Special Diet
![undefined - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_undefined.jpg)
![Ali MaffucciMegan McNamee - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_ali_maffuccimegan_mcnamee.jpg)
Feeding Littles and Beyond: 100 Baby-Led-Weaning-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Will Love
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 offer:
strategies for baby-led weaning/feeding, as well as safety and other common parental concernshow to meal-prep in a way that works for your scheduletips for dealing with challenges such as picky eaters and dining outa one-of-a-kind visual index for plating food that babies can feed to themselves100+ delicious recipes in categories including Morning Fuel (with plenty of egg-free options), Less Is More (using five ingredients or less), and Mostly Homemade (no shame in using pantry staples!)modifications for families with allergiespositive food language and how to promote body positivityand much moreWith 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 offer:
strategies for baby-led weaning/feeding, as well as safety and other common parental concernshow to meal-prep in a way that works for your scheduletips for dealing with challenges such as picky eaters and dining outa one-of-a-kind visual index for plating food that babies can feed to themselves100+ delicious recipes in categories including Morning Fuel (with plenty of egg-free options), Less Is More (using five ingredients or less), and Mostly Homemade (no shame in using pantry staples!)modifications for families with allergiespositive food language and how to promote body positivityand much moreWith 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.
Readers Top Reviews
Jodi Sammsmoon
Da ich beiden Herausgebern schon auf Social Media folge und liebe, habe ich mich so auf dieses Buch gefreut und es ist genauso wie erwartet. Tolle Rezepte für groß und klein und mit vielen Ideen und Tipps ab Beikoststart. Ich liebe es meinem Kind neue und unterschiedliche Sachen anzubieten und da bin ich mit diesem Buch sehr gut bedient. Wenn Englisch also kein Problem ist, dann ist das eine top Empfehlung für jede Person.
Callie Jodi Sam
I got the book yesterday (pre-ordered) and have already made two of the recipes and have a third lined up for later this week! The chicken pot pies were divine! And my daughter and I also made the pumpkin chia bread (forget what it’s called in the book) today, and love it! The book gives tips for freezing (my husband is deploying soon, so I doubled everything I made today and froze it) which is super helpful and gives options for switching up the ingredients (I.e. swapping out pumpkin for sweet potato) to add variation. This is exactly what I was hoping it would be - a break from the mental load of deciding what is for dinner every night. I had my husband and kids go through it yesterday after it arrived. They picked a few recipes, I loaded up my online grocery cart and picked everything up today. This is truly going to help us get out of our slump, especially with my husband being gone. Well done, FeedingLittles!! Love love love it!
Emily WillisCalli
Finally got my copy last night so I haven’t gotten to follow any of the recipes, but I already know it’s going to be something I refer to all the time just from my first thumb through. As someone who religiously reads comments on products, I do have two thoughts on other reviewer’s feedback in case someone also likes to read these posts and is curious on a different view point: 1. A few people commented that they’d rather see more pictures. This book is a pretty standard cookbook in it’s picture to text ratio. Plus, less pictures = more room for actual content — a win to me. And 2. If you’re looking for a book that’s about sneaking in “heathy” foods or tricking your toddler into eating something without them noticing, this isn’t the cookbook for you. The Feeding Littles entire philosophy is about opening up a new world to kiddos in terms of food. It’s about exploration and giving things another chance and having new perspectives so we can help build the foundation of well rounded eaters. Have I added things like carrots into marinara to give my kiddos some extra veggies? Absolutely! But if that’s your entire food strategy, and something you’re looking for in this book, you’re going to be disappointed because they take an entirely different approach on food.
CortneyEmily Will
I've followed Feeding Littles on Instagram for a year and a half, since my younger son started solids. Their approach to feeding kids, providing exposure to new foods in an approachable and low-pressure way and focus on family meals everyone can enjoy together really resonated with me - and I have always been pleased to see the realness of incorporating partially-prepared foods and making easy meals during the week. I pre-ordered the cookbook with those things in mind. My older son was diagnosed with celiac disease last week - after I ordered the cookbook. I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to use it. When it finally arrived I was so thrilled - and in fact, moved to tears - to see recipe after recipe naturally gluten-free or with easy wheat-free swaps included in the notes. This is going to be game-changing for me and my family as we navigate our new reality - real food, quick and simple preparation, highly nutritious and safe for my son. It's a great cookbook and I highly recommend it.
JacCortneyEmily W
I was recently recommended to follow @feedinglittles on Instagram by a dear friend of 25 years. We grew up together & now we’re raising babies together! She’s a mama of 3 and also a Rock -Star Nurse Practitioner not to mention her dad was my pediatrician. So naturally, I pick her brain about everything! Since following FL online, I’ve learned so about BLW do’s and don’ts. This account has helped me gain confidence as I start out on this journey with my first born who is currently 4 months. When I learned they had a cook book coming out, I quickly preordered it without any hesitation. When it arrived in the mail I was really impressed by the quality and presentation! It has beautiful and helpful pictures along with easy and simple directions to follow. I also really appreciate all the extra tips along the way to make your dinner a success for the busiest of mamas. There is also a lot of good education on BLW and safety knowledge. Most recipes only take about 20 min which is the perfect amount of time I have for putting a meal on the table for baby and the rest of the family. This cookbook was thoughtfully put together by some amazing professionals who you can trust and it truly shows!
Short Excerpt Teaser
our story: how we cametogether and why
"Rawr!" my son, Luca, roared as he marched his toy dinosaurs across a broccoli jungle. Lookingover the roasted broccoli and plastic dinos scattered on a large sheet pan, I thought to myself,"This is crazy. I'm losing it!" But as we sat there, feeding a stegosaurus a small floret, I watched as Luca, for the first time in his life, brought a piece of broccoli to his mouth, licked it, and ateit. As I stared in disbelief, he started feeding himself and the dinosaurs broccoli, floret by floret,until they had downed a couple of cups. To this day, broccoli is his favorite vegetable.
Why am I sharing this story-and why was my son eating veggies with dinosaurs? It had been a year of countless frustrating and demoralizing mealtimes during which my almost-two-year-oldson refused to try any new foods. I needed guidance and reached out to Judy, an occupationaltherapist who specializes in pediatric feeding therapy and is cofounder of Feeding Littles, an online resource for helping families feed their children. When we chatted, she didn't askabout Luca's picky eating but about his personality, likes, and dislikes. "Well, Judy, he neverstops playing. He can't sit still," I told her. Hearing that, she suggested that rather than focusingon mealtime, I bring food into playtime. She gave me the dinosaur idea, and our family's approachto eating changed forever and for the better.
This is just one of the many ways that the dynamic duo at Feeding Littles helped me in myfeeding journey with my children, starting when my eldest was just starting solids. I'm humbled, honored, and delighted to be writing this book with them. I cannot wait to see how it positivelytransforms thousands of struggling parents' journeys. But before I get into what this cookbookis all about and what to expect, I want to share how our partnership came to be and how Ilearned about the dazzling Megan and Judy of Feeding Littles.
First, I haven't introduced myself yet! Hi, I'm Ali Maffucci, authoring this book alongside Megan and Judy. I'm the founder of Inspiralized, where I was originally dedicated to cooking exclusivelywith the spiralizer, a kitchen tool that turns vegetables and fruits into noodles. However, after mykids were born, my time became more precious, and I needed to make meals that were appropriatefor my kids but could still satisfy me and my husband, and veggie spaghetti wasn't cutting it.Now, you can find me sharing family-friendlyrecipes for every meal (not just those in noodleform) that use vegetables creatively, in an effort to show people that veggies can be craveable, too.
Back in 2018, after my son Luca's four-monthcheckup, my pediatrician told me, "You can startfeeding him solids." I was over-the-moonexcited. As someone who shares their everyday life on socialmedia, I whipped out my phone, opened Instagram, and recorded a video: "Baby food, here we come!"That's when the messages started pouring in. "Do baby-ledweaning; you'll love it." and "You don't have to do purees-there'sanother way."And then, "Follow Feeding Littles!"
You may be having a similar reaction to mine: baby-led-what?!I had always assumed that toothlessbabies could only "handle" purees, and I assumed I'd be committing to jarred food, pouchsnacks, and flying a spoon of creamed spinach into my baby's mouth, just like on television.
While starting with pureed foods for your baby can be healthy and wonderful if it works for yourfamily, there is indeed another way. Later, Megan and Judy will dive deeper into baby-ledweaningor baby-ledfeeding and the beautiful philosophy around it, but in short it's a way of feeding yourbaby that skips the spoon-feedingaltogether and encourages your kiddos to self-feedfinger foodsand other safe textures. This way, you don't have to buy or make separate meals for your child, andthe whole family can eat together. This method of feeding extends into toddlerhood and sets afoundationfor an explorative, positive, and empowering relationship with food and mealtimes.Sounds ideal, right? That's what I thought, but I was overwhelmed with the how and when. That's where Feeding Littles came in. Their supportive, educational community was exactlywhat I needed as I embarked on my own journey. Social media tends to create a culture of comparison,and it is so easy for new parents to feel like we're not "doing it right." I could tell immediately that Feeding Littles was a safe place to share my experiences and insecurities, knowing that I would be met with empathy and solid advice. Sign. Me. Up!
I bought their online course, grabbed a glass of wine, and buckled up. You'd think the classwas the latest bingeable crime show by the way I was on the edge of my seat. I was captivated. Every principle I learned reson...
"Rawr!" my son, Luca, roared as he marched his toy dinosaurs across a broccoli jungle. Lookingover the roasted broccoli and plastic dinos scattered on a large sheet pan, I thought to myself,"This is crazy. I'm losing it!" But as we sat there, feeding a stegosaurus a small floret, I watched as Luca, for the first time in his life, brought a piece of broccoli to his mouth, licked it, and ateit. As I stared in disbelief, he started feeding himself and the dinosaurs broccoli, floret by floret,until they had downed a couple of cups. To this day, broccoli is his favorite vegetable.
Why am I sharing this story-and why was my son eating veggies with dinosaurs? It had been a year of countless frustrating and demoralizing mealtimes during which my almost-two-year-oldson refused to try any new foods. I needed guidance and reached out to Judy, an occupationaltherapist who specializes in pediatric feeding therapy and is cofounder of Feeding Littles, an online resource for helping families feed their children. When we chatted, she didn't askabout Luca's picky eating but about his personality, likes, and dislikes. "Well, Judy, he neverstops playing. He can't sit still," I told her. Hearing that, she suggested that rather than focusingon mealtime, I bring food into playtime. She gave me the dinosaur idea, and our family's approachto eating changed forever and for the better.
This is just one of the many ways that the dynamic duo at Feeding Littles helped me in myfeeding journey with my children, starting when my eldest was just starting solids. I'm humbled, honored, and delighted to be writing this book with them. I cannot wait to see how it positivelytransforms thousands of struggling parents' journeys. But before I get into what this cookbookis all about and what to expect, I want to share how our partnership came to be and how Ilearned about the dazzling Megan and Judy of Feeding Littles.
First, I haven't introduced myself yet! Hi, I'm Ali Maffucci, authoring this book alongside Megan and Judy. I'm the founder of Inspiralized, where I was originally dedicated to cooking exclusivelywith the spiralizer, a kitchen tool that turns vegetables and fruits into noodles. However, after mykids were born, my time became more precious, and I needed to make meals that were appropriatefor my kids but could still satisfy me and my husband, and veggie spaghetti wasn't cutting it.Now, you can find me sharing family-friendlyrecipes for every meal (not just those in noodleform) that use vegetables creatively, in an effort to show people that veggies can be craveable, too.
Back in 2018, after my son Luca's four-monthcheckup, my pediatrician told me, "You can startfeeding him solids." I was over-the-moonexcited. As someone who shares their everyday life on socialmedia, I whipped out my phone, opened Instagram, and recorded a video: "Baby food, here we come!"That's when the messages started pouring in. "Do baby-ledweaning; you'll love it." and "You don't have to do purees-there'sanother way."And then, "Follow Feeding Littles!"
You may be having a similar reaction to mine: baby-led-what?!I had always assumed that toothlessbabies could only "handle" purees, and I assumed I'd be committing to jarred food, pouchsnacks, and flying a spoon of creamed spinach into my baby's mouth, just like on television.
While starting with pureed foods for your baby can be healthy and wonderful if it works for yourfamily, there is indeed another way. Later, Megan and Judy will dive deeper into baby-ledweaningor baby-ledfeeding and the beautiful philosophy around it, but in short it's a way of feeding yourbaby that skips the spoon-feedingaltogether and encourages your kiddos to self-feedfinger foodsand other safe textures. This way, you don't have to buy or make separate meals for your child, andthe whole family can eat together. This method of feeding extends into toddlerhood and sets afoundationfor an explorative, positive, and empowering relationship with food and mealtimes.Sounds ideal, right? That's what I thought, but I was overwhelmed with the how and when. That's where Feeding Littles came in. Their supportive, educational community was exactlywhat I needed as I embarked on my own journey. Social media tends to create a culture of comparison,and it is so easy for new parents to feel like we're not "doing it right." I could tell immediately that Feeding Littles was a safe place to share my experiences and insecurities, knowing that I would be met with empathy and solid advice. Sign. Me. Up!
I bought their online course, grabbed a glass of wine, and buckled up. You'd think the classwas the latest bingeable crime show by the way I was on the edge of my seat. I was captivated. Every principle I learned reson...
![Love to Eat: 75 Easy, Craveworthy Recipes for Healthy, Intuitive Eating [A Cookbook] book cover](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/covers/c_1984860623.jpg)
