Veggie from the Start

by Rachel Boyett

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Veggie from the Start is a tutorial and information guide to nutrition and plant based food for babies and families. Due out 5th Jan 2021 from from Workman Publishing on The Experiment imprint is 192 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is an accessible and well written guide aimed especially at families with babies who are / or will be weaning - to get them over the transition and started on first foods which are plant based and vegetarian friendly as well as nutritionally sound and appetizing. The book has a logical layout with appealing graphics and a lot of good information. It's also full of -extremely- cute babies with "awwwwww" inspiring levels of cuteness.

The introductory chapters contain a lot of usable info about vegetarian choices, nutritional background, how-to's, and techniques for getting started on the transition from nursing to solid foods. The following chapters contain the recipes arranged thematically: breakfast & brunch, snacks & mini meals, dips & staple sauces, baby Buddha bowls, dinner time & family meals, sweet stuff, and adapting recipes (lots of great info in this section). The recipes have specific serving sizes (1 adult + 1 baby, or 4 baby sized servings, for example). Nutritional info is not included. Recipe ingredients (most are easily sourced at a well stocked grocery store) are listed bullet style in a sidebar. Recipe measurements are in American standard measures with some (not all) metric measures in parentheses, followed by step by step cooking/assembly instructions. Many of the recipes include optional twists or add-on flavors and options.

The authors have also included a number of useful appendices at the end of the book: a table of allergens and info about food sensitivity, resources and links, a cross-referenced index, and a short bio. The photography is clear and appealing and added a great deal to the book. Most of the recipes are accompanied by one or more photos. Serving suggestions are appealing and appropriate.

Five stars. One of the better baby-led weaning books I've seen which gives more in-depth info about *what* exactly to offer during the weaning process.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.