The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook

Because Charlotte eats with us she has tasted and loves curry, chili, Japanese, Italian, Caribbean, and Thai foods—in fact the more flavor the better. The only three things she hates with a passion are banana, carrot, and cheese. We have no battles, and mealtimes are fun—eating out is brilliant.”
—Samantha, mother of Charlotte, 1 year

Additives such as monosodium glutamate and artificial preservatives, flavors, and sweeteners, should be avoided as much as possible. Research has found a correlation between hyperactivity in children and the consumption of certain food colorings (often found in candies and desserts)

• Cows’ milk (also goats’ and sheep’s milk)
• Eggs
• Peanuts (which aren’t true nuts but are related to legumes)
• Wheat (and other grains that contain gluten)
• Soybeans
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Nuts
• Seeds (especially sesame)
• Citrus fruits
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries
“Polly was spoon-fed and had allergies, and has always been a bit picky. But, now she sees her baby sister eating lots of new things, she’ll try them. Evie is encouraging her to be more adventurous.”
—Anisa, mother of Polly, 3 years, and Evie, 8 months

From about eight or nine months onward, when your baby is eating more and may be beginning to take less milk, making sure you offer him something from each of the main food groups every day, along with his milk feedings, will provide him with a good range of nutrients. Don’t worry if he chooses not to eat some of each—he will balance out his diet over the course of a few days, provided he is allowed to choose freely.

Super-Cooked Egg