First food for baby and toddler is fundamental for your child’s future health. Yes, what your child eats early on can lay the foundation of food preferences, healthy eating and more.
In this episode, I interview Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., a nationally recognized nutrition consultant, speaker, journalist and author of The Baby and Toddler Cookbook: Fresh Homemade Foods for a Healthy Start.

What you will learn:

• Why uncomplicated food is ideal for baby in the beginning, but why you want to ramp it up gradually through the first year
• How to get started and make super simple baby food
• How to make a rotation of foods for the freezer so you don’t have to make baby food every day
• The importance of flavor to the future eating habits of your growing child
• Why the family table is the best place for baby to eat
• Did you know? All children can eat what their parents eat!
• How to increase the odds that your child will eat a new food
• The perspective you need to have for success, especially during the toddler years

What we cover:

• How to prepare simple first food for baby and ideas for toddler food
• The blank palate and the honeymoon period of eating
• Ideas for making baby food in bulk
• Increasing flavor and variety in your baby’s first food
• How to puree nutrient-rich foods like meat (a rich source of iron and zinc)
• How to transition texture for the new eater
• How a wide variety of foods may prevent picky eating
• The food and feeding goals in the second year of life
• Ways to make one meal for the whole family (and yes! baby can eat this too!)

Links I mention in the show:

The Baby & Toddler Cookbook: Fresh, Homemade Foods for a Healthy Start
Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School
How to Cook Beef for your Family
Beef in the Slow Cooker (recipe)
Karen Ansel’s website

Help The Nourished Child podcast Grow

Parents need help with childhood nutrition. The Nourished Child podcast can help! Be the bridge to other parents! Here’s how you can help The Nourished Child podcast grow:
Write a review on iTunes.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes, on Android, Stitcher radio, Google Play Music, Tuned In and more (links above)
Share the podcast on social media—Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, Pinterest, Instagram—where ever you hang out.
Don’t miss a thing! Join my newsletter for your weekly dose of sanity-saving nutrition advice for kids of all ages (plus free tip sheets, cheat sheets, guides and more!).
Disclosure: Affiliate links are included for my book. If you purchase off my website, I receive a small income which helps me offset the costs of running it.