First Meals (New Expanded Edition)

First Meals (New Expanded Edition)
by Annabel Karmel

First Meals (New Expanded Edition)
List Price: $22.00
Our Price: $10.18
You Save: $11.82 (54%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.20 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


or

Book Summary Information

Author: Annabel Karmel
Brand: DK Publishing
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2004-05-03
ISBN: 075660365X
Number of pages: 192
Publisher: DK ADULT
Product features: Accessories:

Book Reviews of First Meals (New Expanded Edition)

Book Review: Only for ambitious and experienced cooks!!!!
Summary: 2 Stars

I've been cooking family sized meals since I was in junior high school and have always been very interested in the culinary arts, so I'm a bit more experienced in the kitchen than my wife.

She bought this book thinking it was "quick, easy, healthy" meals. What she found was a huge pile of frustration and angst with every recipe she's tried.

The estimated times to make most of these is severely underestimated. They also don't consider any "sit time" I don't know what planet the author is living on, but on planet Earth, that "Beef Croquette" dish took over an hour, not the 10 minutes they listed.

I've had to step in several times to repair the meal and my wife's self esteem. These are NOT recipes you should be trying unless you know the difference between a food mill and a chinois, a mandolin from a mezzaluna.

Even then, I'm not so sure these meals are all that healthy. Lots of pan frying, which to me is the same as deep frying. No real attempt to reduce sugar intake in these recipes. I think you'd do better by buying a Rachel Ray cookbook and shopping at Whole Foods.

We're very disappointed. By the way, our kids didn't like any of the stuff from this, and they love tacos, scallion pancakes, miso soup, MaPo tofu, plain yogurt, stuffed grape leaves, and lots of other unusual dishes.

Summary of First Meals (New Expanded Edition)

Completely revised, First Meals bursts with dozens of new color photographs and more than 200 recipes to entice even the fussiest baby or toddler. This classic cookbook covers the essentials-from flavorful first pur?es, winning lunchbox combos and easy-to-make family meals to finger-licking picnic and party noshes-while delighting the eye and providing hardworking information on nutrition, preparation and cooking times, freezing instructions, and tips on how to handle food allergies, additives, and tricky eaters.

"For help from an expert, try First Meals, a beautifully illustrated, easy -to-follow guide to cooking for kids up to the age of 5." NEWSWEEK

"Annabel Karmel's First Meals may be the perfect new-mom gift..." TIME
There's a popular game at baby showers in which the new mom-to-be has to taste jarred baby food and guess its contents. Inevitably, the first comment is "Yuk! How do they eat this stuff?" The answer, of course, is that babies don't know there's an alternative--fresh, delicious, wholesome food made at home. In the beautifully and extensively illustrated First Meals, Annabel Karmel explains how simple and satisfying it is to make baby's food yourself--from the earliest mashed banana and steamed carrot purees to Singapore Noodles for 3- to 5-year-olds.

Karmel begins with an extensive section on early nutrition, pointing out that while grownups are often encouraged to follow a high-fiber, low-fat diet, "the under 5s need significantly more fat and concentrated sources of calories and nutrients to fuel their rapid growth during the early years." Continuing her "Basics" chapter are sections on keeping a well-stocked pantry; the equipment you'll need; illustrated, step-by-step instructions on preparing your first purees; and notes on freezing and reheating food. Close-up views of spoonfuls of puree are especially helpful for nervous first-time chefs. Chapters of recipes and feeding information are then broken down by age--4-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months, 12-18 months, 18 months-2 years, 2-3 years, and 3-5 years, with each chapter addressing the particularities of the given age (questions about starting solids are answered for parents of 4-6-month-olds, while maintaining a healthy and varied diet and packing lunches are the concerns for the preschool child), along with 20 or more recipes appropriate to the child's level.

First published in England, the book has been "translated" well--ingredients are measured both in cups and in grams, and while there might be more parsnips called for than one normally sees in a North American diet, nearly every ingredient is obtainable at your regular supermarket. Karmel is up-to-date on the most recently accepted food recommendations as of 1999--she advises families with food allergies to avoid peanuts until a child is 3 years old, and while she cooks with cow's milk after 9 months, she doesn't recommend offering it in a cup until baby has reached his first birthday. Most importantly, she preaches a gospel of variety and of fun at mealtime. Cheesy Pasta Stars are made with tiny "stelline" pasta, and homemade Chicken Nuggets (made with grated apple and parsley in the breading) are formed in the shape of hearts--enough to break down the barriers of any picky eater. Stuffed Baked Potatoes become sailboats with cheese triangle sails and red pepper flags, and "Mock Fried Egg" looks just like the real thing--except it's vanilla yogurt with half an apricot on top! So trust your taste buds and leave those jars at the store--Annabel Karmel's First Meals will inspire you in the kitchen and leave your kids pounding the table for more. --Rebecca A. Staffel

General Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in General Books
Clueless in the Kitchen: A Cookbook for Teens and other Beginners (The Clueless series) ImageClueless in the Kitchen: A Cookbook for Teens and other Beginners (The Clueless series)
by Evelyn Raab
Firefly Books; Published: 1998-09-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.52
Price in other shops: $14.95
The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner: Easy Family Meals for Every Day of the Week ImageThe Food Nanny Rescues Dinner: Easy Family Meals for Every Day of the Week
by Liz Edmunds
Palmer/Pletsch Publishing; Published: 2008-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.08
Price in other shops: $24.95
EatingWell Serves Two: 150 Healthy in a Hurry Suppers ImageEatingWell Serves Two: 150 Healthy in a Hurry Suppers
by Jim Romanoff, The Test Kitchen of EatingWell Magazine
Countryman; Published: 2006-10-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.50
Price in other shops: $24.95
Impress for Less! ImageImpress for Less!
by Hope Fox
Wiley; Published: 2007-07-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.34
Price in other shops: $18.95
200 Best Panini Recipes Image200 Best Panini Recipes
by Tiffany Collins
Tiffany Collins; Robert Rose; Published: 2008-09-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.38
Price in other shops: $24.95
The Adventure Cookbook: A Transformational Food Journey from the Australian Bush to the Vines of Provence ImageThe Adventure Cookbook: A Transformational Food Journey from the Australian Bush to the Vines of Provence
by Sofia Brandon
Playful Books; Published: 2009-08-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.65
Price in other shops: $12.95
The Way to Cook ImageThe Way to Cook
by Julia Child
Knopf; Published: 1993-09-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $22.46
Price in other shops: $39.95
Sam the Cooking Guy: Just a Bunch of Recipes ImageSam the Cooking Guy: Just a Bunch of Recipes
by Sam Zien
Wiley; Published: 2008-03-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.14
Price in other shops: $18.95
Make-a-mix ImageMake-a-mix
by Eliason
Running Press; Published: 1995-07-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $20.96
Pocket Chef: Soups (Pocket Chef) ImagePocket Chef: Soups (Pocket Chef)
Cooks Illustrated; Published: 2005-10-31; Paperback; Book
Similar Books and other products
Cooking for Baby: Wholesome, Homemade, Delicious Foods for 6 to 18 Months ImageCooking for Baby: Wholesome, Homemade, Delicious Foods for 6 to 18 Months
by Lisa recipes by Barnes
Fireside; Published: 2009-02-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $36.46
The Baby Food Bible: A Complete Guide to Feeding Your Child, from Infancy On ImageThe Baby Food Bible: A Complete Guide to Feeding Your Child, from Infancy On
by Eileen Behan
Ballantine Books; Published: 2008-07-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.50
Price in other shops: $15.00
Stay-Fresh Baby Food Containers 12-Pack ImageStay-Fresh Baby Food Containers 12-Pack
One Step Ahead; One Step Ahead; Baby Product
Best price: $9.95
Annabel Karmel's New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner ImageAnnabel Karmel's New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner
by Annabel Karmel
Ebury Press; Published: 2004-03-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.93
Price in other shops: $20.67
Baby CubesTM 2 Oz. Baby Food Storage Contains no Phthalates, Bisphenol-A, PVC ImageBaby CubesTM 2 Oz. Baby Food Storage Contains no Phthalates, Bisphenol-A, PVC
Juvenile Solutions; Juvenile Solutions; Baby Product
Best price: $7.75
Price in other shops: $10.00
Lunch Boxes and Snacks: Over 120 healthy recipes from delicious sandwiches and salads to hot soups and sweet treats ImageLunch Boxes and Snacks: Over 120 healthy recipes from delicious sandwiches and salads to hot soups and sweet treats
by Annabel Karmel
Atria; Published: 2007-12-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $0.20
Price in other shops: $16.00
First Meals And More: Your Questions Answered ImageFirst Meals And More: Your Questions Answered
by Annabel Karmel, Karen Sullivan
DK Publishing; Published: 2009-03-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.20
Price in other shops: $22.00
The Healthy Baby Meal Planner: Mom-Tested, Child-Approved Recipes for Your Baby and Toddler ImageThe Healthy Baby Meal Planner: Mom-Tested, Child-Approved Recipes for Your Baby and Toddler
by Annabel Karmel
Fireside; Published: 2009-06-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.35
Price in other shops: $17.00
Superfoods: For Babies and Children ImageSuperfoods: For Babies and Children
by Annabel Karmel
Atria; Published: 2006-06-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.35
Price in other shops: $24.95
Top 100 Baby Purees: 100 Quick and Easy Meals for a Healthy and Happy Baby ImageTop 100 Baby Purees: 100 Quick and Easy Meals for a Healthy and Happy Baby
by Annabel Karmel
Atria; Published: 2006-03-21; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.97
Price in other shops: $16.00