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Feeding the Whole Family: Recipes for Babies, Young Children, and Their Parents
For nearly 15 years, Cynthia Lair's iconic cookbook Feeding the Whole Family has been the source for parents who want to cook one healthy meal for the entire family, including babies. Feeding the Whole Family starts with the basics of creating a whole foods diet, from understanding grains and beans to determining what meats are acceptable to eat. Lair then applies these le...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
January 15th 2008
by Sasquatch Books
(first published 1994)
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Obviously, I'm very pro-whole-grain and fruits and veggies, so this seems like the kind of book I would like.
But I was immediately turned off when, reading her section on infant nutrition, she recommended home-made formula with raw milk. What? That's just downright scary. She's putting babies' lives at risk with this sort of advice.
Frankly, raw milk is not safe enough for babies. Unless the cows are maintained in impeccably clean conditions, it's easy for a little fecal matter to get into the mi...more
But I was immediately turned off when, reading her section on infant nutrition, she recommended home-made formula with raw milk. What? That's just downright scary. She's putting babies' lives at risk with this sort of advice.
Frankly, raw milk is not safe enough for babies. Unless the cows are maintained in impeccably clean conditions, it's easy for a little fecal matter to get into the mi...more
This book has been great, albeit a bit heavier on the fall/winter meals than on spring/summer eats. I've used a lot of the recipes and many have become staples: particularly the Middle Eastern Falafel (we make it almost once a week now and I've shared it with TONS of friends who've loved it, too!), the "Cream" of Asparagus Soup (using oatmeal to make it creamy instead of actual dairy), and the Lemon Tahini Dressing. Some really spectacular recipes that are really well laid out: clear, fairly sim...more
(recommended by Kathleen)
In this book you will have the pleasure of reading astute food philosophy along with rich tasty recipes that are responsive to your challenges as a parent. It’s unusual, yet so rewarding to find a cookbook that includes the breastfeeding years, early food for babies and tips for feeding children. And there are menus! The book is very comprehensive and that is comforting. What we need as parents is just one book, a guide. Feeding the Whole Family is that guide.
Click here...more
In this book you will have the pleasure of reading astute food philosophy along with rich tasty recipes that are responsive to your challenges as a parent. It’s unusual, yet so rewarding to find a cookbook that includes the breastfeeding years, early food for babies and tips for feeding children. And there are menus! The book is very comprehensive and that is comforting. What we need as parents is just one book, a guide. Feeding the Whole Family is that guide.
Click here...more
Nov 30, 2008
CJ
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
moms with young children, people who want to eat but don't want to spend a lot of time cooking
I borrowed this book from a friend who borrowed it from another friend. The cover is well-worn and torn in places, so I knew it must have been well-used (always a good sign in a cookbook, I think).
We have tried several recipes from this book and have loved every one of them. The recommendations for meal planning are realistic, nutritious, and affordable. There are food sensitivities in my family (to gluten and dairy) and these recipes are mostly GF/CF (except for the baked goods) and those that...more
We have tried several recipes from this book and have loved every one of them. The recommendations for meal planning are realistic, nutritious, and affordable. There are food sensitivities in my family (to gluten and dairy) and these recipes are mostly GF/CF (except for the baked goods) and those that...more
This book is an excellent example of why many people are overwhelmed and put off by the thought of whole foods. I consider myself pretty crunchy, and I use mostly whole foods cooking for my family, but I thought most of the recipes in this book were just plain weird.
I took issue with her liberal use of sea vegetables. Okay, maybe they are good for you and part of the reason the Japanese diet is so healthy. But I live in the Midwest. It would be completely ridiculous and environmentally irrespon...more
I took issue with her liberal use of sea vegetables. Okay, maybe they are good for you and part of the reason the Japanese diet is so healthy. But I live in the Midwest. It would be completely ridiculous and environmentally irrespon...more
Oct 23, 2010
Elke
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2010-books-read,
non-fiction-books-read
I loved this book so much that after my checkout time with the library expired (which was pretty quick because it seems like everyone wants this book) I just had to buy it. I still need to make the recipes in the book, but they look so yummy and healthy! I go to an Asian market every week and will totally be taking a slow stroll down the sea vegetable isle. I love simple things that you can add to a meal to increase the nutritional value. I also really liked the illustration in the book about wh...more
A basic whole-foods book, nothing terribly revolutionary. Could be good for families with young children, perhaps. It has some of the common flaws of the moosewood-ish genre of cookbooks: every other dish is based on a cooked-grain mush, and tamari, shoyu, and the ubiquitous "sea vegetables" are applied liberally in every section. That said, there were good basic directions for handling vegetables and fruits, including some simple, tasty, and oft-overlooked stuff like dried-fruit compote.
what an incredible book! as our baby is beginning to share more and more of our meals, i really need to make sure those meals are as healthful as can be. this book helped by inspiring and motivating me and by offering many good suggestions for using more whole foods in my cooking. it contains many wonderful recipes for porridge, applesauce, bread, granola, hummus, etc. as well as a lot of helpful information about buying, storing, and cooking whole grains.
This book helped our family as we made better food choices, indispensable really! I have given copies as gifts many times and recently bought the new edition as mine had fallen apart from all the love!!
Caution: a couple of our favorite recipes are not in the new edition and a few recipes are changed a bit!!
When ever I want to entice my sister to come over I tell her we are having the red bean and quinoa chili. She always shows up!!
Caution: a couple of our favorite recipes are not in the new edition and a few recipes are changed a bit!!
When ever I want to entice my sister to come over I tell her we are having the red bean and quinoa chili. She always shows up!!
This is a cookbook I go back to time and time again. It is my favorite, even though I have a few favorite recipes in it, and haven't done as much exploring as I should. I use the bean and rice cookery section the most, for cook times, ideas on what to do with the leftovers and how to use different beans that I am not used to cooking. My son loves the recipes in this book and so does my husband!
I love Michael Pollen's books. After reading his books I have often felt that I had all this great knowledge about the way I should be eating, but don't know how to implement it. This book has the information on what we should eat, along with recipes so we know how to implement it. I haven't tried the recipes yet, so I'm giving it 3 stars. If I like the recipes, I will raise my rating.
I got the new edition and it is a great book. I heard about it from a mom in my playgroup who worked on editing it. She highly recommended it, and it is a great book. It has some great ideas for quinoa and lunches. I love her checklist to use when you shop. It is easy to follow and totally kid friendly.
I really liked the ideas from this book on how to feed your family, even your new babies whole foods--grains, vegetables, all kinds of options that don't come from a box, can or anything else that's processed. And, it looks like it's going to be very reasonable--money wise too. I'm excited to have more options in the "wheat-free" baby diet!
This is an excellent book, and I think if I used it to cook for my family, we would be just overflowing with health and happiness. But I am so not ready to add Tofu Kale Supper Pie, Hijiki Pate, and the entire recommended sea vegetable food group to our menus. Maybe one day?
This book, really is a great resource for me. I am just starting as a member of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm and am reading this book in preparation for my first veggie box. I love that this book explains a bit of the history of a particular food, how it developed as an edible, nutritious food through out history, and also explains a bit of the science behind it (without being overly technical) and lastly, how you can prepare it for everyone in the family (even young children and...more
This book is used practically every day in my house. The recipes are great, and my toddler loves everything I have offered from this book. Good advice in the beginning, and good solid, healthy meals complete the book. Highly recommended.
I cannot say enough about how this book has helped me in my understanding of different ways to cook with whole grains. A great book to help with simple preparation of veggies and including younger children in your meal-planning.
Love her ideas: moderate but still healthy. Also, amazingly good, healthy recipes. Opened my eyes to some new ingredients. Great for moms but good for anyone who is attempting to both eat healthfully and yummily.
Nov 09, 2011
Lexi Walters Wright
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
nonfiction,
parenting-books-browsed-read
Best family-centric, hippy-dippy-ingredients book I've seen. Love that every recipe had a modification for babies under a year. It's my go-to special-meal book and now my new best baby gift.
Some of our favorite recipes are from this book - including the recipe for Lentils & Rice (Mojadra), Nut Burgers, Red Pepper Paste, Granola. I would love a copy of the new edition!
I have the newer addition of this book and I LOVE it. I am always referring to it (really b/c I can never remember how to cook beans) and use it in my weekly food plan.
This is, by far, the BEST cookbook I have ever used. Every single recipe has worked out brilliantly so far. I try a new one each week, and I am never disappointed!
Though this is a great recipe book for whole foods, the author also explains what nutrients are in which foods, ideas on how to feed our families better, etc.
This book provides many options for including babies and small children in nutritious eating. The suggestions are great and the recipes aren't bad either.
This book is best summed up by Trav's response when he saw it; "You know they're eating dandelions on the cover, right?" I don't think I'm quite that "green."
Great book with basic, hearty family recipes. She has references on how to make a baby meal with the meal you are cooking for the rest of the fam.
Jul 19, 2007
Bethany
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who wants to eat right
I absolutely love this cookbook. I am single, and I just ignore the baby food instructions. The recipes are usually very easy to follow. You might have to make a trip to Whole Foods for a couple of unusual ingredients or spices but once you get it you will use it in a lot of the recipes. I rely on this book for helping me to detox and avoid processed foods. Everything is pretty good leftover too. My favorite recipe is the Red Bean Quinoa Chili. I also like Curried Lentils and Cauliflower and Red...more
Not only good recipes, but great info on including food for babies when cooking your own meals and how to intrudce solids, etc.
Decent if you are still cooking from cans, but if you are cooking from scratch already, there is not much new.
I absolutely love this cookbook. If I had to choose just one to own, it would definitely be this one. All of the recipes are amazingly easy to make, healthy, and delicious. Seriously, I find it hard to not gush about this book to everyone I know, and I've found myself on the author's blog more than once raving about different recipes. Lair includes recipes and tips for cooking for babies, but even if you don't have kids, get this cookbook! It's amazing.
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Jun 25, 2011 02:40pm
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