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Feeding Littles and Beyond: 100 Baby-Led-Weaning-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Will Love: A Cookbook
An inspirational, accessible family cookbook that offers everything a parent needs to bring joy and love back into the kitchen, by the baby and toddler feeding experts behind Feeding Littles and the New York Times bestselling cookbook author of Inspiralized .
When it was time to introduce solids to her firstborn, Ali Maffucci didn’t want to make baby food from scratch or buy expensive premade purées. Enter baby-led weaning (or baby-led feeding)—and Megan McNamee and Judy Delaware, the dietitian/occupational therapist duo behind preeminent parenting resource Feeding Littles —which skips spoon-feeding altogether so babies can eat what the family eats. As babies feed themselves, they explore a variety of aromas, shapes, and colors while developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and healthy eating habits. McNamee and Delaware also help their clients navigate—or prevent—picky eating at all ages and raise a generation of intuitive eaters who listen to their bodies and love a variety of food.
Now, these powerhouse authors unite to provide a plan that will reduce stress and anxiety around mealtimes, nourish your loved ones, and satisfy everyone’s palate with fun, easy, nutritious recipes. Maffucci, Delaware, and McNamee
With this book in hand, mealtimes will be easier and more enjoyable for everyone—from your six-month-old, to your picky toddler, to the other kids and adults in the family. As parents, the authors know that getting food on the table is hard enough, so whether you’re making a five-minute grilled cheese or pumpkin waffles, it’s time to start celebrating every bite.
When it was time to introduce solids to her firstborn, Ali Maffucci didn’t want to make baby food from scratch or buy expensive premade purées. Enter baby-led weaning (or baby-led feeding)—and Megan McNamee and Judy Delaware, the dietitian/occupational therapist duo behind preeminent parenting resource Feeding Littles —which skips spoon-feeding altogether so babies can eat what the family eats. As babies feed themselves, they explore a variety of aromas, shapes, and colors while developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and healthy eating habits. McNamee and Delaware also help their clients navigate—or prevent—picky eating at all ages and raise a generation of intuitive eaters who listen to their bodies and love a variety of food.
Now, these powerhouse authors unite to provide a plan that will reduce stress and anxiety around mealtimes, nourish your loved ones, and satisfy everyone’s palate with fun, easy, nutritious recipes. Maffucci, Delaware, and McNamee
With this book in hand, mealtimes will be easier and more enjoyable for everyone—from your six-month-old, to your picky toddler, to the other kids and adults in the family. As parents, the authors know that getting food on the table is hard enough, so whether you’re making a five-minute grilled cheese or pumpkin waffles, it’s time to start celebrating every bite.
320 pages, Paperback
Published August 30, 2022
158 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 3, 2022
I went into this book pretty skeptical that there would be any recipes that could accommodate my long list of dietary restrictions, my older one's sensory challenges, and my younger one's delays in chewing and swallowing ability, and unfortunately that was borne out. There were only three recipes that, if heavily adapted, I could make for just myself. However, I read all of the book's introductory sections, the introductions to each recipe, and the tips for (slightly) adapting the recipes for kids and for busy/tired nights, and so I suppose amid all that I gleaned a few ideas.
A couple of disappointments I want to call out specifically:
-The authors assume, possibly correctly, that most kids like the same specific foods: pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, etc. Thus, many of the recipes are designed to build on those taste palates while incorporating more vegetables or introducing some other variety. If, like me, you have a kid who can't stand any of those foods and just wants their fruits, veggies, PB&J, plain pasta, and milk for dinner every night (which TBH I'm fine with), there isn't much to go on here. I actually laughed out loud at one point when they optimistically said that the smell of one dish cooking was guaranteed to draw your entire family into the kitchen, when it would be almost guaranteed to send my kid to the other corner of the house to avoid being sick.
-The introductory sections frequently mention how the book includes "I Can't Even" sections for the nights when you're too tired to cook. There is, in fact, one very small section of one chapter where there's a list of things you could serve (toaster waffles, leftovers, frozen pizza) with a fruit or veggie on the side, but there wasn't anything groundbreaking. For the most part, "I Can't Even" comes in at the end of an involved, time-consuming recipe that requires making multiple parts from scratch, when they will suggest, for example, buying canned lentils instead of cooking your own lentils, still leaving you with a long list of other ingredients that need to be peeled, pitted, chopped, or sliced and then mixed, molded, sauteed, etc. It felt disingenuous, at best, to call it that.
While I didn't gain much in the way of recipes from this book, I do think that their suggestions for exposing kids to new foods (with no expectation that they eat them), deconstructing meals for little ones, and building on what kids will eat are solid advice that I'll keep in mind as my younger one's oral skills develop and it becomes possible for him to eat more components of the things I eat. But I probably would have gotten all of that if I'd just been following them on social media. I suspect this book will be immensely helpful to many families who have neurotypical, able-bodied kids with traditional "kid" palates, no more than one or two major dietary restrictions, and, dare I say, two parents at home, one of whom can — in theory, at least — spend 40-60 uninterrupted minutes preparing a kid-friendly meal for the whole family. For myself, this was not a particularly big help.
A couple of disappointments I want to call out specifically:
-The authors assume, possibly correctly, that most kids like the same specific foods: pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, etc. Thus, many of the recipes are designed to build on those taste palates while incorporating more vegetables or introducing some other variety. If, like me, you have a kid who can't stand any of those foods and just wants their fruits, veggies, PB&J, plain pasta, and milk for dinner every night (which TBH I'm fine with), there isn't much to go on here. I actually laughed out loud at one point when they optimistically said that the smell of one dish cooking was guaranteed to draw your entire family into the kitchen, when it would be almost guaranteed to send my kid to the other corner of the house to avoid being sick.
-The introductory sections frequently mention how the book includes "I Can't Even" sections for the nights when you're too tired to cook. There is, in fact, one very small section of one chapter where there's a list of things you could serve (toaster waffles, leftovers, frozen pizza) with a fruit or veggie on the side, but there wasn't anything groundbreaking. For the most part, "I Can't Even" comes in at the end of an involved, time-consuming recipe that requires making multiple parts from scratch, when they will suggest, for example, buying canned lentils instead of cooking your own lentils, still leaving you with a long list of other ingredients that need to be peeled, pitted, chopped, or sliced and then mixed, molded, sauteed, etc. It felt disingenuous, at best, to call it that.
While I didn't gain much in the way of recipes from this book, I do think that their suggestions for exposing kids to new foods (with no expectation that they eat them), deconstructing meals for little ones, and building on what kids will eat are solid advice that I'll keep in mind as my younger one's oral skills develop and it becomes possible for him to eat more components of the things I eat. But I probably would have gotten all of that if I'd just been following them on social media. I suspect this book will be immensely helpful to many families who have neurotypical, able-bodied kids with traditional "kid" palates, no more than one or two major dietary restrictions, and, dare I say, two parents at home, one of whom can — in theory, at least — spend 40-60 uninterrupted minutes preparing a kid-friendly meal for the whole family. For myself, this was not a particularly big help.
March 5, 2023
I thought the introduction was useful but the recipes were less baby focused than I expected - they were more so family recipes and then they show you how you would serve the components to a baby.
UPDATE: Now that my son is more of a toddler than a baby, I am finding the recipe ideas useful.
UPDATE: Now that my son is more of a toddler than a baby, I am finding the recipe ideas useful.
January 23, 2023
I reeeeally like feeding littles, and their work and social media information has had a positive influence on the way I introduce foods to my family. Their introduction in this book is what stands out to me as most excellent, and a great way to introduce concepts to people who don’t want to follow them on social or take the courses—also a great way to adopt these principles in our house and share with my husband. I love the shortcuts suggestions and meal/protein combos.
That being said, I’ve been underwhelmed by the recipes so far. Our 1yo has dairy, egg and peanut allergies, which rules out a good chunk of baby-friendly beginnings—and cooking for them is a challenge without a roadmap, trust me. Of the recipes I’ve made, though, I’m not sure how many I would repeat. Many require a lot of steps that I simply don’t have time for, or are too complex/stuff I know my kids aren’t ready for yet. I’ll keep trying, yes, and I will always support Feeding Littles, but these recipes haven’t been a huge hit with our family yet.
That being said, I’ve been underwhelmed by the recipes so far. Our 1yo has dairy, egg and peanut allergies, which rules out a good chunk of baby-friendly beginnings—and cooking for them is a challenge without a roadmap, trust me. Of the recipes I’ve made, though, I’m not sure how many I would repeat. Many require a lot of steps that I simply don’t have time for, or are too complex/stuff I know my kids aren’t ready for yet. I’ll keep trying, yes, and I will always support Feeding Littles, but these recipes haven’t been a huge hit with our family yet.
January 25, 2024
I finished reading through the recipes but haven’t tried all the ones we’ve wanted yet! Surprisingly, I’ve book marked a lot of them that sound good. I’ve noticed with different Instagram accounts about children’s food there are certain things they use often - chia seeds, flaxseeds, oats. There’s a lot of that in this book too. The flavors have been good so far but textures have been different than we’re used to. A lot of the recipes are not “quick” but they do provide some short cuts here and there.
September 21, 2025
I've used this multiple times for meal/snack prep already. Some of the dinner entree recipes are hit or miss, but the veggie bites, blender muffins, and pumpkin loaf are on repeat.
August 10, 2023
This book is great. The authors really understand how to make food enticing for kids. I was fascinated by my daughter’s reactions to these foods. She just assumed they’d be good based on how they looked and then of course she was right because imagination and presentation are so big for little kids! The book is also useful for special diets because so many options are available here like soy free, dairy free, gluten free… Thank you for the gifted copy, Avery!
Here’s what I made:
🥚 Everything Bagel Broccoli and Cheddar Egg Donuts- this was my first clue that the authors really know what they’re doing. I got my donut tin out and sprayed it and my daughter immediately said what I was making looked good! I pointed out that I hadn’t actually touched any food yet and that I’d be putting vegetables in there and my daughter stood by her opinion… and she was right. Both kids were begging for more than their 2 allotted donuts!
🍫 Glazed Chocolate-Zucchini Donuts- and here we have more magic! I thought this just tasted like standard zucchini bread but my daughter said if these are so good they belong in a donut shop 😱
🍅 Creamy BLAT Pasta Salad with Bowties- okay I super loved this one along with my kids. Whoa. So tasty. Bacon, avocado, cheese, garlic powder?? Of course it was amazing!
🍍 Hawaiian Fried Rice with Veggies- this was so dang easy. I used frozen rice, veggies, and pineapple so it came together really quickly! Definitely gonna have to triple the recipe next time!
🥑 Sweet Potato Fajita Quinoa Bowls- my kids were mad when they saw me bring the quinoa out but then we all enjoyed the finished product. It reminded me a lot of a Chipotle Burrito Bowl but even better because of the baked sweet potato! Yum!
Here’s what I made:
🥚 Everything Bagel Broccoli and Cheddar Egg Donuts- this was my first clue that the authors really know what they’re doing. I got my donut tin out and sprayed it and my daughter immediately said what I was making looked good! I pointed out that I hadn’t actually touched any food yet and that I’d be putting vegetables in there and my daughter stood by her opinion… and she was right. Both kids were begging for more than their 2 allotted donuts!
🍫 Glazed Chocolate-Zucchini Donuts- and here we have more magic! I thought this just tasted like standard zucchini bread but my daughter said if these are so good they belong in a donut shop 😱
🍅 Creamy BLAT Pasta Salad with Bowties- okay I super loved this one along with my kids. Whoa. So tasty. Bacon, avocado, cheese, garlic powder?? Of course it was amazing!
🍍 Hawaiian Fried Rice with Veggies- this was so dang easy. I used frozen rice, veggies, and pineapple so it came together really quickly! Definitely gonna have to triple the recipe next time!
🥑 Sweet Potato Fajita Quinoa Bowls- my kids were mad when they saw me bring the quinoa out but then we all enjoyed the finished product. It reminded me a lot of a Chipotle Burrito Bowl but even better because of the baked sweet potato! Yum!
September 23, 2022
I've followed Ali Maffucci for nearly a decade and Feeding Littles for several years now, so I was absolutely thrilled to see them releasing a book together. This book DELIVERS to parents and families, although honestly this is good for regular adults too. It's got me feeling less daunted on busy weeknights to cook outside of my comfort zone and use new-to-me tools like the air fryer (the eggplant parm is a winner for sure!). The photos are incredible for anyone wanting to try baby-led weaning, and this is honestly a perfect resource for all ages on making healthy meals for your mind and body. It is well rounded, plant forward, and inclusive in every sense of the term. 10/10 recommend.
December 5, 2024
Overall some good ideas. I wanted to like this more than I did, but I didn't really like the 2/3 recipes we tried. More details on those:
Pressure cooker aloo gobi:
Didn't really save time relative to stovetop
So bland
Way too much liquid?!!
Adding chickpeas was a good idea
Everyone was lukewarm about this one
Salmon fish sticks with mustard sauce:
Great taste
Easy to make
Would have been faster in the oven probably (our air fryer is tiny!)
Adults loved it, baby was lukewarm on this one (her first time trying salmon or mayo to be fair)
Butternut mac n "cheese"
Didn't taste like cheese at all, not even like a vegan attempt of cheese! I misread the recipe as 1 can rather than 1 cup of coconut milk, but I'm not convinced it would have been very good if I hadn't messed that up.
Baby loved this, adults ate copious amounts of real cheese to be able to stomach it
Edit: Tried 2 more recipes:
Sweet potato ham and cheese cups
Adults liked this, baby was more interested in shedding it apart
Pesto orzo with crispy beans and brussel sprouts
Sounded way yummier than it was. Pretty meh. But at least it was pretty easy!
Pressure cooker aloo gobi:
Didn't really save time relative to stovetop
So bland
Way too much liquid?!!
Adding chickpeas was a good idea
Everyone was lukewarm about this one
Salmon fish sticks with mustard sauce:
Great taste
Easy to make
Would have been faster in the oven probably (our air fryer is tiny!)
Adults loved it, baby was lukewarm on this one (her first time trying salmon or mayo to be fair)
Butternut mac n "cheese"
Didn't taste like cheese at all, not even like a vegan attempt of cheese! I misread the recipe as 1 can rather than 1 cup of coconut milk, but I'm not convinced it would have been very good if I hadn't messed that up.
Baby loved this, adults ate copious amounts of real cheese to be able to stomach it
Edit: Tried 2 more recipes:
Sweet potato ham and cheese cups
Adults liked this, baby was more interested in shedding it apart
Pesto orzo with crispy beans and brussel sprouts
Sounded way yummier than it was. Pretty meh. But at least it was pretty easy!
September 7, 2023
I don’t normally read cookbooks cover to cover, this was the exception.
This gave me a lot of good ideas as I’m looking to start introducing solids in a few months. Some delicious looking recipes that I think we’ll all love in there, and lots of tips as we start this next phase.
I’m in prep mode, and this was incredibly helpful as a starter. I’ll be trying some of these recipes out before my kid starts eating to make sure I know what I’m doing, but this book has me excited for this phase (an d a little terrified 😂).
This gave me a lot of good ideas as I’m looking to start introducing solids in a few months. Some delicious looking recipes that I think we’ll all love in there, and lots of tips as we start this next phase.
I’m in prep mode, and this was incredibly helpful as a starter. I’ll be trying some of these recipes out before my kid starts eating to make sure I know what I’m doing, but this book has me excited for this phase (an d a little terrified 😂).
August 16, 2022
👩🍳 The Cookbook You Need 👩🍳
Thank you to #partner @avery_books for our copy of the Feeding Littles Cookbook!! This book comes out on August 30th!!
Rating: 5⭐️
Genre: Cookbook 📖
Thoughts: I have been waiting all year for this cookbook! If you have kids, you need this book! Go pick it up and thank us later!
Read this book if:
- You feed kids!
- You are curious about baby led weaning.
- You have children with allergy or nutrition concerns - the recipes are easy and adaptable!
Thank you to #partner @avery_books for our copy of the Feeding Littles Cookbook!! This book comes out on August 30th!!
Rating: 5⭐️
Genre: Cookbook 📖
Thoughts: I have been waiting all year for this cookbook! If you have kids, you need this book! Go pick it up and thank us later!
Read this book if:
- You feed kids!
- You are curious about baby led weaning.
- You have children with allergy or nutrition concerns - the recipes are easy and adaptable!
July 5, 2023
My mouth is watering just reading these recipes! I love the tips and tricks for easily adapting recipes for babies which is mostly serving the same thing, but omitting honey, or chopping veggies strategically for little hands, or reducing salt or spiciness. Lots of inspiration here, lots of advice for BLW, and sooo many yummy recipes I can’t wait to cook up. Hoping my picky eater (Heath 🤪) and my new eater enjoy these, because I’m almost certain I will!
May 1, 2023
An interesting premise for a cookbook and I love Feeding Littles approach to kids nutrition, so I appreciated their introduction. The recipes aren’t really my “style” - lots of jarred sauce, coconut milk and other dairy free substitutions, things I don’t keep stocked. That said, there are a couple recipes that I will probably try.
September 29, 2023
I like the concepts and chapters of this book. I do like that it has a lot of vegetables and alternatives. I wish it mentioned that in the book description or that I paired attention to that more when browsing the recipes. It’s good ideas, but it’s not too realistic in my household to have all the ingredients on hand or available.
September 17, 2022
I’ll admit that I’m not the intended audience for this cookbook. I don’t have kids and never will. Having said that, I’m always on the lookout for inspiration and if it means seeing what dishes are cool with the kids these days, I’m not above that.
Some interesting recipes, parent or not.
Some interesting recipes, parent or not.
January 21, 2023
My baby boy is going to start solids soon, and this cookbook is going to guide me in BLW. I can hardly wait to try some of these recipes! If you're a baby or toddler or kid mom or grandparent, this book is a MUST.
October 1, 2023
ordering a physical copy ASAP
I bought this book for kindle and it is amazing, but now I want to have a physical copy for my kitchen and to meal plan for the week. I highly recommend it. 🩷
I bought this book for kindle and it is amazing, but now I want to have a physical copy for my kitchen and to meal plan for the week. I highly recommend it. 🩷
August 31, 2024
I really like this cookbook. Some of the ideas seem like more work than necessary. But I like the concepts and you can customize it to your family. I also love the photos you show how each meal can be used for different stages of life.
September 2, 2024
My daughter has a casein allergy so some of these recipes won’t work. But there was some that I’d be willing to try even just for myself if she wasn’t interested in it. Some decent recipes in this book.
May 22, 2023
I don’t have kids but I love following Feeding Littles on insta and this cookbook has great recipes for adults that are then served in a modified way to get kids to try them. So many good recipes!
December 14, 2023
I was attracted to this cookbook for creative ideas of serving food to my granddaughters. It has over 100 nutritious recipes. Older children and adults will enjoy the recipes also.
December 17, 2023
Appreciated the very realistic approach in this book to starting your baby on solids.
March 10, 2023
So many of the recipes are available on their Instagram or the basic internet. Nothing amazing. I borrowed it from the library and didn't photocopy anything. Meh, Yes we are beyond the baby-led-weaning stage... even thinking back I don't think this is much more helpful that just following their Instagram.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews