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Stirring Up Fun with Food: Over 115 Simple, Delicious Ways to Be Creative in the Kitchen
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Food & Cookbooks (2017)More than 100 fun food-crafting ideas that will engage, delight, and amaze kids - from actress, entrepreneur, and mom, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and former Martha Stewart Living editor Gia Russo.
Why stop with making basic brownies? Why not put them on a stick and decorate them? Why not take boring broccoli and turn it into a yummy cheese muffin instead? Sarah Michelle Gellar learned quickly that to get her kids to be adventurous with food, she had to involve them in preparing it. She wanted that process to be fun and help them develop self-confidence, creative thinking, and even math skills! So Sarah and co-author Gia Russo came up with more than 100 fun food-crafting ideas that take basic food preparation to a surprising new level.
Organized by month, the book offers projects for every occasion and theme, including Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, Shark Week, Halloween, and even a Star Wars Day with licensed Star Wars creations! The possibilities are endless!
Why stop with making basic brownies? Why not put them on a stick and decorate them? Why not take boring broccoli and turn it into a yummy cheese muffin instead? Sarah Michelle Gellar learned quickly that to get her kids to be adventurous with food, she had to involve them in preparing it. She wanted that process to be fun and help them develop self-confidence, creative thinking, and even math skills! So Sarah and co-author Gia Russo came up with more than 100 fun food-crafting ideas that take basic food preparation to a surprising new level.
Organized by month, the book offers projects for every occasion and theme, including Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, Shark Week, Halloween, and even a Star Wars Day with licensed Star Wars creations! The possibilities are endless!
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2017
37 people are currently reading
2831 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Michelle Gellar
3 books67 followersChief Mom, actress, author, entrepreneur, and part time superhero.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
April 1, 2017
Yes, I'm that kind of person: I read cookbooks. And I love it. This one is particularly interesting since it presents food in fun ways for children. I love learning new ways to prepare or present food. I have a ton of intolerances, but this book is easy enough that I can follow each recipe or draw inspiration from it. Love, love, love!
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2017
I picked this book up at my local library because I was looking for something "crafty" to do (I also figured it was about time that I learn how to make something other than microwaveable meals). As I am also a huge fan of Sarah Michelle Gellar I figured I could not go wrong in reading this.
This cookbook is very...unique. Each chapter in this books covers one of the 12 months of the year. For me the October chapter was the absolute most fun. Halloween provides an excellent backdrop for food crafting. In my opinion some of the most inventive recipes (such as mummy hot dogs) are found in this chapter. In addition to the holiday recipes, this book also features "ordinary foods" such as mac and cheese that can made at any time and shows the reader that these foods can be made "fun" (as in this case mac and cheese cupcakes).
If you are in a time crunch this books also contains several very simple snack recipes which can be prepared in a matter of minutes (ex: oranges with crystalline sugar).
For me the best part about this book is that it shows that a few simple ingredients can go a long way into both making your food taste (and look) better. Highly recommend!
This cookbook is very...unique. Each chapter in this books covers one of the 12 months of the year. For me the October chapter was the absolute most fun. Halloween provides an excellent backdrop for food crafting. In my opinion some of the most inventive recipes (such as mummy hot dogs) are found in this chapter. In addition to the holiday recipes, this book also features "ordinary foods" such as mac and cheese that can made at any time and shows the reader that these foods can be made "fun" (as in this case mac and cheese cupcakes).
If you are in a time crunch this books also contains several very simple snack recipes which can be prepared in a matter of minutes (ex: oranges with crystalline sugar).
For me the best part about this book is that it shows that a few simple ingredients can go a long way into both making your food taste (and look) better. Highly recommend!
June 9, 2017
I loved her enthusiasm for making food fun in her household. Simple ways to encourage kids to eat. I also loved how at times shortcuts were taken so things would be easier. The layout is really fun. It's a journey through things that are celebrated in the Gellar/Prinze household in a year. Appreciated Star Wars Day and shark week being represented.
November 30, 2018
No one's surprised I picked this book up, right?
This book is super adorable. There's nothing particularly ground breaking here, though I adore her ideas about waffle "fondue" and bagel buffet. But the food sounds delicious, and the craft part is absolutely adorable.
There's nothing overly complicated here. There's not a lot of ingredients I was giving a side eye, not a lot of equipment you have to figure out a substitute for. All of the ingredients are separated not by meal, but by month. From New Year's to Cinco de Mayo to Star Wars Day to Shark Week, almost any occasion can be celebrated with something from this book.
Sarah is extremely protective of her children's privacy, so it was a real joy seeing the photos in here of all four of them together in the kitchen. So sweet, so fun. I might actually make something from this book.
Maybe.
Probably not.
But those Shrimp Lo Mein "cupcakes" sound KIND OF AWESOME.
This book is super adorable. There's nothing particularly ground breaking here, though I adore her ideas about waffle "fondue" and bagel buffet. But the food sounds delicious, and the craft part is absolutely adorable.
There's nothing overly complicated here. There's not a lot of ingredients I was giving a side eye, not a lot of equipment you have to figure out a substitute for. All of the ingredients are separated not by meal, but by month. From New Year's to Cinco de Mayo to Star Wars Day to Shark Week, almost any occasion can be celebrated with something from this book.
Sarah is extremely protective of her children's privacy, so it was a real joy seeing the photos in here of all four of them together in the kitchen. So sweet, so fun. I might actually make something from this book.
Maybe.
Probably not.
But those Shrimp Lo Mein "cupcakes" sound KIND OF AWESOME.
June 30, 2017
As a longtime fan of Sarah Michelle Gellar from back in her Buffy the Vampire days, I was thrilled to receive a copy of her newest cookbook, Stirring Up Fun with Food, published by Grand Central Life & Style. I love her enthusiasm when it comes to being in the kitchen as a family, and introducing her children to food in creative ways while keeping it healthy and simple. Organized by month, there are recipes for every occasion and theme, so the possibilities are endless and kid-friendly.
In January’s section, you’ll find quiche cupcakes that are light and flavorful, perfect for on-the-go during the busy week. March offers a delicious recipe for veggie egg rolls to make-at-home rather than ordering take-out—a little more involved, but a good way to get kids in the kitchen. In June, you can prepare coconut chicken fingers that not only the little ones will love, but adults will, too—paired well with a red pepper jelly or sweet chili sauce.
Each recipe includes ingredients, directions, serving size, and small blurb. While some recipes require as little as 5 ingredients and little prep time, it makes for fun and accessibility for everyone involved. I found some recipes better than others, while some weren’t clearly focused on fun and creativity—but overall it offers a great selection of projects and recipes for a family to enjoy. It was well crafted with time and quality, and Sarah and Gia did a wonderful job. It’s creative and cheerful, a cookbook that anyone with children would love to have in their home.
I received a copy in exchange for an unbiased review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
In January’s section, you’ll find quiche cupcakes that are light and flavorful, perfect for on-the-go during the busy week. March offers a delicious recipe for veggie egg rolls to make-at-home rather than ordering take-out—a little more involved, but a good way to get kids in the kitchen. In June, you can prepare coconut chicken fingers that not only the little ones will love, but adults will, too—paired well with a red pepper jelly or sweet chili sauce.
Each recipe includes ingredients, directions, serving size, and small blurb. While some recipes require as little as 5 ingredients and little prep time, it makes for fun and accessibility for everyone involved. I found some recipes better than others, while some weren’t clearly focused on fun and creativity—but overall it offers a great selection of projects and recipes for a family to enjoy. It was well crafted with time and quality, and Sarah and Gia did a wonderful job. It’s creative and cheerful, a cookbook that anyone with children would love to have in their home.
I received a copy in exchange for an unbiased review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
January 6, 2018
I loved SMG as Buffy (and question anyone who doesn’t) and was curious to know what her Martha Stewart-like persona had to offer. This was part cookbook, part crafting book, and nothing new or original. Divided into chapters by holidays, none of the offerings jumped out at me like “I must make that now!” Now, if SMG ever decides to write a Buffy tell-all, especially given the tea Joss Whedon’s ex spilled, I’m in!
February 20, 2018
A lot of typical recipes except for they were put in mason jars or on kabobs. Not impressed she used a lot of mixes or prepackaged items as ingredients.
July 25, 2019
My adult son who has Down syndrome and I have been going to the library quite often this summer, and he enjoys picking out a cookbook to look at. Buffy the Vampire, Sarah Michelle Gellar co-wrote this book and it is pretty cute. Nothing totally new and earth shattering, but set up by months, January to December, cutesy fonts, and fun recipes to make with your children. Too many things on a stick, mason jars, and muffin tins, but definitely worth looking at the pictures, presentation was everything in this cookbook.
September 2, 2017
I'm sure I'm not the only Buffy fan to pick this up just because Sarah Michelle Gellar's name is on the cover. And as a fan of both Buffy and SMG, this book was pretty fun. Sarah dedicates this book to her family and her fans and references various fandoms/geekery (Star Wars, Shark Week) throughout the book.
With that said, as a cookbook, it's relatively useless to me. Like SMG, I too want to feed my family healthy food in fun ways, but do I need an entire book dedicated to mini things and food on a stick? Sadly, no.
If you are someone who loves "food crafting", you'll probably love this book. Or maybe you need inspiration for a themed party, this would be great for that too. Or if you really like looking at beautiful pictures of colorful food, this also would be a good reason to pick up this book!
With that said, as a cookbook, it's relatively useless to me. Like SMG, I too want to feed my family healthy food in fun ways, but do I need an entire book dedicated to mini things and food on a stick? Sadly, no.
If you are someone who loves "food crafting", you'll probably love this book. Or maybe you need inspiration for a themed party, this would be great for that too. Or if you really like looking at beautiful pictures of colorful food, this also would be a good reason to pick up this book!
July 6, 2017
Her passion for creating fun and delicious food really comes through in her book. Some of the recipes are very simplistic but she has re-invented them into a way where it is fun for those of all ages.
I've been a fan for years, since her days on Buffy, so I truly enjoyed seeing this different side of her.
I've been a fan for years, since her days on Buffy, so I truly enjoyed seeing this different side of her.
April 27, 2023
This book was GREAT!!!! I loved the set up, by holidays and important things in the year. There were great pictures and stories. I am going to have to buy this for myself.
May 27, 2017
Some good ideas, some a little... hipsteriffic. The recipes seem solid enough, and I love her idea of using Mason jar lids as mini pie tins, but overall it's just an okay cookbook for me.
March 5, 2021
Sarah Michelle Gellar does not impress me whatsoever. Because she is a Hollywood elite sellout who has tons of money from promoting cut-throat industries that are controlled by people caring about money more than morals. Other celebrities have already "written" cookbooks or books once they get older and have decreased popularity when they don't have youthful beauty anymore before Sarah Michelle Gellar did. All of the recipes in this cookbook called "Stirring Up Fun with Food: Over 100 Amazing and Easy Food Crafting" are not new. What Sarah did was copy and paste old recipes into this book. It lacks originality. Also, none of the recipes here are amazing to me because they are old recipes that Sarah copied and pasted onto this cookbook. Now, I will say that Sarah Michelle Gellar was clever enough to make money from this cookbook. Letting myself read it made me come to the conclusion it's got specific ingredients from its recipes that aren't easily found in specific food shops. Don't think I recommend this cookbook to people who aren't able to buy specific ingredients, especially if they're poor. Pancetta, truffle oil, Fontina cheese, Gruyère cheese, Hungarian paprika, wonton skins, Black Forest ham, Brioche, hexagon-shaped crackers, broccolini, truffled chèvre, arugula, Gorgonzola cheese, anchovy paste, kumquats, gherkin pickles, matzo meal, semolina, Emmentaler cheese, blood orange juice, and Arborio rice are specific ingredients from this cookbook that aren't always found in food shops everywhere. That's my criticism against this cookbook.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2017
Stirring Up Fun with Food: Over 100 Amazing and Easy Food Crafting Projects borders on gimmicky, with recipes designed with young children in mind. It does have a whimsical style, which will appeal to those parents who have finicky eaters. For those who have trouble getting enough fruits and vegetables in their children's diets, Stirring Up Fun with Food does provide a vehicle to healthy eating.
With recipes such as Quiche Cupcakes (p. 9), which uses adult palate ingredients such as pancetta and gruyere cheese, children will enjoy the piecrust base and creamy texture of the filling. Palm sized Cherry Pies (p. 51) are ingenious, using mason jar lids and collars to make mini springform pans. Skewered Dumplings (p. 59) are a little more elaborate, but are made fun for kids by skewering before serving. An easy and fun recipe, Baked Mozzarella Bats (p. 211), is a great addition to any Halloween table.
This cookbook was definitely designed for busy parents with children who may have issues with eating. The recipes are mostly simplistic, using basic ingredients and time saving measures. Overall, Stirring Up Fun with Food does give some great ideas, especially if readers consider the party type aspects to the finished dishes. It does provide a way of looking at food at a child's level and can help parents boost the creativity to make mealtime a little less stressful.
With recipes such as Quiche Cupcakes (p. 9), which uses adult palate ingredients such as pancetta and gruyere cheese, children will enjoy the piecrust base and creamy texture of the filling. Palm sized Cherry Pies (p. 51) are ingenious, using mason jar lids and collars to make mini springform pans. Skewered Dumplings (p. 59) are a little more elaborate, but are made fun for kids by skewering before serving. An easy and fun recipe, Baked Mozzarella Bats (p. 211), is a great addition to any Halloween table.
This cookbook was definitely designed for busy parents with children who may have issues with eating. The recipes are mostly simplistic, using basic ingredients and time saving measures. Overall, Stirring Up Fun with Food does give some great ideas, especially if readers consider the party type aspects to the finished dishes. It does provide a way of looking at food at a child's level and can help parents boost the creativity to make mealtime a little less stressful.
November 13, 2017
This cookbook caught my eye, so I thought it best to borrow from the library before making any final decisions.
Reading over the recipes, I thought they looked easy to make.
Simple ingredients, which could be found at most local groceries.
In my opinion, this little gem is geared toward parents with younger children.
My boys (ages 13, 18, and 50) might think dinner was a bit odd if I presented it on a skewer or in a flower shape! ; )
Food crafting was an interesting method and if my gang was younger I would, definitely, give it a try.
I loved the ideas for celebrating Star Wars, Shark Week and Halloween!
If this cookbook caught your attention, or you're a fan of SMG I would recommend checking it out at the library for starters.
Reading over the recipes, I thought they looked easy to make.
Simple ingredients, which could be found at most local groceries.
In my opinion, this little gem is geared toward parents with younger children.
My boys (ages 13, 18, and 50) might think dinner was a bit odd if I presented it on a skewer or in a flower shape! ; )
Food crafting was an interesting method and if my gang was younger I would, definitely, give it a try.
I loved the ideas for celebrating Star Wars, Shark Week and Halloween!
If this cookbook caught your attention, or you're a fan of SMG I would recommend checking it out at the library for starters.
July 1, 2017
There is a little something in here for everyone! I included this in my "Health" collection (on here), but there are many recipes that would not be all that healthy. Still, I did copy some from this book.
Recipes are organized by month, beginning with January. Gellar includes recipes for holidays, as well as events, like the Super Bowl and Shark Week! All of the recipes are kid-friendly and there are pictures or her, her husband, and kids, scattered throughout. There are also beautiful pictures of the food, prepared.
The recipes appear to be easy to follow and I'm looking forward to making some of these!
Recipes are organized by month, beginning with January. Gellar includes recipes for holidays, as well as events, like the Super Bowl and Shark Week! All of the recipes are kid-friendly and there are pictures or her, her husband, and kids, scattered throughout. There are also beautiful pictures of the food, prepared.
The recipes appear to be easy to follow and I'm looking forward to making some of these!
August 27, 2017
I am a huge fan of Sarah Michelle Gellar, so when I heard she was releasing a cookbook, I preordered that puppy super fast! Unfortunately, due to moving and other life funs, I hadn't had time to sit down and really look through it until tonight. Super cute!
This isn't your normal cookbook. Gellar is taking food we already love and showing you how to be more creative and just have fun with presentations. I would say this book is perfect for party ideas as it's broken down into months for themes. The added stories were a nice bonus as her family is just the cutest ever.
While I probably won't use this one as much as her husbands, I will be grabbing it for parties or potlucks!
This isn't your normal cookbook. Gellar is taking food we already love and showing you how to be more creative and just have fun with presentations. I would say this book is perfect for party ideas as it's broken down into months for themes. The added stories were a nice bonus as her family is just the cutest ever.
While I probably won't use this one as much as her husbands, I will be grabbing it for parties or potlucks!
August 29, 2017
Ok, to be honest, I will probably never make a recipe from this cookbook. But I still completely love it!!!! I love how detailed they were about EVERYTHING. First, they went month by month, which I adore. Then there are gorgeous pictures for EVERY recipe (a must). I love the pretty fonts and accents that they used as well as the family tidbits tucked away everywhere. And clearly these moms are pros at making ordinary foods fun for kids, and that without any mom guilt over not having made pie crust from scratch. Definitely a great cookbook to get someone started, and a fun idea book for more experienced cooks.
January 10, 2018
Back in the day, I was a HUGE Buffy fan and still am. I love Sarah Michelle Gellar. She doesn't seem like Hollywood has turned her into a nut job, she is still married to Freddie Prinze Jr, and she is still adorable.
Her cookbook was so cute. You can hear her little voice in the writing. It is a beautiful book and there are some really cute ideas.
Very fun to look through and I found out that Sarah and I have some things in common - we both love Star Wars, Shark Week, and Halloween.
Her cookbook was so cute. You can hear her little voice in the writing. It is a beautiful book and there are some really cute ideas.
Very fun to look through and I found out that Sarah and I have some things in common - we both love Star Wars, Shark Week, and Halloween.
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May 18, 2025This might be the most creatively designed cookbook I’ve ever read. I thought the content being divided into months and holidays was pretty neat, and I think that there are a lot of simple, fun recipes and ideas in here that would appeal to adults and children alike. I’ve loved being in the kitchen since I was a kid, and I am all for getting kids involved in the process from the start, so I like that aspect the authors brought into the recipes and food.
November 13, 2017
Some cute ideas - mostly involving putting things on sticks, in mason jars or making as cupcakes, and a few too many packaged ingredients (premade biscuit,/bread dough, boxed cake mixes) for my personal cooking style, but still worth a read. I loved the monthly layout with foods celebrating holidays, plus some other random events (shark week, star wars day etc)
May 5, 2018
I adore Sarah. I enjoyed her stories and food crafting ideas but I feel this book is geared toward people who have kids and want to make eating fun. As a single adult I don't need my food to come on a stick or in a mason jar. I do however like some of the recipes like asparagus fries and cauliflower popcorn.
January 9, 2022
While filled with very good recipes, this book seemed more geared to presentation and fun. Many of the recipes offer a variety of ways to add more healthy choices to your favorites - the cauliflower popcorn was pretty good. The S'mores Parfait was delicious... definitely one to try, as well as the green bean fries. The French onion soup is very good, much quicker version than my own.
September 21, 2022
*2.5 stars rounded up*
this was okay, better for a beginner cook or to get teens/kids in the kitchen. i'm obsessed with cookbooks, sort of a cookbook-snob (if you will), and this just wasn't "amazing" for me. a few recipes had me snapping a few photos, but mainly this wasn't quite the book i was looking for.
(i did very much like how it was organized, month-to-month celebrations)
this was okay, better for a beginner cook or to get teens/kids in the kitchen. i'm obsessed with cookbooks, sort of a cookbook-snob (if you will), and this just wasn't "amazing" for me. a few recipes had me snapping a few photos, but mainly this wasn't quite the book i was looking for.
(i did very much like how it was organized, month-to-month celebrations)
May 9, 2017
What a great cookbook! The layout and design are gorgeous, the recipes look super yummy, and I love how it is organized by month. A definite must if you have young children! (And my teen is excited about it too!)
June 15, 2017
I don't know what I was expecting, but I was disappointed. I do not know any moms who have the time to concoct all these food "crafts". Everything in the book is a mini version of something. How about a nice casserole recipe? I guess this kind of cooking is just not for me.
November 8, 2017
Sarah's cookbook is an amazing way to figure out how to cook with your kids without going insane. It's also very themed, split up by months, so no matter which month you're in, she's got several something appropriates for you. This book will Slay you.
December 2, 2017
It’s a cute book with instructions on how to make a lot of kid-geared food options but not something that really resonates with me. Maybe I would have a different opinion if I had kids to feed. I admit I got this book because I’m a fan of SMG, but also because I loved her husband’s book so much.
August 10, 2020
Initially, I thought this was a recipe book, but it's actually more about presentation. There were a lot of wonderfully creative ideas, and also a lot of "just put it on a stick" ideas. The pictures were gorgeous. I definitely copied down a few ideas that I'm looking forward to trying.
July 31, 2021
Two things endear me to this cookbook. The recipes are all geared to holiday dishes but go far beyond the 4th of July and Christmas. earth day, Shark week, star wars day and others are represented. The second thing is that it is geared toward providing fun for kids.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews