mommy reads! book review: the baby food bible

i was finally able to finish the baby food bible last night.  the baby food bible touts itself as "a complete guide to feeding your child, from infancy on."  while the book was very informative, i don't know if i'd go as far as to call it the bible of baby food.  starting baby food is yet another confusing process in the step of child rearing.  everyone has a different opinion on what is right and what is not.  i have 3 different books regarding baby food, and each of them list a different group of foods as first foods. 

the bfb starts out talking about childhood obesity rates, and how children are now eating french fries as their vegetable of choice.  it then goes into saying that starting your children out with a variety of healthy foods will help them make healthy choices well into adulthood.  i definitely plan on introducing ian to a variety of foods while he's young.  i love food- i love trying new food and being adventurous.  i want him to have the same healthy appetite!  bfb has informative charts listing various foods, and when they should be introduced to your child- it also lists daily nutritional requirements for your child for things such as fiber and dairy.  

my favorite part of the book (and the reason it took me so long to read it) was chapter 4:  superior foods.  chapter 4 had an a-z (apple to zucchini) listing of the best foods for baby with cooking instructions, ways to incorporate the food into family meals and any precautions to take.  i wish i was lying when i said i took the entire chapter and made a detailed excel spreadsheet with all the foods listed.  i must say though, even that chapter was a little unorganized in its writing.  the same information wouldn't be listed for each food item- for instance- each food would usually list the following:

- the food w\ some information about it

- how to prepare it before cooking

- how to cook it in the oven/stove

- how to microwave it

- what to do once it's cooked

- how long it will keep in the fridge/freezer

- how long it can sit before it needs to be prepared

the reason i say usually is because with some of the foods, it would be missing some of this information.  consistency, people!  the book was downhill once this chapter was over.  the next chapter had recipes, followed by how to feed your toddler, school-age child, and different precautions (nitrate poisoning, allergies, etc).  then like that the book just abruptly ended.  i was expecting at least a summation of everything in the book, but what was i really expecting...  

so obviously i wasn't a huge fan of the book.  chapter 4 was its only saving grace.  other than that the author sounded a bit pretentious at times, and she only had daughters, so a lot of the charts she listed pertained to nutrition for girls.  i am definitely going to use my excel spreadsheet that i spent hours on as a guide while cooking- and if i don't, well this book was a waste of time.  

rating:  2.5\5.  without chapter 4: 0.5\5.

next up.  i'm reading say you're one of them.  i should finish this much quicker because it doesn't require me making a ridiculous spreadsheet.  i've decided to alternate baby books with "real" books, or i'll most likely go insane.

(sorry if i'm all over the place.  i'm on the verge of insanity this week.  really, y'all).