and mouse nibbles (a trail mix of mango slices, cashews, and popcorn). The Collinses advocate allowing children to help prepare meals, and many recipes include steps meant for little hands, such as shelling fresh peas for a pasta dish, shucking corn for a summer salad, and mixing dry ingredients for zippy ginger cookies. Unfortunately, some of the well-meaning ideas in this book come across as ill-advised (making homemade butter by "jumping, hopping, and shaking" cream in a glass jar) or unfeasible (they encourage children to eat messy spaghetti sandwiches, and are sure to turn off readers with a note that "the goal, of course, is to be completely covered in food"). Parents looking to cultivate healthy eating habits for their families will find some good tips here, but not all of the advice is worth taking. (Nov.)