Annabel Karmel - helpful hints or one big guilt trip?

[Kmg]

Well, I stick by what I said earlier - I found her books great. My younger son couldn't eat dairy products, so had to have a radically different diet from what we would normally eat anyway, and there are loads of other things I wouldn't want a baby eating. It's all very well saying they can eat the same as you, but often they can't. And getting the processor out to blend up one meal is such a hassle. And anyway they want their food luke warm, whereas we want ours hot - but not stewed into oblivion whilst waiting for theirs to cool down ...

Sorry, but I found her book really useful. My boys ate almost exclusively AK 4-10 months, and some later too, (though we have always all eaten all meals together as a family). And they are now better eaters than any other children I have come across.

I might be the only one, but I am a fan!

Hi Bo. I think your doctors right about the power struggle. Some kids just seem to like a very restricted diet, and its when they see it gets them a lot of attention that it turns into a food battle (esp when no 2 comes along!). Our youngest dd is like this, we once had a 2 week holiday where she lived on tomatoes & the odd banana, I just let her get on with it. The very restricted versions only last 4 or 5 days, and are usually followed by a morning when she eats bread & butter constantly. I have 2 nephews (both no 1 with little brothers) who have managed to turn any mealtime into a complete battleground. The youngest is now 5 & he's still doing it. The oldest is now 12, extremely fit & a junior squash champion. He still eats 'faddy', ie has favourites for a few weeks & then switches, but given his level of fitness it obviously works for him. Given what you have said about your attitude to food, its possible it runs in the family! If you're really worried, give him some vitamin tablets, and prepare yourself for a good few years of trying to 'guess' the next fad, and cupboards full of the things that he eats for 2 weeks and then 'hates' when you give it to him on day 15 (which is what I get from mine). Oh, and don't believe it is anything you're doing, our eldest eats everything apart from peas, youngest would only eat specific food, from jars, even when she was 8/9 months old (and I did do all the AK food for both of them - she just spat it out). good luck.

Chelle & debsb - thanks so much. I made pasta & miney stuff for luch. Usually a dead cert. Totally refused it. Point blank./ Later he asked for a banana. I really couldn't decide if I should let him or not. In the end I did & he wolfed down 2 in 2 seconds. If I hadn't let him, he still wouldn't have eaten the mine though - he'll go a whole day without rather than eat something he doesn't want to.

Anyway your replies made me feel much better. Thanks

If Tom doesn't like something, he also will refuse it totally (like eggs, except for custard and potatoes anyway but mashed!). We just don't worry about it. We don't eat things we really don't like, so why should we expect him to. If I offer him a new food, he usually tastes it (waves it near his tongue really, if he doesn't like the look of it) and then either eats it or pushes it away with a "no more, all gone". If he's tried something but doesn't seem to like it, I give him an old favourite and then try the same rejected food again every few days to see whether it was just the day or not.

I need some help. I am having to organise my daughter's 1st birthday party. What do I do? Yes, I know it sounds silly, but I really do not have a clue. This is all too new to me and I want is to be right. It will be mainly friends and family and will be held at home. Any suggestions as to the type of entertainment etc and foods to serve. Also it will be on a Friday so what do you think would be the best time. Thanks for any suggestions

Firstly, don't worry about sounding silly - we've all been there! To be quite honest, I'd just keep things very low key and simple. Maybe just a few relations and one or two v close friends for an early tea?- that means if you want people can stay on for drinks later but if it's all too exhausting for your daughter you can clear them all out by six!

You could just do a light buffet but ask everyone to bring something too - the only thing I'd be tempted to splurge on are cakes - one to look really good for pics with a big candle on, large enough that everyone can take a piece home, then perhaps a small one just for your daughter that she can eat/wear/generally have fun with!

As for entertainment, with such a wide age range and with it only being her first birthday, I wouldn't be tempted to bother - you could have the playpen and some toys out for any little ones whilst the adults sit and gossip. If you wanted to give the adults a bit of a laugh, you could ask everyone to bring a photograph of themselves as babies, lay them all out on the coffee table and see who they can recognise!

And don't panic - people will be there because they care about you and your daughter (and want a piece of that big yummy cake!) not because they expect to be entertained.

One other tip- give your camera to someone else and get them to take loads of pics so that you can be fully involved.

ENJOY!

Thanks Candy!!! After a relaxing bath and a cup of coffee I sat down and really thought about this great fantastic day. And that is what it will be. The idea re; 2 b'day cakes I will definately do as my daughter has already shown a fondest for cake.

For all you Annabel fans out there....Annabel Karmel will be doing a few talks on children's nutrition and singings of her new book, The 10th Anniversary Edition of The Complete
Baby and Toddler Meal Planner.
on...
Tuesday 9th October 10.30 -12 noon at Ottakar's Bookshop, Milton Keynes in
the Costa Coffee shop.

Thursday 18th October 10.00 11.30 am at Ottakar's in Stevenage.

Friday 16th November 10.30 - 11.30 at Ottakar's Cirencester in the Costa Coffee Shop.

To what tune?
PS: Ra, are you her publicist?

I love Annabel's books altough "First Meals" has parsnip in almost every recipe. I don't think parsnip is very popular in the US. My daughter won't eat anything with parsnip in it and I don't blame her. I don't like it much myself. I've been using "The Healthy Baby Meal Planner" and like it much better - there's only one recipe w/ parsnip. I adapt the recipes and make enough for my daughter as well as my husband and I and a little for the freezer. This works very well for me. It gets us to eat a more balanced meal and that way we all have the same thing to eat. She especially loves any kind of pasta with some type of cheese sauce and usually the sauce has veggies blended in so that way I know she's getting some even is she doesn't. Although it is tough sometimes. My daughter is 9mo and is at that very clingy stage so I have burnt a sauce or two. I just ordered "The Family Meal Planner" by Annabel and hope the recipes are just as wonderful.

I found the AK book I have very useful when first weaning. And I still use it to make recipes from - but for all 3 of us. Try to ensure DS eats the same as us. However I love parsnips!! DS would eat them in purees and in casseroles but not raosted because of texture. But a lot of the recipes are for meatballs, fritters etc and I can't for the life of me get a meatball to stick together and not to the pan! Also I don't think if I made little snails out of sausage and mash and little pizza faces DS would even notice. He would have his hands and spoon in messing it up before he even looked at it.

DS also adores pasta and cheese sauce.

i can never get meatballs to stay together either, but i read a helpful hint in the betty crocker cookbook - if you don't coat the meatballs with flour you can just put the meat in a casserole dish and when the meat is cooked just cut them into small squares.

So Karen are you saying casserole the meat rather than fry it? Would like to know because feel like we are missing out on a lot of recipes (not just AK).

Not sure if AK's meatballs have loads of different stuff in, but when I make meatballs (just for DH & myself st the mo, DD is only 6mths) I sort of squash the mince with my hands in a bowl till it's more like a paste, similar action to rubbing flour & fat together for crumbles. That makes them stay together a treat. I only add onion & herbs to it though, so if there's egg/breadcrumbs etc being stuffed in as well it might not work. I think using a food processor will have a similar effect. HTH

can you imagine what her new book the first year planner must be like? the mind boggles...

First she taught us how to boil a carrot - just in case we'd forgotten - now she's an expert on everything.

Says who?

Can I just confess here that I didn't know how long to boil a carrot for before AK told me? Oh, the shame!!

SoupDragon - I still live with a copy of Grub on the Grant and associated Cas Clarke books to look up how long to cook veg... and I still use her every time I do a roast, so there's no shame

There should be more idiot guides to cooking, I want a good "looks like you spent hours, but was really effortless" type cookery book.

amazon.co.uk have got mums on babies (the mumsnet book) and Annabel Karmel on a special offer 'buy together save...'!

I had to smile, knowing the range of opinions expressed on mumsnet.

It's been really interesting reading these. My dd (8 months) is just coming out of a phase of eating nothing then only eating smooth purees from jars. It's been very hard not to turn every meal into a battle, especially if you have lovingly crafted some little dish only to have it rejected with fake choking noises and big ploppy tears

With your help, I've now got over my jar food guilt, which is great and I now feel liberated! Have you tried the Babylicious frozen portions - pricey but tasty, if a bit hard to get out of the trays. I think Annabel Karmel is a bit high-maintenance all round (have you seen her hair for instance!) but the Carol Timperley book is great for veggie kids.

My and dh's eating habits are awful and we don't eat anything that I would be happy pureeing for dd - I can see that this is going to have to change but I LIKE cottage cheese and sweet chilli sauce sandwiches eaten leaning over the sink...

I agree I find her recipes time consuming. I'm now a big fan of the 'Lorraine Kelly's Baby and toddler eating plan' book as its realistic and quick! There is also a guide at the beginning telling you exatly what a portion is and I now realise I am feeding my little boy properly!

Sorry for digressing a little anyone read the article about AK in todays Mail - she is a Geisha!!!!!!!!

Yes!! I saw that this morning. Well, if I needed anything else to put me off her, that was it! Yuk.

What a complete bunch of loonies they were - stupid woman stayed awake until her husband had gone to sleep even when she was really tired - from ironing and cleaning and shopping - right love try holding down a job running a house and having kids!!!

DP would freak if I started acting like that - there is something called mutual respect - something that I think maybe missing in these relationships - give and take is what I think we usually call it!!

As for AK offering her husband a choice of 5 different meals every night, that is what restaurants are for when you are at home you get what you are bloody well given or cook it yourself.

Sorry strange outburst - just livid that these women say things that are so bizarre - they evene lay out his clothes as not to have to make him think about what he is going to wear - surely being a grown up is all about actually being able to make choices!!

I am a big fan of the Lorraine Kelly book, Gina Ford is ok as well if you don't mind preparing 101 ingredients. I was bought the Annabel Karmel book as a gift and my daughter isn't old enough yet to try the recipes....don't think I will bother after reading this little lot. My dd has jars maybe once or twice a week, sometimes I forget to defrost as well!