The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Classic Stories
My First Little House Books Series
What’s inside...
This award-winning cookbook features more than 100 recipes from Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic Little House books. It offers a glimpse into life on the prairie and includes historical context, excerpts from the books, and details about pioneer cooking methods. The book also contains illustrations by Garth Williams and has received accolades including the Western Heritage Award. It is described as a culinary and literary feast by The Horn Book.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
7-10
Length
256 pages
Text complexity
Character compass
Laura Ingalls
Mary Ingalls
Almanzo Wilder
Caroline Ingalls
Charles Ingalls
Discussion points
What types of food do you think the Ingalls family ate during their frontier days, and why do you think they chose those foods?
How do you think preparing and cooking meals was different back then compared to now?
If you had to choose one meal from the book to make, which one would it be and why?
What have you learned about how food and cooking can bring a family together?
How do you think the meals in the book reflect the lifestyle and challenges of living on the frontier?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to compare the food and meals they eat with those described in the book, highlighting both differences and similarities.
Discuss the importance of food in family life and cultural traditions, using examples from the book and your own family experiences.
Invite your child to imagine living during the frontier times, discussing how daily life, including meal preparation and eating, would differ from their current experience.
Help your child understand the historical and social context of the book by discussing how the availability of ingredients and cooking methods have changed over time.
Plan a fun activity where you and your child can cook a recipe from the book together, fostering a hands-on understanding of the themes discussed.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Self-sufficiency
Explanation: The book highlights how the Ingalls family utilized natural resources and their skills to cook and sustain themselves.
Real-World Application: Children learn the importance of understanding where their food comes from and the basics of cooking, fostering a sense of independence.
Example Lesson: Historical awareness
Explanation: Recipes and stories in the book provide insights into the eating habits and lifestyle of the 19th century American frontier.
Real-World Application: Kids gain an appreciation for history and how daily life has evolved, enhancing their knowledge and cultural understanding.
Example Lesson: Creativity in problem-solving
Explanation: The book presents ways the Ingalls family had to improvise with limited ingredients to create meals.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to be resourceful and use creativity to overcome limitations in any situation, not just in cooking.
Example Lesson: Value of hard work
Explanation: The detailed preparation methods illustrate the effort put into meal preparation during that era.
Real-World Application: This can teach children the importance of effort and diligence in all tasks to achieve rewarding results.
Example Lesson: Family bonding
Explanation: Cooking recipes from the book together can replicate the communal cooking experiences of Laura Ingalls Wilder's family.
Real-World Application: This encourages spending quality family time and fosters stronger relationships while working towards a common goal.