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The Baby and Toddler Cookbook: Fresh, Homemade Foods for a Healthy Start

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Give your baby or toddler the best start in life and help them grow up healthy, happy, and strong with delicious, homemade foods. The Baby & Toddler Cookbook is packed with 90 easy-to-prepare recipes made with wholesome ingredients.


Along with its companion volume, Baby and Toddler On the Go, The Baby and Toddler Cookbook offers a fresh and nutritious approach to feeding children from 6 months to 3 years.

Making fresh, homemade meals for your baby and toddler is one of the best ways to give him a healthy, happy start in life. And while every parent can appreciate the convenience of already-prepared foods, balancing them with wholesome meals you have prepared yourself not only provides better nutrition, but also teaches your baby good eating habits. Packed with over 90 recipes and loads of nutritional information, The Baby & Toddler Cookbook makes cooking healthy meals easy, even for busy parents. By setting aside only a few hours a week, you can make and store an array of nutritious foods to keep baby happy and fed. All along the way, this book will give you helpful hints, guidance, and plenty of recipes to ease your path to nutrition.

Each chapter begins with detailed information about the child's nutritional needs and how to address the needs at mealtime. Organized by age, the recipes follow, showing how to introduce different, appropriate foods at every development stage, from 6 months to 3 years. Each of baby’s stages is covered, from starting solid foods and introducing new ingredients and textures, to easing into toddlerhood with plenty of ideas for fun meals, snacks, and desserts. This book also includes tips for making foods ahead, using the freezer to maximum advantage, and making food fun for your toddler.

Selected recipes
-Sweet Potato Puree
-Creamy Pumpkin Risotto
-Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal
-Tofu, Rice & Avocado
-Almond Butter & Banana Bites
-Chicken & Veggie Pockets

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

103 people are currently reading
631 people want to read

About the author

Karen Ansel

7 books7 followers

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5 stars
104 (30%)
4 stars
150 (44%)
3 stars
69 (20%)
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13 (3%)
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for S. Garland.
246 reviews
February 1, 2015
What I like most about this cookbook as compared to others is that it has many "how to" and informative sections; also, the cookbook is more comprehensive in terms of the serving sizes by age, including some "do's and don'ts" for items such as sweets--which I appreciate.
Profile Image for Lindsey.
1,289 reviews4 followers
January 8, 2019
Though I didn't make everything, the cookbook had good ideas of spices to introduce and what seasonings could be coupled with which fruits and vegetables.
Profile Image for Susiane.
48 reviews
August 4, 2011
This probably sounds weird but I read a lot of cookbooks. I love to read cook books even though I don't cook. I've read a lot of baby cookbooks because I make my daughter her baby food. This is one of the better ones out there and its one of my favorites. I've made the apple cinnamon oatmeal almost everyday this week. Love this book!
Profile Image for Heather M L.
556 reviews32 followers
November 20, 2013
This is a fantastically good cookbook for babies. It has so much great information, and I find that of all the books on baby food that I have that I reference this one the most. It has some really creative, and healthy recipes, some you would not think up on your own. It's very well done and laid out/organized. It's such a fun, bright book.
Profile Image for Calvin.
63 reviews5 followers
July 15, 2016
I am really amazed at how much information is in this book, from basics to advanced it really reads and instructs well.
One flaw, if I can call it that, the quantities of the food that you end up with are generally small- but some of the more advanced recipes should have assumed you might be cooking for the rest of the family and baby.
1 review
July 22, 2012
A very easy to read and helpful toddler cook book. I was having a hard time feeding my toddler and this book really helped me focus of balanced nutrition and what my kid can actually eat at each stage. It is also filled with helpful tips and hints to get your kid to actually eat the food.
Profile Image for Brenda Christiansen.
118 reviews2 followers
August 24, 2012
I won a First Reads copy of this book and am so glad I did. This book has lots of great ideas for feeding little ones. The pictures are fantastic - they make the food look delicious. I am looking forward to trying out many of these recipes.
Profile Image for Amy.
29 reviews3 followers
August 28, 2012
This book is very bright so it is interesting to read/follow along. It really draws your attention to the pages, it is easy to follow, and it has pictures for some of the recipes. I won this book free through a goodreads giveaway, I would recommend this book!
Profile Image for robin marie.
115 reviews
April 3, 2014
Gorgeous photography, layout and presentation. I wanted to own the book just for that reason! However the recipes were pretty common sense if you already cook from scratch with fresh ingredients and I couldn't justify purchasing the book.
30 reviews1 follower
January 9, 2016
I enjoyed having a book to help me navigate feeding my first baby solid foods. The homemade baby food recipes were a hit. The toddler recipes are quite involved... I've made a few for the whole family, but they're a bit bland for adults. Overall, I've enjoyed this resource as a first time parent.
Profile Image for Laura.
52 reviews3 followers
September 26, 2012
Okay...nice layout, lovely photographs and good info....but nothing new really. Excellent starter book though if you are just beginning to make your baby's food.
Profile Image for Laura.
14 reviews2 followers
July 4, 2013
IT was good, but a lot of the recipes are hard work. While making purees are easy, these take an extra step that a busy mom can't handle~
Profile Image for Connie.
206 reviews
October 27, 2013
Beautiful book but far less useful than other baby food books I've used
Profile Image for Andrea Zabel.
30 reviews
July 30, 2013
Favorites: Apricot and Coconut Milk Rice Pudding, Indian-Spiced Lentil Stew, Baby's Chicken Chili, Chicken for Baby, Cucumber Yogurt and Milk, Roasted Gingery Plums
Profile Image for Lana.
284 reviews
September 10, 2013
Such an amazing book! Love the recipes and helpful tips throughout.
Profile Image for cassie.
348 reviews5 followers
May 4, 2014
Great ideas for chefs of all ability levels. My ten-month old son has loved everything I've made out of this book so far. A must-have for every new mom.
Profile Image for Rae Hellums.
37 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2015
Got so much good stuff from this book! My daughter LOVES the recipes for the 12+ months!
Profile Image for Floyd Larck.
Author 24 books5 followers
June 4, 2016
Another book purchased as a gift. Our daughter is a real do-it-yourselfer when it comes to cooking. We bought this book for her when her daughter was born and she just loves it.
Profile Image for Suchi Jain.
5 reviews1 follower
January 17, 2017
Found this book useful being a first time mommy. Food purées recipe by months, serving and preparation details was key thing I really liked about this book.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 23 reviews