Cookbooks

Whether you’re buying gifts for a culinary novice or an expert, an ideal present is as close as the nearest bookstore. The Times’ Food staff looked at a sampling of the cookbooks released in time for this holiday season and offers the following reviews to assist last-minute shoppers. Some of these books get down to the basics, some deal with ethnic cuisines while still others are as much a feast for the eyes as for the appetite. These--or the host of other cookbooks you’ll find on sale at local stores--will not only delight the recipient but might ensure the giver some memorable repasts during 1988.

How to Get Your Kid To Eat . . . But Not Too Much by Ellyn Satter R.D., (Bull Publishing Co.: $12.95, 396 pp.)

Ellyn Satter received a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of Wisconsin and has been specializing in the treatment of eating disorders in children, adults and families. Her previous book, “Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense” was a best-seller.

“How to Get your Kid To Eat . . . But Not Too Much” takes Mom from breast feeding through the teen-age years, using principles of consistency and of sharing responsibility with the child. The book also gives advice on avoiding pressure, knowing how much the child can eat and what is considered normal eating.

There are sections on the problems of feeding the toddler, understanding the preschool and school-age child’s eating problems and avoiding the pitfalls that lead to obesity and poor eating habits that lead to problems later in life. Helping the teen-ager take his or her share of the responsibility for proper eating habits, whether for sports purposes or weight control, are discussed. There are chapters on special feeding problems for the child who grows poorly, as well as ones on eating disorders, obesity and children with special feeding needs and handicaps.

There are recommended guidelines for daily food patterns, choosing nutritious snacks, as well as calorie and growth charts to which parent and child can refer.