Emeril Lagasse’s Tips for Raising Healthy Kids

On television he extols bacon and butter, but at home, Emeril Lagasse cooks low-fat, vegetable-loaded dishes with his children.

On Snacks

“I think all kids need snacks. Mine are fruit machines. I give them things like apple slices, berries and melon. Do I let them eat ice cream? Absolutely. But not every day.”

On Vegetables

“Soups are a great way to introduce a lot of vegetables to kids. Stir-fries, too, because they contain so many different shapes and colors.”

On Cleaning Up

“Cleanliness is very important. If you let kids make a total mess in the kitchen and then leave, you’re not really teaching them anything.”

On Learning to Cook

“If kids can learn how to make a simple Bolognese sauce, they will never go hungry. It’s pretty easy to cook pasta, but a good sauce is way more useful.”

Published August 2007