Annabel Karmel's New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner - is it any good?

[PinkPussyCatInExcelsis]

Am just off to feed ds so will check back soon but would really appreciate your opinions!
TIA

I found this really helpful when dd was little - it was literally my bible! Gave loads of ideas for different meals especially as they get bigger and you can be more adventurous. Would definitely recommend it if like me you aren't much of a cook as recipes really easy to follow.

It was just really for ideas in case of loss of inspiration etc. My brain goes numb trying to think of new meals each night just for me + dh, never mind a baby! Will try + get to bookshop for a peruse before buying.

better to get a decent family recipe book (eg the Dinner Lady, Tana Ramsey etc), cook nice stuff for you & dh and give ds bits off your plates

if you're going to go to the trouble of cooking nice stuff from scratch at least make it stuff that everyone can eat

I think it's great! I know it's controversial, but use it more for ideas/inspiration and hints on giving a balanced diet than following it slavishly. I'd def. recommend it.

I don't think giving my dd. our food each night (cooked fresh) would work as we use seasoning/gravy/sauces, etc., and they're not allowed those.

Better to fill the freezer with little bags of food for baby which you can defrost as needed and her recipes are good.

I found it useful, I didn't follow it slavishly, but dipped in and out when I wanted to try something new and I've eaten some of the dishes myself which were delicious!

Can you borrow it from a library first so you can try before you buy?

gerbo, that was what I meant by 'from scratch' - so no using jar sauces or gravy granules, and substituting salt-free stock.

I did what mrsbadger did.. after a bit of pureeing that was always spat out, i made my own salt free veg stock and froze it, and if i made something spicy or heavily seasoned, i;d reserve a portion for DD before i seasoned the dish. Dd was much happier with finger food than mush...

Good idea about the library, why didn't I think of that?
Lulumama - can you give me a rough idea as to what goes into your salt-free stock?

I think i used to simmer root veg, and then strain it and freeze.. or if i was making soup, i;d not season it until after i;d skimmed some liquid off for DD. stock is just flavoured water after all !! you can buy low salt or no salt stock cubes..

I did salt-free stock with an onion, a carrot, a leek, a stick of celery and a clove of garlic. When they're a bit bigger, you can add chicken bones left from a roast for extra flavour. You just simmer it for an hour or so and then strain and freeze. You can also reduce it a bit so it's more concentrated.

I hated Annabel Karmel. I bought it on someone else's recommendation and I should definitely have got it from the library first. I thought the early 'mush' pages were kind of ridiculous - instructions on how to cook and puree a carrot and an apple seemed crazy. I suppose if you have literally never cooked anything in your entire life, they might be handy. As it turned out, my daughter was refusing to let me put a spoon in her mouth at all by about 8 months so the more complicated mush pages didn't get much use either. I gave up and just let her feed herself with her fingers, which meant no mush.

Some of the later recipes are lovely (little chicken meatballs etc) but others are very odd indeed (I seem to remember fish or something with crushed cornflakes on the outside instead of flour/breadcrumbs) and I wouldn't eat them myself so didn't really want to give them to my daughter. And the nice recipes are pretty straightforward and few in number. I'm not sure they merit buying a whole book.

Thanks lucicle! I have since heard lots of other stuff that has put me right off the Annabel Karmel idea... I think you are right, I will probably do better to use my own common sense!
Back to your stock... how much water did you use on those veg? Or do you just cover it?

Have to say that I loved this book with my dd (my first) and followed it closely as I had no idea! However as time went on, I missed out ingredients as I didn't have them and they were only half a a teaspoon here or there (these tended to be for later recipes).

Found it useful for information in the beginning and how much they should be having.
Saying that i won't be sticking to it as rigidly for ds (now 15 weeks) as I now have a clue what to do.

Also I have to say that my dd is a very
good eater and healthy eater too and like to think some of it was due to this book. I would recommend it and have given it as a gift to other new mums. But you do get ideas as you go along too.
Get it in library if you can to see if you like it.

I would put those veg in a smallish pan (8 inches across?) and cover with water. If you simmer with the lid mostly on so not much water escapes, it should be about right. But you can always add more water or reduce the stock if you think it doesn't taste right.

I used quite a few recipes with ds1, ds2 just got whatever everyone else was having! I think some of the ideas are good, but not a book you can't live without.

Found it useful for reminders and alternatives to my old favourites. Also, some of the nutrition info is interesting. Must say that i have forgotten to look at it for some time!