The Big Book of Organic Baby Food: Baby Purées, Finger Foods, and Toddler Meals For Every Stage (Organic Foods for Baby and Toddler)

Provides great direction for foods by age group, introducing foods, common allergies, and kitchen tools needed.Each recipe will give you a nice amount - if you make a few different ones it can easily be a week of food prepped.She has directions for storing in the fridge and freezer. The first set of purées are the base recipes to reference for the following chapters. Even if you aren’t doing all organic, she has a list of the dirty dozen to aim for getting organic (but you can also google the most recent year’s dozen since it changes…).Great book that’s not overwhelming to try out. I definitely suggest getting the Cuisinart steamer pan combo for harder foods (it steaks them so fast). She suggests adding milk or water to thin it out, but I leave it thicker so I can freezer them and then adjust thickness once thawed (though my sweet potatoes did need a little water added before freezing) - make sure you buy DISTILLED water (every grocery store carries it, it’s just steam/distilled water…nursery water is a pricey joke). If you are using breastmilk to thin food out, I suggest only doing that just before preparing it for baby to eat - best to reference the CDC’s guidelines on breastmilk storage. I also suggest the haaka silicone freezer containers - the nine 1oz cubes are perfect for cooling in the fridge after making it, freezing overnight (don’t wait a day before going to the freezer), and then popping out of the container and putting in a labeled freezer bag.

I just finished reading the book on organic baby food, and it's an absolute gem! This book is a comprehensive and invaluable resource for parents who want to provide the best nutrition for their little ones. The author's expertise in organic and wholesome food shines through, making it easy for parents to understand the importance of choosing organic options for their babies.What sets this book apart is the wealth of information it offers. From the benefits of organic ingredients to practical tips on preparing and storing baby food, it covers everything a parent needs to know. I love how it includes a variety of recipes tailored to different stages of a baby's development, ensuring a gradual and nutritious introduction to solid foods.The emphasis on natural and chemical-free options resonates with me as a parent, and I appreciate the dedication to the well-being of our little ones. The book is well-written, easy to follow, and filled with beautiful illustrations that make it even more engaging.I've already tried a few of the recipes, and my baby absolutely loves them! The book has inspired me to be more conscious about the food choices I make for my child, and I feel confident that I am giving them the best start in life with organic baby food. If you're a parent or caregiver looking to provide wholesome and nourishing meals for your baby, this book is a must-have. Highly recommended!

Great book to have on hand when your baby is learning to eat. Recipes and layout are great. Lots of information.

This book was so helpful. It made transitioning to solids so easy with recipe ideas.

Updated Review 12/6/2017 (4.5 stars) - My baby is 10 months old.I really liked this book when I started cooking my own baby food. It gives great tips on how to prepare, steam, and freeze baby food. Now that my daughter is 10 months and she figured out what she likes and doesn't like, I find myself using this book less and less often. It's still a very nice book with loads of great ideas, but once your child starts liking some foods over others, you're going to be turning to the internet or just getting creative with what you have. My daughter doesn't really like fruit (weird, I know), so I find many of Middleberg's combinations difficult to recreate. My girl turns away at super sweet flavors like peach and apples, but loves potatoes, butternut squash, and green beans. If anyone is interested in buying this book, use it more for inspiration rather than a complete baby cookbook. Many of the recipes are a little "avant garde." For example, I don't normally cook with edamame or pumpkin. And since I'm trying to get my daughter to like the foods we eat, I'm not going to experiment too much.I would have liked to see more "old school" recipes like my mom makes. She boils organic chicken drumsticks, carrots, and potatoes, then purees them with a little bit of the chicken stock made from her "soup." She adds a little more carrot than chicken to give it the kind of flavor my daughter loves. My 10 month old daughter gobbles up her "soup" like crazy! Next, we're going to add tiny organic star pasta that I found at Target, so she can get used to eating pasta. Getting her to eat is definitely a challenge, so anything that works for her, works for me!-----------------------------------------My original review (5 stars)This is a great resource! I bought this book because my pediatrician gave me an old photocopied, vague guide on solids. I wanted something more concrete and couldn't find what I needed on the internet. Each site seems to have different recommendations. Middleberg (the author) has a beautiful introduction with lots of encouragement, advice, and recommendations on how to feed your baby the best organic foods. My little girl has been eating solids for about a month now and it's been very helpful. The one thing I don't like is that the book is very heavy on freezing your portions for later. The later recipes call for 1oz cubes of the frozen purees you made in an earlier chapter. I don't see myself making 30 bags of different purees and storing them in my freezer for up to 6 months. For me, it's more realistic to make 2 portions fresh and keep another 2 portions frozen, to use up within 2 weeks or so. As an adult, I prefer fresh foods over food that's been previously frozen. So naturally, I want the same for my baby.

LOVE this book! Great combination purees. It's also an awesome guide on cooking instructions and insights on foods I didn't know about.

My baby is now 11 months old and I still use this book all the time. Feeding a baby well is such a daunting task but this book has been indispensable. Everything I’ve made, my baby has loved. My only complaint is that I wish this book was around when my big kids were little.

Such a perfect book for a fresh starting mom. It’s the best cooking guide a mom can get. Love how easy it is and gives you the ingredients.