Camila Alves McConaughey takes on picky eaters, with love

Camila Alves McConaughey has cowritten a new children’s book about a bunch of picky eaters. Only in this case, the picky eaters aren’t the children.

“Just Try One Bite” (Penguin Random House) follows three kids as they try to get their parents to put down the ice cream, cake and chicken fried steak and embrace healthy, whole foods. Actually, all the kids want is for the adults to take a single bite of anything healthy.

“It’s not about preaching being perfect. I know I’m not. I know my household is not. We’ve got a ways to go,” says the model and entrepreneur. “It’s about making small changes.”

The rhyming book — co-written with Adam Mansbach and illustrated by Mike Boldt — features well-meaning kids confronting their junk-food-loving parents (who somewhat resemble Alves and her husband, actor Matthew McConaughey) about giving kale a chance, a role reversal with plenty of humor.

“One of the most important conversation to have about doing better for yourself is early on,” says Alves from her home in Texas. “If you start giving kids the understanding and the knowledge, all of a sudden you start seeing them feel empowered and make better decisions on their own.”

Alves — mother to Levi, 13, Vida, 12, and Livingston, 9 — is candid about the challenges parents face with picky eaters, noting that siblings go through different stages at different times.

One way she keeps the household happy is by sticking to good dietary rules all week and then having free-for-all-Friday, when everyone can eat what they want.

Alves advocates making small changes and embracing the notion that no one’s perfect. She admits her kids have busted her on her chocolate addiction, and she’s moving toward less sweet, darker versions. “No matter what stage you’re in, there’s always room to do a little bit better.”