Fast & Fresh Baby Food Cookbook: 120 Ridiculously Simple and Naturally Wholesome Baby Food Recipes Paperback – December 24, 2014

Wow! This is so much more than I expected. Fast & Fresh Baby Food Cookbook is your go-to for feeding baby starting at 4 months.It starts with an overview of foods that you will be feeding your baby. It goes over organic vs non-organic, the difference between fresh, frozen, and canned fruit/veggies, and the 10 superfoods to include in your baby's daily diet. Also included is info on the dirty dozen {foods that are high in pesticides and should always be bought organic} and the clean fifteen {foods that have low levels of pesticides.}Jacqueline Cote even includes information about allergy and gas causing foods and foods to avoid before one year. This first chapter has SO much good information that allows you to make good food choices for baby.Chapter 2 goes over the methods of cooking you will use for the recipes. They're all super common and things you have done before like steaming and baking. No new info here~ unless you don't usually cook. This chapter also has the tools you will need like a steamer. Again, nothing that you don't already have or can't get cheaply.From Chapter 3 on, there are recipes! From purees' for 4 to 6 months, to 1 year plus. I love some of the combinations that Ms. Cote has put together! I never thought to combine some of them.Also included at the top of each recipe are "tags." These tags tell you if the recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, etc.Beautifully formatted, this cookbook is easy to read and has everything you need to feed baby.I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Chapter one talks about the using the freshest ingredients and how to do it on a budget. They include the list of the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen. That just means which fruits and vegetables you should buy organic, and which ones you can get away with buying conventional. It also talks about fresh vs frozen vs canned foods. Obviously fresh is the best, but you can buy frozen and canned if the foods aren't in season, etc. My favorite part is the superfood list. I've always tried to feed my babies the superfoods when possible because we all know kids can be finicky and throw more than they eat. So I like to make the foods I serve at meal time the best that I can for their little tummys (so I know at least they are getting a little nutrition between all of the goldfish crackers and cheerios). Chapter 2 talks about ways to make cooking these healthy meals in the fastest and easiest ways, and how to store the food. Chapter 3 goes into smooth meals for 4-6 months old, which to me is the most important meals you'll make because you're helping them develop their taste buds and not choke in the process. Chapter 4 goes over food for 7-8 month olds, chapter 5 is 9-11 month olds, and chapter 6 is 12-18 month olds. So you really get a great variety of food with very easy to read recipes. I usually get stuck in a rut making the same foods over and over, but this book really helped give me so new great ideas to try.

I was very pleased with this book. It explains how to make fresh baby food for your baby, at whatever age they are. The author explains how to choose the best produce and ingredients for your baby's food so that it is not full of chemicals and preservatives. I was really suprised how easy the recipes are, and the suggestion of freezing the baby food uning ice cube trays and then putting the frozen portions in a bag with the date and name of the food on the bag is just wonderful.This book also goes through what foods are safe to introduce at what ages. Some of the recipes sound really good, something I think adults would eat! The author also included the list of what foods to never buy unless they are organic, and the ones that are ok if you can't find them in organic. I was surprised to see apples on the list of the dirty foods, ones that are sprayed with to many pesticides and that the chemicals they are treated with can be found in the fruits. I will be looking for local and organic apples from now on.The finger foods section is perfect. It explains what never to give your toddler, and explains the behaviors that may frustrate parents trying to feed their toddler the best food available. The author goes into detail on what size the pieces should be cut into for finger foods, what not to give them, and ideas on how to introduce new finger foods.This book is a perfect reference for easily making quality baby food for your baby. These foods are healthier than you can buy in the little glass jars, and they are cheaper since you can make a batch ahead of time and freeze it. I have a cousin having a baby soon, so I will be getting her her own copy of this book. I will also be keeping it as a great reference and inspiration for some of our own foods.