(The Giveaway is over now. We have a lucky winner! See below)
The recipe and guidebook for gluten-free kids called “Eat Like a Dinosaur” by Paleo Parents has been our kitchen companion for a few months now. Our family has been following a paleo way of eating for quite a while. I buy and prepare the food and pack the school lunches so Benjamin and Nathaniel have not had much choice in the matter. We work hard to make sure eating this way is fun, tasty, and not a constant battle. And while they may put up a fuss about certain dishes now and then, for the most part, the boys have been on board. But Eat Like A Dinosaur has made getting my kids to enjoy eating whole, healthful foods even easier. Reading about and seeing photos of Stacy and Matt’s kids, Cole, Finian and Wesley has helped my boys understand they are not the only kids eating a paleo diet. It has given them more confidence when talking to their friends about their food choices. Nathaniel especially liked the illustrated children’s story that makes up chapter two and has read it several times. Most of all, my boys have enjoyed the recipes in the book. They have fun going through Eat Like a Dinosaur on their own, letting me know what they want to make and then helping me make it.
I think girls as well as boys would enjoy and benefit from this book. But one reason it has gone over especially well with our family is the general love of all things dinosaur. Here are my guys at the newly opened Field Station Dinosaurs in Secaucus, New Jersey just last week. The 30 animatronic dinosaurs were super cool and, not surprisingly, the T-Rex (with the Empire State Building in the background) was the favorite. (We enjoyed ourselves there in spite of the 95 degree temperature!)
Back to the book….
Here is a summary of the key features of “Eat Like A Dinosaur”
- 288 pages – more than recipes, includes a “how to” chapter for parents and “projects” to get the family spending time together
- illustrated kids story aims to get kids excited and thinking positively about embracing food changes
- over 100 recipes and projects which are grain-, dairy-, legume- and refined sugar-free, but not lacking in flavor or fun!
- all recipes have full color, bright, fun layout with corresponding photo – enticing to kids
- allergy-friendly book has top 8 allergens on each page and easy index in the back
- written & photographed by normal suburban family who turned their health around with switching to a “real foods” diet (lost over 200lbs, kids no longer have asthma, eczema, allergies, behavioral issues, etc.)
- All recipes are Paleo, but it’s not a Paleo specific book – it’s for all kinds of families with a wide range of food habits – including those with allergies, WAPF, GFCF or simply trying to eat better.
A few of our favorite recipes from Eat Like a Dinosaur:
- 50/50 Bacon Burgers
- Apple Bacon Slaw
- Deviled Bacony Eggs
- Baconnaise
- Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Notice a pattern?
Well, the Banana Bread doesn’t have bacon in it….although I’m sure we could find a way to work it in somehow…
Just yesterday we made Deviled Bacony Eggs. Here’s what they looked like.
Nathaniel eats deviled bacony eggs and contemplates the meaning of life…and bacon…and somehow, he figures, the two are very closely related.
Our take on Deviled Bacony Eggs by Paleo Parents:
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 1/4 cup Bacon Mayonnaise (I used this recipe but substituted bacon fat for 1/4 of the total fat.)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (less than the amount shown in the book)
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 grape tomatoes quartered
- crumbled bacon
- tarragon
Instructions
- Hard-boil the eggs.
- Slice the eggs in half and remove the yolks to a small bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise, salt, vinegar, paprika, mustard and pepper and mash with a fork until smooth.
- Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture, top with crumbled bacon, a piece of tomato and some tarragon.
Two of the really nice things about Eat Like A Dinosaur are the step-by-step instructions and ideas on how kids can help. Detailed instructions are given for how to hard-boil those eggs, for example. Here’s my 11-year-old, Benjamin, making the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread (Muffins). He’s very serious! 
Each recipe also has a space for writing notes. This whole “reviewing” recipes idea has been fun for my boys, especially Benjamin who is full of opinions. Here he is with his “review” of the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread (Muffins) when we made them for the first time a few months ago.
So if you are looking for a great recipe and guidebook with 100+ grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free recipes that makes it fun to involve kids, this book is for you!
Giveaway!
If you would like to win a free copy of Eat Like a Dinosaur please leave me a comment below. I also encourage you to “like” the Paleo Spirit Facebook Page and Paleo Parents Facebook Page if you have not already. The contest ends Sunday, July 15th at Midnight EST. I will announce the winner on the Paleo Spirit Facebook Page on Monday, July 16th. (U.S. residents only.)
Good luck!
THE WINNER IS…..
Lisa Dickenson
Thank you to all who entered. I wish I could send everyone a copy!
Even if I don’t win, but I hope I do, I will be buying this book. I am in the process of turning my entire house (includes three kids) Paleo. It will not be hard for me and my husband, but for my children I know this will be more difficult. A book like this will be very helpful!!!!
It sounds like just the book I’d enjoy using with my crew of 8 kids!
Thanks for sharing! We have been Paleo since last year. The health benefits have been amazing, and outweigh the foods we miss dearly, such as my homemade bagels (Jewish way), cheese, milk, corn, etc.
Would love a copy of this for my boys! My 3.5 year old is always wanting to help in the kitchen so it would be great for him to have a cookbook of his own 🙂 Loved the video by the way your boys are too cute!
Nathaniel is a great name! That’s my sons name too! He has multiple food intolerances and this book would be great for him.
Sounds like an AWSOME book! All four of my kids would love it since they are crazy for dinos!!! Especially my 3 girls! Great idea gearing towards kids! It makes life easier when they like what you cook! Lol!!
I enjoyed reading your post and thanks for the giveaway! I’ve been paleo for half a year now and have been wishing for this book. I’ve tried a few of the paleo parent’s recipes from their blog and it’s always yummy! I like both FB pages!
He is a riot! What a personality he has! My son is 2 and I’m just starting to see his develop. I’m sure you already know why, but I just did a post on why things turn green with sun butter! Love that your son can enjoy foods he likes despite his allergies. PS – Just came across your blog and I love it. So clean and easy to read and your photography is lovely!
would love to add this cookbook to my collection!
my family and i are just getting ready to kick off our new paleo eating and this book would help get our 6 year old on board. i’d love to win it!
Hi there, just found you while looking for snacks for our month long paleo trial! Some tasty looking stuff, and those deviled eggs…oh my!! Everything is better with bacon…right?!
I am constantly looking for healthy ways to feed my family – this would be amazing to win!
I love your cookbook! I can’t wait to try all the recipes! I have told several friends with children about your cookbook and have shared your cookbook on the Wheat Belly facebook page! I hope I win a copy of your cookbook!
Would love to get my hands on this book! Any giveaway that involves this book I enter! Thanks!
It seems that every time I search for a recipe online, it’s in this book. This book is on my wish list, but I have not gotten it yet. I’m really starting to need this, my kids aren’t liking some of our food changes around here! 🙁
That video is so sweet! I’d love to check out this book because educating my soon to be two-year old about food and cooking is really important to me!
This book sounds awesome!! Might be the ticket to getting my super picky nephew to embrace the paleo way of thinking!!
Our household is moving away from grains and the Paleo Parents have been a great resource in helping my kids transition. Just put the book on hold from the library. 🙂
oh my gosh your sons are so cute! The oldest is trying to be serious. I smiled the whole time while watching this video. 🙂 I’ve liked both of your pages on FB and I love following you both on twitter. I’m scrhill.
I would LOVE the book. I’ve been eating ” paleo” since December and I’m feeling much better.
This is a great book. I need to purchase it if I don’t win it. We are in our 4th week of Paleo eating.
Hi. I would love to have this book. Every time I try to get my boys to eat Paleo, they complain about it. It’s a slow process around my house. I think this book would really help. Thank you for sponsoring this giveaway.
Looks like a dope book… I dig the cover. Da Cute Dinosaur. But you don’t need to enter me for the giveaway. I don’t have keedz.
So glad you provided a detailed review of this book…I have been pondering whether it was a good investment in addition to Everyday Paleo (Sarah Fragoso), but now I know it is a must-have for my kid-oriented household. My youngest (3) is totally on-board, likes to be called my “Paleo Baby”, but my oldest (5) is less adventurous, but loves to cook. This just might do the trick!
And your son’s review of the muffins was great! I think there might be a boost in Sun Butter sales as a result of that too. 🙂
I want this book so bad!! I went to my l
Try this again, I went to my local Barnes and Noble to buy it the other day and they don’t carry it!! We have just started eating Paleo and I’m having a hard time getting my daughter to eat all of the things we are eating (she’s only 1) I don’t want to cook her a separate meal so I’m hoping this cookbook will help!!
This book is at the top of my list to get, so it would be lovely to win it! I’m 6 weeks into Paleo and loving it.
My son has autism and his paleo-style diet has improved a lot of his symptoms. I would love this book to learn more recipes and keep things interesting in his diet. PICK ME!
I’ll throw my hat into the arena – would love a copy of “Eat Like A Dinosaur”.
I’ve had my eye on this book and would love to win. Thank you for your blog posts!!
I would love ths book…. And some bacon!!!
My family has had so many health benefits from eating Paleo! My son who has autism didn’t eat anything EVER and when he did, it was only bread – he had to be on a liquid supplement because he was so underweight. Since taking breads out of his diet he has made such great improvements! At first he only ate ground beef but after a while he began to try other foods. He is still very picky, but at least he is eating real food! I am going to buy this book if I don’t win, looks like some great recipes!!
I would love this!!!! I need ideas!
This post is making my mouth water so much! I’m very hungry for lunch now. I wish it could be all these recipes 🙂
i could use some more inspiration to feed my littles as i approach my family’s 1 yr paleoversary.
we recently went gluten free as a family and would love to get a look at this amazing book!
I would love a copy of Eat Like A Dinosaur! We’ve gone primal/paleo about 4 months now, and it’s always a challenge to find things my two young kids enjoy. They’re both making great progress. 🙂 Having a new arsenal would be awesome!
I would love to win this cookbook – I am excited to have found your blog through the paleo parents fb page.
Awesome giveaway! I’ve heard so many great things about this book, and you just made me even that more excited about it! I’ve been Paleo for over a year now and feel amazing, I’m trying to nudge my mother, brother and little sister in that direction and this may be just the ticket! Thanks again, Lea.
Followed a pin from pinterest. This book is so on my wishlist.
Loved the video of your kids! I can see my son saying similar things!
I am totally excited about this book. I have been msking grain free dinners for the whole family fora few months. I need snack ideas for my kids.
I am just getting started converting to the paleo lifestyle and I sure feel like a kid with the changes. This book sounds like a good start for me.
Loved the video of your son’s review. I am completely Paleo, my husband is getting on board, and well it’s been hard with my three girls. I would love a chance to win this book! I plan on showing them your video clip. Thanks!
Good Morning from the Cleve!!!! I have to say it is a bright and sunny day today here and every day since I have been following the paleo way of life. I am so happy that there are dedicated people like you out there that believe in health and the health of their children. Although I currently do not have any children, I have used several of your recipes and I believe in this life style whole heartedly. P.S. the zucchini bread was a success!!
Thanks for the info on this book. Even if I don’t win, I’ll be purchasing it. we are doing pretty good as a family and my daughter is noticing a difference in how she feels when she’s not 100% grain free.
The information about food allergies is awesome and I can’t wait to get this book either way.
This book will come in handy for my little guy.
Sounds like a great book! Thanks for the chance to win one!
We’ve been paleo for about 4 months now, and my kids have been itching to cook something. So far they’ve chopped a lot of veggies, and helped out with a few paleo desserts, but this book looks like it would be perfect for them.
Hi! My husband and I have eaten Paleo for about 5 months now but haven’t switched our kids over entirely. This book is exactly what I’ve been looking for! Kid friendly recipes to ease them into the Paleo lifestyle. It would be a blessing to our family to win this book.
Just listened to your interview on the underground wellness podcast! So excited for this book. I’ve pinned it as a must read book and I think this book would make a great baby shower gift too!
Thanks so much for the time you take for your blog! I have been trying to move my entire (3 boys under seven) family onto the paleo way of eating but always find myself buying bread and tortillas in an effort to make the whole school lunch experience easier for myself (especially with the onslaught of “no nuts” at the majority of my kids schools and programs which means I cannot use almond flour).
I am always looking for new user friendly cookbooks and love using the real book rather than recipes off the Internet (it’s just not the same).
Thanks
This sounds great. Congratulation on your work and passion!!!
Would love to win!