First Meals makes it simple for you to feed your children 5 and younger in the most healthy, economical, and least labor-intensive way possible--with food you have cooked yourself! A lively, easy-to-use cookbook with photographs on every page and more than 150 recipes, First Meals ranges from the first solid foods a baby should eat, to meals the entire family can enjoy. Nutritional information for all recipes is included, as well as preparation and cooking times, freezing instructions, and special tips for fussy or allergy-plagued eaters. Author Annabel Karmel, Cordon Bleu-trained chef and mother of three, has organized First Meals by ages (4-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months, etc.), making this a must-have guidebook for any family with "under-5s".
There's a popular game at baby showers in which the new mom-to-be has to taste jarred baby food and guess its contents. Inevitably, the first comment is "Yuk! How do they eat this stuff?" The answer, of course, is that babies don't know there's an alternative--fresh, delicious, wholesome food made at home. In the beautifully and extensively illustrated First Meals, Annabel Karmel explains how simple and satisfying it is to make baby's food yourself--from the earliest mashed banana and steamed carrot purees to Singapore Noodles for 3- to 5-year-olds.
Karmel begins with an extensive section on early nutrition, pointing out that while grownups are often encouraged to follow a high-fiber, low-fat diet, "the under 5s need significantly more fat and concentrated sources of calories and nutrients to fuel their rapid growth during the early years." Continuing her "Basics" chapter are sections on keeping a well-stocked pantry; the equipment you'll need; illustrated, step-by-step instructions on preparing your first purees; and notes on freezing and reheating food. Close-up views of spoonfuls of puree are especially helpful for nervous first-time chefs. Chapters of recipes and feeding information are then broken down by age--4-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months, 12-18 months, 18 months-2 years, 2-3 years, and 3-5 years, with each chapter addressing the particularities of the given age (questions about starting solids are answered for parents of 4-6-month-olds, while maintaining a healthy and varied diet and packing lunches are the concerns for the preschool child), along with 20 or more recipes appropriate to the child's level.
First published in England, the book has been "translated" well--ingredients are measured both in cups and in grams, and while there might be more parsnips called for than one normally sees in a North American diet, nearly every ingredient is obtainable at your regular supermarket. Karmel is up-to-date on the most recently accepted food recommendations as of 1999--she advises families with food allergies to avoid peanuts until a child is 3 years old, and while she cooks with cow's milk after 9 months, she doesn't recommend offering it in a cup until baby has reached his first birthday. Most importantly, she preaches a gospel of variety and of fun at mealtime. Cheesy Pasta Stars are made with tiny "stelline" pasta, and homemade Chicken Nuggets (made with grated apple and parsley in the breading) are formed in the shape of hearts--enough to break down the barriers of any picky eater. Stuffed Baked Potatoes become sailboats with cheese triangle sails and red pepper flags, and "Mock Fried Egg" looks just like the real thing--except it's vanilla yogurt with half an apricot on top! So trust your taste buds and leave those jars at the store--Annabel Karmel's First Meals will inspire you in the kitchen and leave your kids pounding the table for more. --Rebecca A. Staffel
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
First Meals:
This book was just what I was looking for! Great, easy, tasty recipes. My one year old has enjoyed the recipes I've made from this book, a nice change from the usual. Wonderful advice about the different stages and how to get picky eaters to eat their veggies! Would highly recommend to moms and dads who are looking to provide a healthy alternative to store-bought pre-packaged foods.
Everything has tasted good!:
I've made several of the recipes for my 10 month old. He has liked every one of them. They aren't too difficult to make, and the ingredients are simple. I can go to the store without a list, and generally remember what I need to get for a recipe.
Beautiful pictures, some great purees, but lots of false nutritional information that can be harmful for your child:
First of all, I bought the book Superfoods as well ( that one has the same basic recipes, but with gorgeous illustrations) and my review for that book will be the same.
The plus side to both books is that Annabel Karmel is very creative. I mean very. She makes food so presentable to children ( esp toddlers)and very fun to make ( if you have the time). She even gives some accurate nutritional info about the importance of garlic, ginger, and other herbs/spices in a person's diet ( however, she fails to... more info
Fun, fast and healthy:
If you really are interested in preparing your children's food because you are sick to death of all the unhealthy garbage that proliferates prepackaged food then this book is for you. If you are just wanting something easy, then it probably isn't. Other reviewers scoffed at using semolina, etc but these ingredients are actually relatively easy to find. The trouble is most of us have just gotten so complacent that we don't move beyond our norm. Also, this kindsof ingredients are much healthier for your child... more info
