Cook Books

[sbroadley]

Just wondering if anybody has got any good ideas for cookbooks on what we can cook/make for our ds - he is aged 2 and half and we would like to try some different things - most of the cookbooks we have seen or got are for older children or younger. Additionally as my df is due in July one that includes possible babyfood recipes for later on would be good - or does this require two different books.

All comments/suggestions gratefully received.

[sbroadley]

Has nobody any ideas - you are all very quiet on this one
Does that mean there are no good books out there

[Ravenfire]

Oh I went to post on this earlier then got sidetracked.

I dont really use much in the way of cookbooks unless I want to cook a special meal. What sorts of foods do you feed your son at the moment?

We tend to eat a lot of pasta which can be eaten from a young age, and I never salt any of my foods. Favourites with my girls have always been things like lasagne, spaghetti bolognaise, shepherds pie, roast dinners etc etc.

I bought a new cookbook from Asda recently (mainly because of the lovely puds) and it has some great traditional dishes in there including fish pie, liver and bacon and much more and it only cost less than £5.

Your 2 year old should be fine with all foods the same as you and the more you try him with different foods and flavours the better, even if its just a small bit of something that he has never tasted before together with something you know he likes.

[kathyhinsh]

I agree, also u could try giving him small tastes of wot u & ur df eat, with a back-up meal 4 him if he doesnt like it, which usually happens! lol

[Netty]

You can get Baby and Toddler Meal books - I have one by Sara Lewis, but to be honest haven't really used it.

[sbroadley]

Cheers for the comments.

At the moment we do have lots of disserent things and my df is a good cook - she even makes her own bread and pizzas.

My ds likes pizza (home-made or otherwise), shepherds pie, pasta at times, and last night enjoyed his Chicken chasseur (sort of chasseur) - he also likes cheese on toast and if I put a bit of garlic on thats better, fishfingers, tomato sauce (some bad things as well, but ok if not all the time I think - garlic bread - many things really and he nearly always has the same as us.

The problem occurs when it comes to veg - he sometimes will eat some veg - he ate some carrots ok last night, but not frequently enough. The only way we have managed to get him to have some of his "five-a-day" is when we give him a "Vie" which he likes.

What my df was after/wondering if anybody knew a book, was one on how to in effect "hide" some things in meals to try and get him to have more "good" things to eat, along with new meal ideas. We have pleanty of cook books and recipes, but none seem to cover the idea of trying to give him his veg or new things.

[trai]

If you make your own shepherds pie and sauces like bolognase(sp) you can cook veg as normal and then blend them with a blender into the sauces. One of my ds's friends mum still does this so that he eats veg. Also if he eats mashed potato you can mash cauliflower into it.

[Ravenfire]

I agree with Trai and would do the same. You can mix all sorts in with the mash, turnip, parsnip, swede, sweet potato ) not all at once though!

[essexgirl]

my sister put swede in her mash potatoes or she mashes swede and carrot together as my niece wont eat veg im lucky my dd like fruit and veg no probs getting 5 a day in her have you tried grating a carrot in the spaghetti bolognaise my friend dose that and her dd dos'nt notice:crossfing

[kathyhinsh]

Here r a couple I've posted that u could try, both contain veg.....the Chicken Provencale may be a bit 2 ambitious 4 ur ds tho
http://www.mumszone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=4935
http://www.mumszone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=4782

[sbroadley]

Many thanks for all your suggestions and comments.

I have printed them all off today and will give them to my df to read tonight when I get home from work.

I'll let you know what she says tomorrow - meanwhile keep any suggestions for either books or recipes coming - they are all very much appreciated.

[mignorette]

You could try Nigella Lawson's books - she's got quite a few recipes for children - maybe a bit older than yours, not sure. Also in Feast she has some crazy ideas for children's party food!

[megfenn]

Annabel Karmel's Superfoods for Babies and Children. She also does one specifically for babies/toddlers - meal planner I think it is. However, if you've got a 2 year old, I'd go for Superfoods. I borrowed it from a friend of mine but I think you can get it from ebay or amazon. It's a great book to have with kids because it's so easy to do the same things over again and if they don't like veg, then it's easy to give up. This book is a constant reminder of good foods to try and different ideas as well. Has lots of great photos so the kids love looking at it too and that gets them interested in the food.

[smirnoff]

we let the kids make their own pizza.. we gave them a selection of suitable veg (sweetcorn, peppers, onions, precooked veg - anything) and then let them experiment!!! After this i have always found that letting them help cook is one of the best ways of getting them to eat it!!
Always put a tiny bit on their plate - or even better!!!
Sit down with a plate of just veg.. just you and df, and tell your 2 yr old that they cant have any..try this for a couple of days in a row and by day 3 they will be gagging for it (so to speak!!)