Customer Reviews

The 15-Minute Meal Planner/a Realistic Approach to a Healthy Lifestyle

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book is written from a Christian stewardship/health perspective, with lots of good nutritional information and practical ideas for adapting your current diet to make it more healthy. I've learned a lot from this book including: using sugar substitutes such as honey and granulated fructose, the healthiest oils to use in cooking and baking, using ground turkey instead of ground beef, and many more tips. Our family's eating habits are gradually becoming more healthful thanks to this book. It's more health information guide than cookbook, but does contain a few recipes that show how to put the information to work in your everyday cooking. My only complaints are that the title does not reflect the contents of the book, and there are too few recipes included. But the detailed health information makes this book worthwhile reading.

The Fifteen-Minute Meal Planner is exactly the book you're looking for if you are concerned with your family's nutrition but don't want to cut out all the things they really like to eat. I always had a feeling that as long as a food was natural and whole it must be good for you. For example: I always use butter because I know other things like margerine are full of harmful things. I also feed my family eggs because they are natural, readily available and untampered with. Well, Emilie and Sue agree with this approach and they give good, scientific (but not boring) reasons for thinking this way.

The different approaches to nutrition are all addressed: vegetarian, vegan, and lacto-ovo vegetarian. None are criticised and all are considered acceptable. Recipes are also provided for all different viewpoints.

Other topics covered are: fiber, fat, sugar, whole grains, a spiritual view of nutrition and how to gradually integrate your new foods and even where to find them.

While I generally think that Emilie Barnes is "too perfect," this book is loaded with common sense nutritional advice on most of the current topics of nutritional debate. The discussion is centered on a biblical reference point, but I found that to be helpful, particularly in the discussion of milk and sweetners. Other than my disagreement with the authors' recommendation to restrict salt intake (the book was published in 1994 and recent studies indicate that salt restriction may not be recommended for most people), I heartly agree with most of their dietary recommendations. I also liked that the authors encourage their readers to make whatever changes that you are willing or able to make. Every little bit helps.

I have read many of Emilie Barnes' other books on organization and have found them practical and down to earth. So when I saw she had a book out about meal planning, I purchased it eagerly. What a disappointment! As another reviewer noted, it is mostly "preaching" about Ms. Barnes' and Ms. Gregg's interpretation of scripture regarding food and nutrition. They admit in the book they are not "nutritionists" and are only trying to help women with meal planning, yet they certainly have a lot of "do's and don'ts" regarding the area of nutrition! Incidentally, I AM a Christian and found some of the conclusions drawn in the book interesting, if not very well backed up. I did try a few of the recipes and none were good; in fact, only one was edible. (And I am not THAT bad of a cook!) I wholeheartedly recommend Ms. Barnes' other books on home organization but I just cannot recommend this one.

I have learned a lot from Emilie Barnes in her other books, but this book was not what I expected. The title suggests a book on how to save time in meal preparation, and a healthy eating plan that is reasonable to follow for "ordinary" people. I found much of the nutrition advice to be difficult to follow, requiring you to shop in specialty stores and to purchase a lot of ingredients one wouldn't normally have on hand. I also don't believe that all of the nutritional information was completely accurate. I felt the book's tone was rather alarming regarding eating food bought in a regular grocery store, as most of us do. I recommend Secrets to Feeding a Healthy Family, by Ellyn Satter for those who are not quite as extreme in their nutritional views.

In todays time, and with everyone wanting to eat health food and stay healthy. We are what we eat. So, after reading this book, I learned so many neat new ways to prepare food, so that I can make sure to keep my family healthy. I hope and pray that everyone who cares about what they feed their families and put in their bodies, have to add this book to their libraries. The information in this book is very down to earth, easy to understand. I especially like the menus that are included in this book. There is something in this book for everyone no matter what their dietary restictions might be. I highly recommend this book.

I thought book was enjoyable and practical but does come from a prespective that not all people will be looking for and that is a Christian viewpoint and what scripture says about eating.

...preaches, quotes scripture and tells you how to bring Jesus to your table. If that's what you are looking for this book is for you, but if like me you wanted a book of timesaving and meal planning tips look elsewhere.

This is a great book to learn to about eat healthier. It has some great recipes like Lentil Rice Casserole.