Baker - Natural baby food: over 150 wholesome, nutritious recipes for your baby and toddler

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Natural Baby Food
Text copyright 2016 Sonali Ruder

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN: 978-1-57826-604-3
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-57826-605-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

Cover Design by Carolyn Kasper

v3.1

CONTENTS

S TARTING SOLID FOODS IS one of the biggest milestones in your babys first year of life. Its also an exciting time for new parents. You and your baby are about to set off on quite an adventure, as you introduce them to a whole new world of flavors. This journey is going to be fun (and messy!), but above all, it will be a significant bonding experience and a learning process for both of you.

For some parents, introducing solid foods can be confusing and intimidating. Even though you might be eager to get your baby off to a good culinary start, you may be unsure of how to begin. Most parents have a lot of questions. When should my baby start solids? What should they be eating? What should they avoid? How often should they be eating? How do I know if theyve had enough?

I had a lot of the same questions myself when I was a new mom. There are a lot of myths and inconsistencies when it comes to what you should and should not feed your baby, so you may hear conflicting information. Some of this stems from the fact that recommendations have changed a lot in recent years, as more and more research has emerged. Many of the foods that were once forbidden to babies before the one year mark are now allowed, starting at 6 months.

So why homemade baby food? After my daughter Sienna was born, I started making my own baby food because it felt natural for me. After all, I went to culinary school; I cook most of the meals in our household. Making meals for my daughter just felt like an extension of what I was already doing. Im a foodie after all; I love food, and I wanted to instill that same passion in my daughter.

Sonalis daughter, Sienna

But it became so much more than that. I began to realize how important it was for me to start establishing my daughters healthy eating habits at an early age. The more research I did, the more I realized that dietary patterns are set early in life. Childhood obesity is an epidemic in this country, with 10 percent of children 25 years old suffering from obesity. This puts them at a higher risk for chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Its crucial to lay the foundation of healthy eating habits from the beginning. Once you start your baby on solids, you have a short but critical window of opportunity to help train their taste buds. By making your own baby food at home, you can use fresh, natural, wholesome ingredients, and teach your baby to appreciate and love the real flavors of food.

I wanted to create a comprehensive resource for new parents so that they could get the most pertinent medical and nutritional information, as well as a wide variety of nutritious recipes that would be useful for years to come. Drawing on my background as both a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a chef, this book combines the science of nutrition with the art of cooking to give you the confidence and tools you need to become your babys own personal chef. Mealtime doesnt have to be stressful or intimidating, and you dont need to be a highly skilled cook to make your own baby food. The truth is, its actually quite easy.

The recipes in this book are simple and easily adaptable. You can use these recipes from the time your little one takes his or her first bite of solid food, all the way through the toddler years and beyond. The book starts with single ingredient purees for when you first start your baby on solids, and then progresses to combination dishes, incorporating a wide range of flavors and textures. Many of the recipes have optional add-ins like herbs, spices, and other ingredients for a boost of flavor. After all, baby food doesnt have to be bland! Herbs and spices are a great way to add flavor to your babys food, and many of them also have important health benefits. So start developing your little foodies palate now!

As children grow up and begin eating from the family table, their diets start to mirror the eating patterns they see in adults and older children. Its for this reason that the last chapter of this book focuses on recipes that are meant to be shared by the whole family. Sitting together at the dinner table and sharing meals is an invaluable experience. You are the best teachers and examples your baby has to follow.

And as soon as your baby is old enough, try to get them in the kitchen with you! I couldnt wait to get Sienna in the kitchen with me. When she was younger, she would sit in her high chair and watch me cook. Now that shes a little older, shes an active participant in the kitchenmommys little helper. My heart swells with pride when she asks if she can cook with mommy. Plus, I know that if she helps make a dish, theres a much better chance that shell eat it. As she grows up, I look forward to spending many hours in the kitchen with her: cooking together, sharing my passion for food, and helping to lay the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

My goal is to provide you with the proper information and the confidence to go into the kitchen and do the same with your baby. By reading this book, youve already taken a step in the right direction. By offering your baby a wide variety of healthful and delicious homemade food, you can help them become a well rounded and adventurous eater.

The upcoming months are going to be an exciting time for you and your little one. Weve all seen those adorable pictures of babies with food smeared all over their faces. Now its your turn. These are memories that will last a lifetime, so relax, have fun, and get your camera ready!