5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent introduction to Weaning

M. · 22 January 2011

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } I bought this book in advance of weaning my twin boys. I really didn't have a clue where to start, but i knew i wanted to get it right and have them eating a varied, balanced diet. The book is very good as there is lots of information before the recipes, about starting solids, foods to avoid, how to cook and store baby food, and a chapter on allergies and intolerances which i found extremely helpful considering one of my twins developed severe excema at 3 months old. The book is divided into chaptersfirst stage weaning: 6 Monthsafter first tastes 6-7 Monthssecond stage weaning 7-9 Monthsgrowing independence 9-12 MonthsI find the different chapters were good as it gave you an idea of what different food to give your child and at what age. All in all, the recipes in the book are pretty easy to follow (even if cooking isn't your greatest thing) and you can adapt them to make them easier or if you haven't got a certain ingredient in your kitchen. Bright colourful pictures, easy to follow instructions etc.My twins are a year old now and i have used this book constantly since beginning weaning at 5 months, my boys are healthy and pretty much eat anything they are given, and i must say i think this is due in part to this book. The only weaning book i have owned so i can't compare it to others, but after having it i wouldn't need another one. I've recommended it to many friends, lent it out (but not for too long), and can highly recommend it to everyone on here. A must have for any mum.

5.0 out of 5 stars A really helpful read

A. · 17 February 2011

I bought this book in preparation for my daughter to start weaning and found it invaluable.Annabel advises which foods you must avoid until certain ages and also which tastes are best to start your baby on. The book is separated into sections according to the age of your baby and includes some interesting combinations of both sweet and savoury dishes. I found the book also gave me the confidence to vary the recipes and try whatever ingredients I had available.My daughter had a sensitive gag reflex therefore baby-led weaning was not an option. I really enjoyed making the recipes and trying them out. It was satisfying to know exactly what has gone into the food and they were much more appertising than bought baby foods.One tip I would give would be that unless you have tonnes of spare time (I don't know anyone with a young child who does) then don't bother making your own stock, you can buy baby stock cubes from Boots and I think Heinz make some too. They are much quicker and easier to use.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for uncertain first time mums

A. · 5 April 2011

I have only started using this book and so far I find it great. It gives simple, easy to follow instructions to make the purees. The book has given me a real confidence in preparing food for my little one and has made weaning a fun and enjoyable experience. I have bought all the different fruits and vegs and our fridge is already full of little bags of ice cubes. This book was recommended to me by several mums and I have already been recommending it to any mums I meet who are nervous about starting solids.However, if you aren't big into food preparation and prefer ready meals, you may find it time consuming and prefer to buy ready made baby foods, but if you enjoy cooking and preparing fresh foods, it is great. The book offers some advice on foods to avoid etc but as the title suggests it is mainly a recipe book and does not give much info on the actual weaning process.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for weaning!

M. · 15 June 2013

This is an excellent book with great recipes and I love the fact that it breaks everything down explaining what nutrients each vegetable and fruit contain and their importance for the baby I had always assumed that I needed to keep the recipes plain and I was afraid to introduce chicken but I want my baby son who is 6months to have a really varied diet especially as fruit and vegetables are a big part of myself and my husbands diet. This book helped me experiment with a more varied range of ingredients and my baby loves them he hasn't refused anything yet! he has even been eating avocado! I loved the fish fillet recipe and so did the baby, it makes me happy to see him eating such fresh and nutritious meals and I feel secure in the fact that each recipe is tailored to the needs of his age group so I don't feel I am putting his digestive system under pressure too early. I would definitely recommend this book, I am a first time mum and this takes the worry out of weaning which can be daunting at times! Also great value!

5.0 out of 5 stars Baby food so good you will want to eat it yourself!

E. · 12 July 2010

I was lent a copy of this book when my son was tiny - I liked it so much I bought my own copy, and I now have a happy healthy (hungry!) 1 year old who eats just about anything and everything - fruit, veg, chicken, beef, fish, lamb ...Its just such an easy book to follow, from first flavours to 12 months. The recipes are dead easy, you only need a hand blender or a basic food processor, and my little boy still enjoys so many of the recipes (I just chop them now instead of pureeing). In fact a couple of the dishes are so delicious (especially My First Beef Casserole) I make them for me and hubby as well as my son!We're about ready to move on to Toddler foods now, but if you're about to start weaning and want to cook your own baby foods, I can't recommend this book enough.

A gift for a friend

K.N. · 26 January 2015

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } This was a Gift for a friend of mine and she was really happy about this. She told me, that the receipes are easy to make! So that's all I could say about this... :)

very good recipes

s. · 25 May 2021

baby just loves these recipes

LOVE this book, and baby loves the food

E.H. · 8 February 2012

I have a few baby food cooking books and this one is by far my favorite. Before I got Annabel's book I was often turning to jarred baby foods because I lacked the inspiration to cook my own homemade baby food, but that all changed with her book. Now I am inspired to cook for my son and am feeding him healthy fresh organic options every day. And it's saving me a lot of money over jarred food as well. The recipes are easy and don't take much time. I appreciate that they are organized by baby's age and give quick info on the side of each recipe like whether or not it is suitable for freezing, very helpful.There are not a ton of recipes in the book, but the beautiful photos and layout of the book inspire me to make more homemade food for my son than the larger books with more recipes that are not much fun to look through. Annabel gives just enough basic info and recipes for the reader to get the idea on how to make any simple veggie or fruit puree and then she gets to the more interesting recipes. Before getting this book I never would have tried cooking my son meals that start with sauteing onions in butter and then adding chicken stock and veggies, but turns out he loves them and I'm glad he is experiencing more interesting tastes than the bland and boring jarred baby foods. I usually make up a recipe and then freeze it in little cubes for future meals (which works great!), but the recipes are so delicious that a few times after making one I decided to serve it to the whole family as a hot side dish rather than freezing for later use. Even my husband was pleasantly surprised at how delicious the food is.I highly recommend this book.

I like it very much

H. · 25 February 2021

Very help full to understand baby food.

Great book for mothers and babies

F. · 20 January 2021

Beautiful book with lots of helpful tips and healthy ideas. Simply and clearly written without adding repetitive or useless information. Baby even loves looking at all the pictures and colors! Many recipes are common sense (fruit + water) but I still enjoy having this book in my kitchen.