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The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook: Delicious Recipes That Will Help Your Baby Learn to Eat Solid Foods―and That the Whole Family Will Enjoy
The original baby-led weaning cookbook—with 130 delicious recipes
Forget baby purées and spoon-feeding—there’s an easier, more natural way to introduce your little one to solid foods. By about six months—when babies can sit up unassisted, grab things, and munch on them—they are ready to join the family at the kitchen table and discover real, solid food for themselves. Now, with The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook, cooking family meals that your little one can share will be a cinch. Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett—founders of the baby-led weaning movement—collect 130 recipes perfectly suited for baby-led weaning, as well Help your baby learn to feed themselves, gauge their appetite, and love a variety of nutritious foods—while creating exciting, enjoyable mealtimes.
Forget baby purées and spoon-feeding—there’s an easier, more natural way to introduce your little one to solid foods. By about six months—when babies can sit up unassisted, grab things, and munch on them—they are ready to join the family at the kitchen table and discover real, solid food for themselves. Now, with The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook, cooking family meals that your little one can share will be a cinch. Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett—founders of the baby-led weaning movement—collect 130 recipes perfectly suited for baby-led weaning, as well Help your baby learn to feed themselves, gauge their appetite, and love a variety of nutritious foods—while creating exciting, enjoyable mealtimes.
192 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
March 31, 2014
Yes, recommend to everyone! Cave babies gotta eat them mastodon drumsticks. NOTE: grandmas do not feel ok about baby-led weaning and will suggest teething biscuits or bat the baby's arms out of the way and feed him applesauce while you go out to dinner, but that's ok, he'll get plenty of other opportunities to totally destroy a sandwich and get hummus in his hair.
November 18, 2013
Update #1: Gearing up to start baby number 2 on solids in the next month or so and we're going to give this a go again.
Overall, BLW worked pretty well for our older son. At 22 months now, he's generally a good eater. Does he eat his vegetables all the time? No. But he's also not one of those kids that refuses all food excepting a rotating three items. He's also still a pretty messy eater compared to his peers and is spotty with cutlery. But we loved how easy the feeding process was for him and there were no worries transitioning between textures when he was an older infant. Our daycare provider raved about how well this method worked for them in the classroom as well.
Do I think BLW makes for a better, less obese eater? Not really, and the book only includes anecdotal evidence, so don't expect much from the claims. Just do what you feel is right for your kid.
My second son has a more sensitive tummy (heaven forbid we give him any formula) so I'm curious to see how this all plays out.
This gives a great overview of the self-feeding process. I knew I wanted to go this route with my son, but really wanted a how-to on which foods to feed first, etc. since it's not the "traditional" stages/puree feeding that most do with their babies. It also describes how to tell if your baby is ready for this method. It doesn't necessarily list exact foods that are best, but it does describe textures that are good to start with. The whole first section is just enough information for me to give good talking points for when curious and/or judgmental family and friends ask why he's munching on an avocado slice at six months.
I have yet to try any of the recipes, but I know I will. I am looking for flavorful recipes that don't include a lot of salt (I know I can omit it from other recipes, but if salt is the only seasoning...) since it's not good for babies. Plus, the point of BLW is for the baby to eat what you're eating, so these recipes should facilitate just that.
Overall, BLW worked pretty well for our older son. At 22 months now, he's generally a good eater. Does he eat his vegetables all the time? No. But he's also not one of those kids that refuses all food excepting a rotating three items. He's also still a pretty messy eater compared to his peers and is spotty with cutlery. But we loved how easy the feeding process was for him and there were no worries transitioning between textures when he was an older infant. Our daycare provider raved about how well this method worked for them in the classroom as well.
Do I think BLW makes for a better, less obese eater? Not really, and the book only includes anecdotal evidence, so don't expect much from the claims. Just do what you feel is right for your kid.
My second son has a more sensitive tummy (heaven forbid we give him any formula) so I'm curious to see how this all plays out.
This gives a great overview of the self-feeding process. I knew I wanted to go this route with my son, but really wanted a how-to on which foods to feed first, etc. since it's not the "traditional" stages/puree feeding that most do with their babies. It also describes how to tell if your baby is ready for this method. It doesn't necessarily list exact foods that are best, but it does describe textures that are good to start with. The whole first section is just enough information for me to give good talking points for when curious and/or judgmental family and friends ask why he's munching on an avocado slice at six months.
I have yet to try any of the recipes, but I know I will. I am looking for flavorful recipes that don't include a lot of salt (I know I can omit it from other recipes, but if salt is the only seasoning...) since it's not good for babies. Plus, the point of BLW is for the baby to eat what you're eating, so these recipes should facilitate just that.
September 3, 2013
My daughter decided against eating all purées and I was loosing hope that she would ever start to eat solids until I heard about baby led weaning- this book gives you the confidence to feed your baby from the table and helped me realize that maybe my daughter just wanted a little more flavor!
February 3, 2018
This book provides both the reasons why and the "how-to" for Baby Led Solids. "Weaning" is not what this is about - really, this book helped me prepare for introducing solids to my six month old, who has been wanting to eat off my plate for several weeks! The recipes are simple and delicious and portioned just right for two adults and a baby. If you have a bigger family, there is a cookbook that serves the right size portions. This was recommended to me over the original "Baby Led Weaning" book, since it comes with recipes to help introduce a variety of foods. I highly recommend it.
June 23, 2021
Not bad. I'm late on the "baby-led weaning" train and honestly terrified (any gagging throws me into full on defensive mode) but little man is 9 months old and really needs to start experimenting with different textures. It gave me a good idea of what sorts of things to go for and the realization that it's literally just everyday, ordinary food and I'm definitely over thinking solids.
June 13, 2024
I got some really great ideas from this book, especially how to first start out with BLW. I also appreciated how the recipes were culturally relevant to a large audience.
March 30, 2020
Much more than just a recipe book. Loads of great tips and explanations of everything. About half the book is information and half is recipes.
January 6, 2016
This book has a good review of the concepts of the BLW book (good for review or other caregivers to do a quick overview), however the recipes didn't help me that much. Basically it's sodium and sugar-free versions of classics and British food (with most recipes containing eggs and dairy). So if you're a novice in the kitchen, it gives you some ideas to start with. If you cook regularly, you might just consider getting the original Baby-Led Weaning book instead and eliminate sugar/salt from your basic recipes.
This book did give me confidence to start BLW, as I was able to see examples of how to more easily prepare some veggies. And I wouldn't have thought to make Yorkshire Pudding!
This book did give me confidence to start BLW, as I was able to see examples of how to more easily prepare some veggies. And I wouldn't have thought to make Yorkshire Pudding!
September 17, 2017
A collection of BLW recipes. Easy to dip in and out of when needed. I feel that more veg could be added to the dishes to bulk them out a bit more for hungrier people. Most of the recipes were good and we would have again. The favourite by all is the tomato and tuna pasta!
December 27, 2021
A good reminder on the basics for me since it summarises the original book in 50 or so pages. The actual recipes are good ones but I really like pictures with my cookbooks so that means it doesn't get 5 stars.
February 28, 2019
The recipes are so easy to follow but BLW did not turn out the way I imagined - being a working mom and not having full control over what my baby eats I can’t be as creative as I wanted!
January 1, 2022
O conceito do Baby-Led Weaning em si achei muito interessante. Para quem não estiver familiarizado com o mesmo, vale a pena conhecer.
O livro divide-se em duas partes, uma primeira em que introduz e explica esse conceito, e uma segunda que fornece receitas e dicas para o implementar na prática.
A primeira parte é sucinta e aborda os pontos-chave do BLW de forma competente, no entanto, já tendo lido bastante sobre esse assunto online, não considero que tenha acrescentado muito ao que já sabia.
Sobre a segunda, as receitas, não sei muito bem o que dizer. Se tentar ser imparcial penso que está bem estruturado, contudo como detesto cozinhar, inovar ou experimentar pratos estranhos, estou claramente fora da minha zona de conforto e muito longe do público-alvo deste género de livros. Considero que o que tem de melhor acaba por ser também o que tem de pior, que é ter receitas muito estranhas para mim, visivelmente mais adaptadas à realidade britânica, como seria de esperar, sendo essa a nacionalidade da sua autora. Se por um lado isso pode ser interessante por incentivar a variedade para comer e dar a conhecer diferentes pratos, paladares e abordagens, por outro acaba por se afigurar inútil porque reconheço que a probabilidade de os vir a pôr em prática é bastante escassa. De qualquer forma isso é uma questão pessoal. Para quem gosta de cozinhar e pretende realmente implementar essa abordagem, acredito que possa ser uma preciosa ajuda. As críticas que tenho às receitas, para além de, como já disse, não achar que estejam muito adequadas à realidade portuguesa, é que não me parecem especialmente saudáveis. A grande maioria dos petiscos iniciais resume-se a atirar tudo para dentro de uma tigela, bater com ovos e levar à frigideira.
A partir de certa altura comecei a ficar saturada das receitas. Apenas folheei e passei os olhos pelo que me chamou mais interesse, portanto o livro ficou anos na prateleira do “currently-reading” porque costumo ser um bocado rígida com estas coisas. Porém, em retrospectiva, penso que é justo considerar o livro como lido, pois apreciei todo o conteúdo de forma geral e retirei toda a informação que me interessava.
O livro divide-se em duas partes, uma primeira em que introduz e explica esse conceito, e uma segunda que fornece receitas e dicas para o implementar na prática.
A primeira parte é sucinta e aborda os pontos-chave do BLW de forma competente, no entanto, já tendo lido bastante sobre esse assunto online, não considero que tenha acrescentado muito ao que já sabia.
Sobre a segunda, as receitas, não sei muito bem o que dizer. Se tentar ser imparcial penso que está bem estruturado, contudo como detesto cozinhar, inovar ou experimentar pratos estranhos, estou claramente fora da minha zona de conforto e muito longe do público-alvo deste género de livros. Considero que o que tem de melhor acaba por ser também o que tem de pior, que é ter receitas muito estranhas para mim, visivelmente mais adaptadas à realidade britânica, como seria de esperar, sendo essa a nacionalidade da sua autora. Se por um lado isso pode ser interessante por incentivar a variedade para comer e dar a conhecer diferentes pratos, paladares e abordagens, por outro acaba por se afigurar inútil porque reconheço que a probabilidade de os vir a pôr em prática é bastante escassa. De qualquer forma isso é uma questão pessoal. Para quem gosta de cozinhar e pretende realmente implementar essa abordagem, acredito que possa ser uma preciosa ajuda. As críticas que tenho às receitas, para além de, como já disse, não achar que estejam muito adequadas à realidade portuguesa, é que não me parecem especialmente saudáveis. A grande maioria dos petiscos iniciais resume-se a atirar tudo para dentro de uma tigela, bater com ovos e levar à frigideira.
A partir de certa altura comecei a ficar saturada das receitas. Apenas folheei e passei os olhos pelo que me chamou mais interesse, portanto o livro ficou anos na prateleira do “currently-reading” porque costumo ser um bocado rígida com estas coisas. Porém, em retrospectiva, penso que é justo considerar o livro como lido, pois apreciei todo o conteúdo de forma geral e retirei toda a informação que me interessava.
October 3, 2026
★★★★★
The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook is a wonderfully practical resource for parents who want to introduce their babies to solid foods in a relaxed and enjoyable way. I really appreciated how the recipes are designed with the whole family in mind, making it easier to prepare wholesome meals without having to cook completely separate foods for baby.
The recipes are approachable, varied, and easy to follow, with plenty of ideas for moving beyond traditional purées and encouraging babies to explore different flavors and textures. The family-friendly approach is especially helpful for busy parents who want mealtimes to feel less complicated.
I also liked that the book focuses on making the transition to solid foods feel like a natural part of family mealtimes rather than a stressful process. There are plenty of useful ideas that can inspire parents to offer babies a wider variety of foods while keeping preparation manageable.
Overall, this is a helpful and inspiring cookbook for families exploring baby-led weaning. The combination of practical guidance, appealing recipes, and family-friendly meals makes it a book I would gladly recommend to parents beginning their solid-food journey.
The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook is a wonderfully practical resource for parents who want to introduce their babies to solid foods in a relaxed and enjoyable way. I really appreciated how the recipes are designed with the whole family in mind, making it easier to prepare wholesome meals without having to cook completely separate foods for baby.
The recipes are approachable, varied, and easy to follow, with plenty of ideas for moving beyond traditional purées and encouraging babies to explore different flavors and textures. The family-friendly approach is especially helpful for busy parents who want mealtimes to feel less complicated.
I also liked that the book focuses on making the transition to solid foods feel like a natural part of family mealtimes rather than a stressful process. There are plenty of useful ideas that can inspire parents to offer babies a wider variety of foods while keeping preparation manageable.
Overall, this is a helpful and inspiring cookbook for families exploring baby-led weaning. The combination of practical guidance, appealing recipes, and family-friendly meals makes it a book I would gladly recommend to parents beginning their solid-food journey.
February 19, 2022
For those who don’t do a lot of cooking, this will serve well. For those who do cook more regularly or adventurously, this will not be a well-trusted source for recipes. There’s some good ideas here, but when I read the recipe for Thai Green Fish Curry, I just open another more-trusted Thai recipe coming from a more authentic source.
Most of the recipe ideas are very basic, as you’d expect for baby food. But far from adventurous and mostly boring. Many things in the book (e.g., baked potato) are a little too no-brained for me.
So I found the recipes mostly useless except to confirm that what I usually eat is probably okay for my kid to eat as long as the food’s components aren’t developmentally inappropriate.
Part one of this book is one of the better “quick guides” to baby led weaning. So I can see the utility of this book for someone who knows nothing about the method who can read a quick intro to BLW and then see a few simple recipes to get them started. For that, this book succeeds. But for a family familiar with BLW (even at a cursory level) and/or already does a lot of whole food cooking at home, you can almost certainly skip this book.
Most of the recipe ideas are very basic, as you’d expect for baby food. But far from adventurous and mostly boring. Many things in the book (e.g., baked potato) are a little too no-brained for me.
So I found the recipes mostly useless except to confirm that what I usually eat is probably okay for my kid to eat as long as the food’s components aren’t developmentally inappropriate.
Part one of this book is one of the better “quick guides” to baby led weaning. So I can see the utility of this book for someone who knows nothing about the method who can read a quick intro to BLW and then see a few simple recipes to get them started. For that, this book succeeds. But for a family familiar with BLW (even at a cursory level) and/or already does a lot of whole food cooking at home, you can almost certainly skip this book.
December 27, 2023
Some general good info but I won’t recommend it to anyone else as the go to book.
A lot of the baby feeding safety tips are not clear / specific enough that it could be dangerous. Like how they just say thick cut vegetables suitable for my baby, is 1/4” thick? Or 1” thick? Never specified.
Fairly diverserecipes in the back tho. Good for inspo but probably won’t cook from this book.
A lot of the baby feeding safety tips are not clear / specific enough that it could be dangerous. Like how they just say thick cut vegetables suitable for my baby, is 1/4” thick? Or 1” thick? Never specified.
Fairly diverserecipes in the back tho. Good for inspo but probably won’t cook from this book.
June 17, 2024
I am not sure if I ever actually finished this, though I might have.
The funny thing is I started reading it with my first child, and then I think I read it again with my second child.
But I’m still not sure if I actually finished it lol.
However, both children weaned just fine and we were doing BLW the whole time.
The funny thing is I started reading it with my first child, and then I think I read it again with my second child.
But I’m still not sure if I actually finished it lol.
However, both children weaned just fine and we were doing BLW the whole time.
September 22, 2026
★★★★★
A helpful and practical cookbook for families exploring baby-led weaning! The recipes are varied, approachable, and designed to make introducing solid foods feel more enjoyable and manageable. I especially like that the meals are suitable for sharing with the whole family, making mealtimes more convenient. A useful resource for parents looking for simple ideas during this exciting stage.
A helpful and practical cookbook for families exploring baby-led weaning! The recipes are varied, approachable, and designed to make introducing solid foods feel more enjoyable and manageable. I especially like that the meals are suitable for sharing with the whole family, making mealtimes more convenient. A useful resource for parents looking for simple ideas during this exciting stage.
April 1, 2019
Lots of wonderful recipes providing balanced meals. Somevery fast some a bit moreintensive. Some my daughter didn't like at all, some she loves. Would have appreciated more dairy free options. And more desert recipes without sugar.
November 6, 2019
This is a nice cookbook with recipes that the whole family will enjoy. The recipes are healthy, simple to make, and feature flavors/dishes from around the world. I liked the thorough explanations of how to cut & serve food to baby.
May 6, 2022
The book was nice and helpful.
In the first chapter it summarises the original book which is very helpful if you don’t want to buy both books!
The second part contains the recipes, they are light and nice and you can definitely get some ideas from them even if you didn’t follow them by word.
In the first chapter it summarises the original book which is very helpful if you don’t want to buy both books!
The second part contains the recipes, they are light and nice and you can definitely get some ideas from them even if you didn’t follow them by word.
August 2, 2018
I really enjoyed the Baby-Led Weaning book, so I thought the cookbook would be just as good. Sadly, I was unimpressed and didn’t find it useful at all.
December 26, 2018
A thoroughly inspiring and practical guide for parents wishing to embark on baby-led weaning. Great also for professionals to advise and support baby-led weaning.
February 1, 2019
Best recipes for my son who has figured out how to push the spoon away. He hates smooth textured food and i was out of ideas and this book and the accompanying concept of baby led weaning is good.
April 13, 2019
There were a few recipes that I'm going to try - ways to present things as finger food to make them easier for baby to grasp.
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April 16, 2020V 1. delu so na kratko (za ameriške standarde) razloženi principi blw metode (odstavljanje na otrokovo pobudo).
August 25, 2020
quite useful
August 14, 2021
Wish it had more information before the recipes
January 23, 2022
Our whole family has liked every recipe we have tried from this book. The adults just add salt after everything is prepared.
January 4, 2024
Very good and simple introduction to enjoying food and letting your baby enjoy it.
January 12, 2025
Easy and practice to follow the recipes!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews