Feeding the Whole Family: Whole Foods Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents [Paperback]

Annemarie Colbin (Author), Cynthia Lair (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1998

Are you concerned about the freshness of commercial baby food? Are you frustrated with making separate meals for your picky eater? Would you like move toward a plant-based, whole foods diet? Families all over the country have found satisfying, delicious answers to these questions and more in Cynthia Lair's Feeding the Whole Family.

There are over 150 family-tested recipes using whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruit. Each recipe contains suggestions on how to transform dishes parents will love into food for babies and young children. Plus the book contains valuable insights on breastfeeding, starting solids and how to attract children to healthy eating.

Feeding the Whole Family also features an extremely handy "Identifying, Shopping, & Storing Whole Foods" glossary, a complete index and delightful stories and illustrations. The book is bound with a special binding that lies flat.

This is the perfect gift for new parents.

Editorial Reviews

Review

(Lair) has written a beautiful primer that teaches how to prepare whole foods that nourish and nuture the body and spirit of each family member. -- Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients, Feb/March 1996

A jewel of a cookbook...will appeal to all women who find that their decision to breastfeed sparks a parallel quest for information on nourishing foods for the rest of the family. -- Marian Thompson, Co-founder , La Leche League, International

Feeding the Whole Family is a warm, creative book. The suggestions are family-friendly and the recipes appealing. -- Vegetarian Journal, Sept/Oct 1995

Feeding the Whole Family is the perfect guidebook for families interested in whole, organic, natural foods. Essential for those who want to start solids naturally without a big fuss. -- Peggy O'Mara, Editor/Publisher, Mothering Magazine

Finally, a cookbook that addresses the fact that no one has the time or inclination to cook separate meals... Feeding the Whole Family is full of nutritious, whole-foods recipes that everyone will like, and simple adaptations for babies and children appear with each recipe. -- L.A. Parent Magazine, March 1998

When it comes to children believe me there is nothing more important than what we are feeding them. Cynthia Lair has written a beautiful book. I love it! I'm buying it for every single human being I know that has a new baby. -- Susan Powter, Talk Show Host/Author

About the Author

Cynthia Lair is a Certified Health and Nutrition Counselor who has been teaching whole foods cooking classes in New York City and Seattle since 1983. She has been a member of the nutrition faculty at Bastyr University since 1994. Cynthia lives with her husband and daughter in Seattle, Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 279 pages
• Publisher: Moon Smile Press; 2 edition (January 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966034619
• ISBN-13: 978-0966034615
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,296 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Special Diet > Whole Foods

More About the Author

Cynthia Lair s the host of the on-line cooking show Cookus Interruptus: how to cook fresh, local, seasonal whole foods despite life's interruptions. She graduated as a Certified Health and Nutrition Counselor from the Health and Nutrition Program (NYC) in 1987 and has been faculty member of Bastyr University's School of Nutrition and Exercise Science since 1994 where she also directs their new BS in Nutrition and Culinary Arts program. Cynthia was a Clinical Associate for the University of Washington's School of Nursing from 2005-2009. Her articles have been featured in Mothering Magazine, where she is a contributing editor, as well as other publications. Ms. Lair has been an invited speaker at the Vancouver Wellness Show, Aegis, Starbuck's Vivecorp Program, Asante Health Systems, La Leche League conventions, USYSA convention, and the Greenhouse Spa. She has taught whole foods cooking classes at the Puget Consumer's Coop, Sur La Table, Evergreen Hospital, Pike Place Market and many other venues. Her popular cookbook, Feeding the Whole Family and has sold over 70,000 copies. Her second book, Feeding the Young Athlete: Sports Nutrition Made Easy for Players and Parents was released in 2002.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute must for your vegetarian or wholefood kitchen!, August 17, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Feeding the Whole Family: Whole Foods Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents (Paperback)

In the 18 months I have been using this cookbook, it has always given me excellent meals and valuable cooking tips. It is the perfect cookbook for the experienced wholefood cook or for a person, especially a parent, wanting to begin experimenting with the health-sustaining wholefood diet. The author even includes at the bottom of each recipe ways to adapt the food for a 'new eater' so parents don't have to cook separate meals for each member of the family.

Also, particularly helpful is her chapter on healthy lunches, which gives great ideas for packable wholefoods - usually a daunting task in these days of take-out/fastfood. The cooking tips throughout the book and her glossary at the back include extremely helpful and often hard to find information which helps make wholefoods less intimidating and much tastier. This cookbook and Annemarie Colbin's cookbooks (The Natural Gourmet and Book of Wholemeals) are my constant kitchen references

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best thing I ever did for myself/my family and our health!, July 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Feeding the Whole Family: Whole Foods Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents (Paperback)

This book has some excellent recipies made with whole foods. I was able to get rid of all the additives, preservatives, etc, and make meals with truly wholesome ingredients and the recipes taste great. My whole family loves it when I make something from this book. Even has a section that profiles the not so common ingredients. Would highly recommend to anyone trying to "clean up" their eating act! One of the best things I've done for my family and our health/eating habits. A+++++

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good addition to your whole foods cookbooks, September 18, 2004

By 

Lisa Manske "natural mamma" (Wauwatosa, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Feeding the Whole Family: Whole Foods Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents (Paperback)

I agree with some other reviewers, that Cynthia Lair makes a good start but neglects many important whole foods such as yogurt, kefir, free-range beef, wild salmon, etc. The main dishes focus way too heavily on grains, with chicken being the only meat, and seldom, at that. There are some great recipes for adding more veggies to your diet. While the recipes aren't super easy, they're not very difficult, either. As far as the recipes being adapatable for babies, the only comments she makes are to puree some vegetables and grains during the cooking process and set them aside for baby. Most babies graduate from pureed foods in a matter of weeks and begin to prefer finger foods. Her information on why to breastfeed and avoid commercial baby foods and supplements is EXCELLENT, however.

For me, the best part of this book was the dessert section. I have an incurable sweet tooth (that I'm trying to cure). When I began eating whole foods, I cut WAY back on sweets, but I still crave a treat now and then. She gives excellent advice on how to convert your favorite dessert recipes to whole foods by substituting bananas, dates, honey, etc. for the sugar and whole-wheat flour for all-purpose flour. There are also quite a few whole-foods dessert recipes included like cake, cookies, brownies, etc.

The beginning of the book outlines good reasons for switching to whole foods. Unfortunately, she places too much trust in the "food pyramid" promoted by the USDA and encourages a low-fat diet. Many whole foods are naturally high in fat, full of vitamins, and intended to complement the whole foods that are naturally low in fat. She does write, however, that her book is only a starting point and each family needs to do their own research into the healthiest foods for their family. An excellent point.

This book is a good addition to your library of whole foods cookbooks, but please don't let it be your only one. In addition, I recommend "Whole Foods for the Whole Family," "Nourishing Traditions," and "The Maker's Diet."