Funny Food: 365 Fun, Healthy, Silly, Creative Breakfasts

They’reeasy.They’resilly.They’rehealthy.They’reclever.They’reartistic.They’redelicious.They’refun.They’reagreatwaytostarttheday.Onebreakfastatatime,BillandClaireWurtzelaredeterminedtomakeyoulaughandeatandplayandlaughsomemore.Riffingovertheyearswithoatmeal,eggs,apples,andnuts,itisfinallyourstoshare…FunnyFood!NotsinceJoostElffers’PlayWithYourFoodhasfoodbeensoridiculousandsoendlesslydiverting.Parentsandchildrenwillgigglethroughbreakfast.Teachersandstudentscanlaughsomemoremakingsnacksordessertsafterlunch.Thisisabookfilledwithnothingbutengagingspontaneityandsimplicitythatmakesyousay,“Icandothat.”And,youcan...theconsequencesareyummy.Really,whodoesn’tliketoplaywithfood?BillWurtzel,ajazzguitarist,hasbeenmakingtheseplatesforhiswife,Claire,forasmanyyearsasthey’vebeenmarried.Nowtheyareturningahobbyintoanartformwithasocialmessage.Theirgoalistodiscourageobesitybyinspiringchildren—andadults—toimprovetheireatinghabitsbycreatingmealsandsnacksthatarenotonlynutritious,butfun.Thesearenotyourmother’ssmiley-facesandwiches.InBill’sworld,carrotsturnintoairplanes;boiledeggsintojugglers,andpearsintoguitarplayers.AsgracefullyasPicasso’sceramicplatesfoundendlessformsodoWurtzel’sportraits,whichseemtogrowoutofalmostanything—cheeriosandbananas;loxandbagels;oatmeal,blueberries,andstrawberries.SometimesyouthinkheisportraitartistandyoucouldswearyoujustsawSigmundFreudemergingfromapearorShakespearegrowingoutofanapple.Sometimestheplatesarejustplainfanciful.“Yourbreakfastsdon’thavetolooklikethey’llhangintheLouvre,”hesays.“It’sthegesturethatcounts.”ButitsurelookslikeheriffedonMatisse’spapercutoutdancerswithapapaya.InadditiontocreatingFunnyFood-whichcontainsbothrecipesandhow-tophotographs-BillandClairehavebeenconductingworkshopsforchildrenatPublicSchool188ontheLowerEastSideofNewYork,teachingthemtousetheirimaginationstoimprovetheirhealth“ratherthanjustputtinglettuceandvegetablesontheirtrays.”,