Today our kids consume at least three times the recommended daily allowance of added sugar. And it’s not just because they are drinking too many sodas. Added sugar lurks everywhere in our food—in yogurts and bottled salad dressings, in jarred tomato sauce and oatmeal packets, and on and on. And it’s a real problem—excess sugar causes a variety of health issues, including cavities, of course, but also type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and fatty liver disease.

Here to help concerned parents is a family cookbook that addresses the problem with reduced-sugar versions of kids’ favorite foods, including dessert. Functioning like a cross between Eat This, Not That and Deceptively Delicious, Half the Sugar, All the Love is an eye-opening education, an action plan, and a cookbook all in one. It shows us how to shop smartly to avoid hidden sugars. Busts the most common myths about sugar (honey is not healthier; sugar substitutes are questionable at best). Gives seven easy tips for globally reducing added sugar at home. Helps us stock our pantries with better ingredients. And then offers 100 family friendly recipes that minimize added sugar while maximizing flavor, from granolas and yogurt pops for breakfast through big-batch sauces to make the tastiest dinners, to ingenious desserts—like Jennifer’s favorite Chocolate and Peanut Butter Snack Cake that gets its sweetness from dates.

“For those concerned about sugar [Half the Sugar, All the Love] is a great tool.”
– MARK BITTMAN, author of the New York Times bestselling How to Cook Everything series

“Delicious recipes. Jennifer and Anisha have just the right idea on how to reduce unnecessary sugar from our diets, and more importantly, our kids’ diets.”
—TRACY, DANA, LORI, and CORKY POLLAN, authors of the New York Times bestselling Mostly Plants and the award-winning The Pollan Family Table

“So many delicious, kid-friendly ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I can’t wait to dive into these recipes.”
—ELYSE KOPECKY, New York Times bestselling author of Run Fast. Eat Slow. and Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.

“Breaks down all the sugar myths and inspires you to cook decadent recipes that include tons of flavor and fun!”
—CATHERINE McCORD, Founder, Weelicious

“This book hits the sweet-spot perfectly with mouthwatering recipes that reduce added sugars naturally, without going to the unnecessary extreme of eliminating them completely. It proves you can have both taste and healthfulness in every sumptuous bite.”
—ELLIE KRIEGER, RD nutritionist, cookbook author and TV personality

“A new family cookbook we can’t get enough of.”
—COOL MOM PICKS

“Lee (The 52 New Foods Challenge) and Patel, an associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford University, offer alternatives to sugary store-bought, processed food in this collection of 100 low-sugar, family-friendly dishes that don’t lack in flavor. The authors here eschew added sugar, fruit juice, and concentrate in favor of more fibrous “whole or pureed fruit and vegetables.” An overnight French toast strata with raspberry sauce (made with fresh raspberries and maple syrup) calls for one teaspoon of sugar compared to 16 in many other recipes; carrots are subbed for sugar in tomato soup; and using dark chocolate in chocolate chip cookies reduces the need for sugar. The recipes run the gamut and include barbecue chicken with grilled corn salad, rainbow chard lasagna with tomato sauce, and a sugar-free blueberry pie. Kid-friendly favorites like DIY toaster pastries, maple caramel corn, stuffed chicken parmesan strips with marinara dipping sauce, and sloppy joes are sure to win over the harshest (and youngest) critics in the house. This is a smart choice for families interested in improving their diet.”
—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY