Annabel Karmel's New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner is a number 1 best seller and you can quickly understand why when you have checked out the book for yourslef. I have come to be in possesion of this wonderous item as my sister in law bought it for me as soon as she discovered I was pregnant.
Annabel Karmel is a mother - great news for me as I am pretty fed up of reading harsh advice in books from women who are not mothers. She is also coron bleu cook. Two great qualifications in my eyes! Inspired by trying to create the best for her own children she has created quick, simple and easy meals for babies through to toddlers. Been as a recent goverment study has shown that two thirds of cancer can be linked to the foods that we eat, giving healthy food to my baby is a big priority.
The book itself takes you through the various stages of weaning, advising on the best foods to give, what sort of benefits each food will bring and ways to introduce more variety. There are also weekly plans to use as a guide through each stage, from first tastes through to toddlers.
The book is complete with over 200 recipies which again, can be used as a guidline to create great meals for your baby. I have not only used the recipies but also used the book as a reference guide as to how much food, how much milk, what sort of foods etc, I can give to my son. When you find that you are given conflicting advice all the time, it is good to have a central place to double check.
Quick and easy recipies such as avocado and banana was went down well with lots of smiles when I first started weaning and now I am starting to do things like 'my first bolognese sauce' and 'pop eye pasta'!
There is also great advice on how to make life easier, bulk preperation, storage ideas etc and encouragement to make up your own recipies based on her guidlines. Advice on feezing small amounts of pureed vegetables for future thawing and combining come in very useful. Anything to make life easier!
Another useful section is high risk foods, and signs to look for in babies if they have experienced any reactions. Something I will be paying close attention to as I suspect a gluten intolerance in my son.
So far I have found this book incredibly useful in the first stages of weaning and now I find myself referring to it again, as I progress into more family types of foods. I am sure that it will become invaluable as we progress through to toddler- dom.
Toddlers has its own chapter with advice on self feeding, what to do if your child won't eat... mealtimes as a family etc along with what sort of dietry requirements your toddler will have. Everything is covered, with baking the first birthday cake, over weight toddlers, snacks, and making fun shaped food! oh the joys I've got to come!
A great useful fun to read book with great advice and endlessly useful. This book is priced at £12.99 but you can pick it up for around 6 or 7 of the internet.
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I had heard about this book before, but have not yet bought it, I will now.great review.
lipsalve 05.05.2006 00:31
I agree AK is brilliant with all her advice and exciting ideas. Jo x
krazykat2005 03.05.2006 13:08
I have heard nothing but good things about this book from all the other mothers I talk to. I haven't got it though as my mum managed to get me something similar (though not as comprehensive) at the fantastic price of £1. Kat x
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