Superfoods for Babies and Children

Superfoods for Babies and Children
Annabel Karmel
Atria Books
ISBN: 0-7432-7522-5
Cookbook, Parenting, Health
Reviewed by Tanya Boudreau

The author starting making her own recipes when she discovered her baby was a picky eater. Annabel Karmel has been very successful in her career, with numerous bestselling books on babies and toddler nutrition.
Superfoods For Babies and Children is a very informative book. It contains nutritional information and nutritious recipes for children up to the age of five. The chapters focus on different ages. Baby food is discussed in the 6 Months chapter. How to judge quantities, what texture to look for, and how to cook and freeze baby food are some of the topics touched on. The 7-9 Month chapter has a section on self-feeding and baby's first teeth. The chapter Ages 3 Years Plus, talks about children in the kitchen and how to involve them in meal preparation.
The author has included recipes the whole family can enjoy. At 9-12 months enjoy Fun Finger Foods with Dip; at 1-2 years, the family can dine on Rice 'n' Easy. And at 2-3 years, Traffic Light Ice Pops (make with fruit and honey) would be a nice treat for the whole family. The chapter Ages 3 Years Plus includes recipes for Tuna Tortilla Roll-Ups
and Apple, Oat, and Raisin Muffins- which could be added to a school lunch a few years down the road. In this chapter, the author discusses how to make a healthy and appealing lunch-box; one your child will not throw away. She also includes ideas for popular sandwich fillings and mini snacks as well as tips for packing lunches in the summer and the winter. A small Food Allergies section and a two page section on Foods for Common Ailments are included in the back of the book.
Before the recipe section, the author has written about eating by color (even white foods are packed with nutrients) and reader's can use the colorful foods listed to create a healthy meal. She writes about Superfoods and nutrition as well. Superfoods are foods that keep us healthy. They supply the carbohydrates, fats and protein we need, and they perform other roles such as preventing illness or boosting energy. She explains which foods are growth foods, brain foods, and energy-boosting foods. Helpful information is included for families who choose to follow a vegetarian diet. Once you learn all the basics you
can begin to shop for your food and there are things to keep in mind when grocery shopping. The author has provided some information in regard to this topic as well.
The illustrations are fun. Healthy foods are drawn being active and looking happy. The onion is singing, the meat is lifting weights, the pear is pushing a baby carriage, and the cheese is grinning. The chapters start with a photograph of a child eating a healthy food. A few of the recipes in each chapter are photographed. The presentation of the food is very well done. The food looks appetizing, fun and easy to make; the perfect examples being the fish made out of fruit, the Mini-Shepherd's Pie and the Rabbit Muffins - which all have faces! The layout of the information is organized. Tips stand out and are sectioned off in colored blocks. The weekly menus are colored as are the sidebars that accompany the recipe chapters. In addition, letters are used alongside the recipes. An F means the recipes can be frozen, and a V designates a vegetarian recipe.
To help prevent a picky eater, start introducing children to a variety of fresh and healthy foods from an early age. Superfoods for Babies and Children is a book children will benefit from and parents will appreciate!