Mood Foods

Christmas bread smells like good times

Study Guide for Cook Up A Story

CHAPTER 6

This is the last in my series on study guides for the print version of Cook Up A Story. Chapter 6 is about how our moods affect our food choices. We’re wired that way. The part of the brain that stores memory and feelings detects smells, too.

Our last story, Melting Moments, shows how cheery memories are braided together with smells, sounds and tastes. That’s why when we’re blue, we crave foods that remind us of good times. When a small boy finds himself missing his grandmother at Christmas, he takes comfort in his family and its holiday traditions.

Here are a few multiple-choice questions you can ask your kids as you read Vinny’s story together. It’s an interactive way to help your family get the most from the tale. Then enjoy a chocolate-cookie recipe full of protein, fiber, and vitamins and low on bad fats and added sugar… the ideal treat to make for Santa, in a book on good eating. It’s all about the l.o.v.e!

Note: This study guide is useful to people who have Vinny’s book or expect to get it for their family. Readers can click into this post whenever they want by going to the page in the main menu titled “Study Guide.”

Melting moments: Understanding the story

Why does Eddy feel so grumpy at Christmas time?
1. He hates listening to Christmas music at the mall
2. He misses his Gramma, who has recently passed away
3. He doesn’t like going out in the cold
—2

Darren says: Let’s get cookin’!

What does Darren suggest they do for a little fun?
1. Make Eddy’s favorite Christmas cookies
2. Go looking for a Christmas tree
3. Write a letter to Santa
—1

How do the boys get ready for Christmas?
1. They get out a Christmas tree skirt Gramma had made
2. They rock in Gramma’s chair and retell one of her favorite Christmas stories
3. They put out some melting moments for Santa
—All of these

Eddy says: Santa’s been!

What is Eddy’s favorite present on Christmas morning?
1. Dino kit
2. Gramma’s book bag filled with books from Mommy and Dad
3. A fire engine that works
—All of these

How does Eddy feel when Darren reads to him from one of his new books?
1. Eddy remembers why he liked Christmas
2. Eddy feels loved
3. Eddy feels close to Gramma in his heart
—All of these and more

Recipe links

Make Gramma’s cookies, the ones filed under E for “Eddy’s favorite”. Read:
- Melting moments

Our brains are made up of about 60% fat. It’s not surprising our moods tell us to put a little fat on our plates. Hamburgers are a popular food that provide us with just the fat we sometimes crave. Make a healthy burger at home and get the fat and salt content just right. To find out how, read:
- Basic Burgers…

Nutrition links

Foods featured in Eddy’s favorite cookies:
- prunes and whole-grain flour (fiber)
- low-fat cream cheese (protein)
- chocolate-nut spread (antioxidants, vitamins, protein, fiber)
- Less fat and sugar than in other cookies.
Santa can have as many as he likes

Foods featured in Vinny’s burgers
- lean ground meat (protein with less saturated fat)
- whole-grain buns and oat bran (fiber)
- fresh veggies (vitamins and minerals).

What is the one seasoning most doctors hate? Read:
- Sugar or spice

Hooked on sugar? For tips on how to break a sugar habit, read:
- End your sugar habit…

To make desserts leaner, read:
- Cut the fat…

Which fats should we buddy up to and which should we shun? Read:
- Boo fat, fat go away
- Smart chef

Why is omega-3 fatty acid so special? Read:
- Load up on brain food

How can we make sure we get a balanced diet? Read:
- Eating by the book
- Read more… and link to Canada’s food guide and the US’s Choose my plate

Food facts