Organic Baby Home • Organic Baby Products • Home Made Baby Food

Book Review:
Tiny Tempting Taste Buds
A Guide to Home Made Baby Food

Performance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Tempting Tiny Taste Buds Cover

Do you long for more tips and ideas on how to make home made baby food? I recently purchased Tiny Tempting Taste Buds, a complete guide to feeding your baby for the first year.

Actually, my daughter just turned two and I still found it very helpful. I read the book cover to cover and walked away with one conclusion: I wished I had purchased the book a year or two ago.

Why? Because it would have been so helpful to have feeding tips and techniques from a mom of five children. One perspective I found here that I couldn't find in other books or doctor's pamphlets is information that would encourage a breastfeeding mother.

The author, Christine Albury takes into account that breastfed babies might transition to solids differently (slower) than other babies. However don't think you'll be left out if you don't breastfeed. This book has loads of tips for everyone.

When I say loads, I mean it. The book has over 320 pages with hundreds of home made baby food recipes and helpful pointers.

Highlights Include:

The author explains the benefits of various fruits and vegetables, some I've never thought about serving, so it will expand my repertoire of meals served to the entire family and cause us all to eat healthier.

I loved learning the facts and history of some of my favorite fruits, veggies and beans or as the British born-author calls them legumes. I never knew that common veggies had another set of names in the UK, don't worry she clarifies this for her US readers.
A section on the importance of avoiding pesticides and the benefits of choosing organics. If you are a visitor of Organic Baby Resource, you already know this, but I like the fact that she informs readers of the goodness involved in organics.
While my daughter is beyond purees, I'm contemplating adding them to our pasta sauces, snacks and breads to boost the nutrition value of the meals I know she'll eat.
Also the book talks you through adding flavor to home made baby food recipes without adding salt and sugar, so many of them seem appropriate to serve to the entire household. Speaking of flavor, the entire
The book also goes into great detail about some hot topics that I needed to know more about including traveling with baby, tooth brushing tips, how to deal with a variety of specific food allergies and food that trigger eczema.
I personally benefited from this tip on getting your toddler to brush his teeth:
Open your mouth wide and sign a musical scale (we recommend trying this one in the privacy of your bathroom ONLY!). he will either try to copy your singing - or he will laugh - but either way, he will have opened his mouth!
In addition to the book I got hundreds of pages of bonus home made baby food recipes in some of the freebies that come with the main book.

Room For Improvement:

This is more of a user tip than a critique, but the book is long. While I wouldn't ask the author to give me less for my money. I recommend printing out the book and reading the sections of the book that are most relevant to your phase. Having the book in a binder will allow you to keep it in your kitchen or tote it to your grocery store.
The only thing I long for in some cases is pictures of the recipes to help me choose between the many recipes and to know if I hit the mark with my culinary creation.

Bottom Line:

This is so much more than a home made baby food recipe book. It is a complete guide to feeding your baby the first couple of years. As I said in the intro, I wish I'd had it much sooner, but rather than dwell on the past, I am going to use it add more variety and nutrition to my family's meals going forward.
At $17.00, Tiny Tempting Taste Buds is a great resource for home made baby food recipes and a good value. I believe it is an essential companion for moms who dare to become head chef for baby's first eating adventures. I highly recommend it!

Share |