I have a very sick baby again so haven't been around much - i will get around to all my review alert...
I have a very sick baby again so haven't been around much - i will get around to all my review alerts - i promise!!! xox
Member since:14.01.2006
Reviews:4
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Annabel Karmel's New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner is the latest addition in her range of cookery books, which include books for the whole family as well as ones specifically for babies and toddlers. I bought this book on a recommendation by Jamie Oliver's wife Jools (In her book Minus Nine to One - you didn't think I knew her personally did you :)). The book is also endorsed by Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
This, the latest edition of the book, was published in 2004 by Random House (www.randomhouse.co.uk).
In the introduction the author explains the need for good nutrition, especially in the first year of life, as it sets a trend for eating habits for life. Her four main rules are:-
- Fresh Food - Low Animal Fat - Low Sugar - Low Salt (no salt before one year).
Chapter One:- THE BEST FIRST FOODS FOR YOUR BABY. This chapter takes you through types of food suitable for babies, including obviously the different types of milk, also organic foods, gm free etc. It also has a comprehensive section on babies' nutritional requirements, and in which foods/combination of foods these can be obtained. It covers allergies and the types of foods to avoid in the early stages of weaning. You will also learn here the different ways of preparing the food, and equipment you will need (I will go into more detail about this further on).
Chapter Two:- FIRST-STAGE WEANING. This chapter covers the foods that are easiest to digest and unlikely to provoke any allergic reaction - making them ideal first foods. There is plenty of information on quantities baby should eat, textures they will tolerate at different stages of weaning, and very
handy tips for introducing solids for those of us (me too, even with baby no. 4!) who are a bit tentative, and are reassured by the guidance of an expert. There are many recipes in this chapter, all very simple to prepare from readily available foods. At the end of the chapter is a meal-planner chart covering the first five weeks of weaning. I will discuss these charts again later in the review.
Chapter Three:- SECOND-STAGE WEANING. This third chapter covers weaning from seven months through to nine, including the introduction of finger-foods. It also explains the importance of babies' recommended daily levels of iron being met through diet, as the store they were born with only lasts for approximately the first six months of life. The introduction of protein (meat, fish, chicken etc) to your babies' diet is included here, with plenty of wholesome recipes, again very simple to prepare. The second-stage meal planner then goes on to incorporate all of these things.
Chapter Four:- NINE TO TWELVE MONTHS Discusses social eating and the process of baby learning to feed him or herself. As babies of this age eat more finger foods - there is an essential chapter on what to do in the event that your baby chokes, and tells you which foods to avoid as being the most likely to become lodged in their throat if not properly chewed (I would have to add one in here that I feel is missing - processed cheeses. I know of a baby that very sadly died after choking on a Mini Babybel, in my opinion rubbery dense cheeses like this are highly dangerous to small children and should be avoided). Included in the recipes in this chapter are some lovely and highly nutritious breakfast ideas. Short meal planner again at the end just to guide you as to meal-times etc.
Chapter Five:- TODDLERS Gives advice on fussy eaters, and again the importance of enjoying meals with the family, as all babies learn from example. There is also a great section here which deals with presentation of food - my older daughters used to love me arranging their food on the plate to look like a smiley face - there was never a grumble about eating their dinner then! Most of the recipes in this chapter can be easily adapted to make a meal for the whole family, my 14 and 12 year olds love most of these recipes as much as my babies do! The meal planner at the end of this chapter shows you how to plan ahead and cook for the whole family from the recipes given.
The book then ends with the index (which is self-explanatory) and the authors acknowledgements (which I wont bore you with!)
I found this book very enjoyable to read, and very informative. It also gave me a great deal of pleasure cooking for my kids, knowing that what I was making was fresh and healthy, and that it wasn't going to be a disgusting disaster (as a few of my own efforts have been!), as I was following a recipe. The recipes are so simple, and the ingredients and nutritional requirements of your child explained so well, that I found it quite easy to adapt and alter them to experiment with different flavours. Although I havent yet cooked one of the recipes for the whole family (only the kids), I do find myself taste-testing the dishes as I am preparing them (just to check that they are turning out as they should - honestly:)), and I have found most of them delicious.
Now for the equipment you will find helpful:-
As the author states, most of the equipment you need will already be in your kitchen, a masher, a grater and a sieve for example. The things you may not have and you will need in order to make baby food in general are:-
- A Mouli. Now I had never heard of one of these, and it took me a while to find one (ebay was useless - that was a first!). I was finally successful in an online kitchen equipment shop, and it cost me around £14. This piece of equipment is essentially a hand-turned food mill that has a cutting disc, which separates the food from seeds and tough skins (strawberries and peas for example), and purees at the same time. Let me tell you, ten minutes of turning the handle on this thing will leave you looking like popeye! Well worth the money though, it makes the best mashed potatoes - no more lumpy spuds in my house :).
- A Blender or Food Processor. Self-explanatory, and many people will already have one if they ever attempt any form of cooking. I bought a baby food blender from Lakeland Plastics for my 3rd daughter so I used that, it was relatively inexpensive at around £10 (I think, if I recall, but dont quote me). However, a baby food blender only blends small amounts at a time, not ideal if you are batch-cooking.
- A Steamer. If you are going to bulk-cook and freeze then a multi-tiered steamer would be your best choice, although a steamer basket in a saucepan is sufficient if thats what you have.
- Ice-Cube Trays (?...I hear you ask). A very handy tip I picked up from this book is to freeze the prepared food in ice-cube trays and then store in freezer bags (you will also need a plentiful supply of these). Then you can defrost the food as and when needed in just the right portions for your baby, and it also allows you to make different combinations of food easily (i.e. prepare your basics separately then you can mix carrots with peas one day and then with swede another!)
The only problem (if you can call it that) I have with this book is the meal-planner charts. Although the author does explain that these charts are just a guide and that every baby is different, I dont think that any of my children have ever eaten the amounts per day that are shown here. However all my children are happy and healthy (thankfully) and certainly don't go hungry, so I did not get too concerned with the discrepancy between the book amounts and what my children actually consume. (The book doesnt actually give weights of portions - its the frequency of feeding that I personally found unrealistic in regards to my own children). This however could cause worry in a new parent, and that would be unfortunate.
In conclusion, I found (and still do) this book to be indispensible in my quest for healthy and well-fed children, and (of lesser importance obviously ;)), my desire to be a good cook!
I purchased this book from Play.com for £9.99 inc. p&p (cover price £12.99). There are many many book stores online though, so it might be worth checking the prices on a few to see if it is cheaper elsewhere - especially since a lot of January sales are still on.
I hope you enjoyed this review and found it helpful - thank you for taking the time to read it. Lesley x
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