Ruggiero Tina - The best homemade baby food on the planet: know what goes into every bite with more than 200 of the most deliciously nutritious homemade baby food recipes

This well-written and highly attractive book surpasses the traditional expert advice on the nutritional content and preparation of healthy foods by invoking a developmental approach to infant nutrition. In addition to learning about healthy food selection and preparation, the reader is introduced to such developmental landmarks as the infants readiness to start solids and to begin to familiarize with spoon feeding and the tastes and textures of various foods, and the emergence of such skills as swallowing and chewing. Descriptions of subtle behavioral cues of feeding readiness, such as the infant leaning towards a spoonful of solid food, provide a clear and sound rationale for nutritional recommendations. Cogent explanations of the role of nutrients such as fat and vitamins in infant physiology inform the selection of healthy foods. The reader will not only learn how simple it is to make their babys meals at home, but also understand the developmental and physiological rationales for healthy food choices. This is anticipatory guidance on infant nutrition at its best!

PAUL H. DWORKIN, M.D., Professor and Chair of Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief of the Connecticut Childrens Medical Center

As the obesity epidemic spreads across the world and parents become more concerned than ever with what to put in their childrens mouths, The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet takes a lot of the guesswork and frustration out of this important parenting task. It is a must-have for parents and grandparents alike.

VICTORIA MCEVOY, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Medical Director and Chief of Pediatrics at Massachusetts General West Medical Group

Tina Ruggiero and Karin Knight have compiled an amazingly beautiful cookbook that shows you how easy it is to make healthy and attractive food for even the pickiest of little ones. The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet guides you through the first foods to finger foods and beyond with style and ease.

ROBIN ELISE WEISS, L.C.C.E., C.L.C., mother of eight and author of The Complete Illustrated Pregnancy Companion and The Better Way to Breastfeed

Know What Goes into Every Bite with
More than 200 of the Most Deliciously Nutritious
Homemade Baby Food Recipes

Karin Knight, R.N.
Tina Ruggiero, M.S., R.D., L.D.

To Jody and Robert
Karin Knight

For Mom and Dad with love
Tina Ruggiero

Contents

INTRODUCTION
High-Fives from the High Chair

CHAPTER ONE
1, 2, 3, Homemade: Your Pure and Simple Guide to Making the Best Baby Food on the Planet

CHAPTER TWO
Feeding Your Baby the Bestfrom Six to Eleven Months

PLEASING PURES FOR YOUR LITTLE PEA:
Recipes for Six Months

HEALTHY NEW TASTES TO ENTICE AND EXPLORE:
Recipes for Seven Months

TOTALLY TUBULAR NEW TEXTURES:
Recipes for Eight Months

MOST-EXCELLENT MOUTHFULS:
Recipes for Nine Months

NATURALLY NOURISHING BITES:
Recipes for Ten Months

WHOLESOME MEALS FOR A HAPPY HEAD START:
Recipes for Eleven Months

CHAPTER THREE
Feeding Your Toddler the Bestfrom Twelve to Twenty-Three Months

PERFECTLY BALANCED BOWLS AND PLATES:
Recipes for Twelve to Seventeen Months

WATCH ME, MOM! MEALS FOR THE ACTIVE TODDLER:
Recipes for Eighteen to Twenty-Three Months

CHAPTER FOUR
Getting the Best Early NutritionA Reference for Your Baby and Toddler

CHAPTER FIVE
Special Considerations

CHAPTER SIX
Resources and References

In an era where everything is fastfrom the food we eat to the pace we keepyou might think its impossible to make your own baby food, but this book will show you how in surprisingly simple ways that save you time, effort, and money.

This book was written for every parent who wants to give their child the gift of healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. For parents, grandparents, and other caregivers, The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet will become your trusted resource when it comes to feeding infants and toddlers. Each recipe has been professionally tested and baby approved, and most can be made in less than 10 minutes.

The recipes use common ingredients that you probably have on hand, and many can be safely refrigerated for a few days or frozen for later use. Some dont even require cooking! Best of all, the recipes in this book have significant nutrient value and will help babies and toddlers develop a well-rounded palate thats essential to establishing preferences for vegetables, fruit, and other superfoods important for proper growth and development.

Given the health issues beginning to plague very young childrenfrom obesity to type 2 diabetesits imperative that parents introduce infants to nourishing, high-quality foods from the outset since doing so will help shape a childs food preferences and positively impact them for life. This book seeks to help you on this path by providing you with delectable, straightforward recipes that are perfectly portioned for the healthy baby and toddler. No matter which recipes you prepare, each offers taste, nutrition, simplicity, and enjoyment.

Take out your blender, feeding spoon, and baby bib and get ready for a fun-filled adventure with your little one. There are many tasty memories ahead!

Every child begins the world again.
Henry David Thoreau

W hile it might sound complicated, making your own baby food is really quite simple. You dont need special skills, lots of time, or expensive produce. All you need are fresh ingredients and a few simple tools. By following our suggestions on the next several pages, youll be a pro in no time, and your babys first meals will be an exciting and enjoyable experience for both of you!

Theres nothing like the taste of fresh, homemade baby food. And theres no doubt its more nutritious than the commercially prepared varieties. Why? Because the ingredients used to make ready-made baby foods are heated to very high temperatures to sterilize them and to extend their shelf life. While this makes the food safe for baby and convenient for you, the process also destroys most of the natural flavors and aromas and even worse, some of the key nutrients. See for yourself; compare the homemade pures in this book with the commercial brands you find in your local grocery store. Youll be amazed by the difference.