Nutrition books geared towards kids?

CeleryStalker

Summer break is almost here, and this summer's 'learning with Mom' lesson is going to be strongly based on incorporating nutrition and basic 'home ec' type stuff into our daily routine. The kids range from 9-14 years old. I'd like to teach them about balanced diets, proper nutrition, how to make smart choices by reading labels, how to cook some basic dishes.....

I've got a lot of knowledge on nutrition, but I don't think my delivery will be very effective. I feel this way because I try to explain the basics to my mother, a grown woman, and she just can't grasp the concept of what foods are considered 'carbs', what is 'protein', etc, so I'm worried that I'll have a hard time simplifying the information for the kids to digest. Ha, no pun intended!

I'm fortunate in that they already enjoy eating fresh fruits and veggies. I'm setting a good example for them because they see me preparing home cooked meals for every meal, I don't generally buy crap, and when I do buy something junky like a tray of frosted cookies from the bakery, they will last the entire week because they understand that at 160 calories for ONE cookie, that one cookie is enough.

Even still, I'd like to really grow their knowledge and appreciation for the value of the foods they are consuming. Any good book recommendations, or even lesson plans out there? I'm not looking to sit down and have them study- just something to help bridge the gap between my knowledge and adolescent comprehension. That way, while we're in the kitchen having fun, whipping up some healthy snacks and meals, the dialogue can be educational, but not completely over their heads.