Feeding off of (pun intended) our earlier blog post highlighting September as Better Breakfast Month, here are suggestions for cookbooks containing recipes that will nourish your children through their first few years.

Baby-Led Weaning

Are you about to introduce solid foods to your baby and are interested in baby-led weaning?  Try one of these books:

Feeding Littles and Beyond: 100 Baby-Led-Weaning-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Will Love, by Ali Maffucci, Megan McNamee MPH RDN, and Judy Delaware OTR/L CLC

This book offers strategies for baby-led feeding, tips for meal-prepping, and 100+ recipes.  If you are stuck in a breakfast rut, experiment with the Sheet Pan Blueberry and Butternut Squash Pancakes recipe one of these days.

The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook: Delicious Recipes That Will Help Your Baby Learn to Eat Solid Foods—and That the Whole Family Will Enjoy, by Tracey Murkett and Gill Rapley PhD

Use this book as a guide for knowing which foods to start with (and how) in baby-led weaning.  The recipe for Banana Muffins looks like a go-to for your collection.

Simplify

Are you a fan of training your child to eat what you eat, rather than making separate meals? Check out What Mummy Makes: Cook Just Once for You and Your Baby, by Rebecca Wilson. The recipes are quick to make and look delicious – try the Blueberry Pancake Bites the next time you don’t know what to make for breakfast.

Involve Your Child

If you have an older child, try involving them in the kitchen with Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook: Healthy, Kid-Friendly Recipes to Cook Together, by Heather Wish Staller. It's an opportunity to enjoy quality time together and teach your toddler safe practices in the kitchen. The recipes, which are not only fun, also helpfully contain difficulty rankings and clearly indicate which steps are safe for your toddler. Green Toad Toasts, for example, is a simple Level 1 recipe you and your toddler can make together for breakfast one day.

And Finally …

Check out The Complete Baby and Toddler Cookbook, by America’s Test Kitchen, for a comprehensive selection of recipes ranging from baby purees, to toddler finger foods, and even family meals. The Carrot and Apple Puree recipe is perfect to make for fall.