Better Baby Food: Your Essential Guide to Nutrition, Feeding and Cooking for All Babies and Toddlers

Having a mother who is an RN, and yet not wanting to be a health-crazed maniac, I struggled with the idea of Gerber/prepacked baby foods versus doing it myself in our own kitchen. My mother recommended "Better Baby Food", as it was used by her hospital's cookstaff for pediatric menus. What an indispensible guide it proved to be and the continuation book "Better Food for Kids" is every bit as wonderful! The recipes produce foods that are easy (if you are tired or juggling multiple children or a full time career) and really great in regard to: variety of taste, color and texture and our whole family enjoys many of the meals in the later sections and the earlier stage recipes make for great side items to meals! Great tips on feeding picky eaters and special dietary concerns for both the healthy and the ill/child with mallady. If you are like me and considering making your own baby food there are great tips like usuing a handblender/food processer/hand chopper to puree or small chunk soft or cooked foods (making sure to add the water left from cooking process to add back in extra nutrients)--then spoon into ice cube trays and freeze--later plop these into little sandwich baggies or tupperware in freezer for quickie meals--we would take an ice blob of peas and another of golden delicious apples and ask for a mug of hot water at a restaurant to thaw it out and warm it, our daughter loved it...and it really was easy...and really did save MONEY! There actually is just 1 chapter devoted to each stage of age and eating, but index in back refers reader to many referenced items that cross apply throughout each stage (i.e. allergies). As for the other review's notation about questioning recipies with butter, sugar, etc...a little, in moderation is what all doctor's or anyone of authority in the medical or nutrional world recommend, unless allergic or there's a known health consideration. My advice, if you are truly concerned about things like sugar, substitute apple juice or apple sauce, which if that is a health/diet concern you would probably already known anyway! Great book---I pair this with the "Better Food for Kids" as a continuation and another little item for all baby showers I attend and so far no complaints, lots of thanks later on actually!!!

This is an excellent book for easy starter meals for baby's just getting their teeth and toddlers. The recipes are quick to make and simple and most contain ingrediants already found in your kitchen. They provide a nice variation in a child's diet and some adults may enjoy the recipes as well.

When I was raising babies I was completely unprepared for what to feed them, how much to feed them, and when to introduce new healthy foods. A few years ago I purchased this book when searching for a baby gift for a friend. Now I buy both the Better Baby Food and Better Food for Kids for all my friends and relatives having babies. Everyone loves this gift!! I even purchased a copy for myself and still find the recipes great for teenagers and just the presentation makes the recipes look so simple. I also like checking the nutritional value and feel better knowing what goes into each recipe. These books are incredible and I will continue to purchase them.

I love this book. I didn't know anything about how to feed a baby past the breast feeding stage and this book was a God sent! It gives you all info you need on when to introduce foods and how to help with special dietary needs - if you have them. The recipes are delicious and fairly easy, my husband and I eat from them all the time and my 15 month old son has loved the food from the start. I bought it at a baby show and it really helped me to keep my son on an appitizing and well-balanced diet. I will definately buy the next book for ages 2-5. Keep up the great work.

My 17 month old has enjoyed every recipe I have tried. In fact my husband and I have also enjoyed the recipes. The recipes are designed for small meals so that even if your child does not enjoy them, there is not much food that has been wasted. All the ingredients are easily found in any store. I would very much recommend this book to anyone wanting some fresh ideas on what to feed a toddler.