Nourished Beginnings Baby Food - Nutrient Dense Recipes for Infants, Toddlers, and Beyond - Book Review

10/10/2016 *Sara-Marie* 1 Comments

I started looking for like minded people through blogs and social media accounts and one day came across Renee Kohley's Instagram account from Raising Generation Nourished. I immediately gravitated to her posts and her blog, seeing that she was successfully raising her three daughters on a real-food based diet.

"See Mom - I'm not the only one!" is what I wanted to shout. Over the years, I've learned many tips and tricks from Renee and she was the one to introduce me to the concept of using soups as a cost-effective but nutrient dense way to nourish my family.

It seems simple, but soups are such a great way to get kids (and picky adult eaters!) to get accustomed to different tastes and sneak in an array of different fruits and vegetables in their diets, not to mention the many benefits of consuming homemade bone broth on the regular.

So when Renee started to hint that she was writing a book, I got excited. Really excited! If just seeing her IG and reading her blog posts were helping me take my family's nutrition to the next level, a book would just be the icing on the cake (gluten free, of course!).

And let me tell you, this book does not disappoint. Nourished Beginnings Baby Food is so much more than baby food - it inspires you to nourish your entire family.

Not only does it include simple how-to's for nourishing staples like homemade bone broth and coconut butter, but it shows you how to cook once for the entire family but adapt that meal to fit your growing baby. No need to buy separate baby food or make something completely different for your child - from the time they start eating real food, give them exactly that! REAL FOOD.

Even if your children are a little older now, over half of the book focuses on family meals that anyone will enjoy. Plus - my daughter still loves purees and they are a delicious side dish to a roast chicken or served under some ground beef. I mean - don't we all still like mashed potatoes as adults? No reason we shouldn't be mashing up other nutrient dense foods like squash or beets!

In addition to all of the vegetable purees, nutrient dense soups, and well-rounded family dinners, I really love the section on drinks in Nourished Beginnings. Friends - we need to be thinking beyond those juice boxes. Again, every bite or sip that our kids take can and should be nourishing. 

Renee even includes multiple tea recipes that are safe to use for kiddos 6 months + that can help calm an upset tummy or a colicky baby and even aid a fever. SO helpful, especially when there's not much out there that is safe to use with little ones. I love having these alternatives in my pocket now. 

So all of that to say, you need this book. Nourished Beginnings Baby Food officially released last week and you don't want to miss out. I have seen with my own eyes how a real, nutrient-dense diet is so critical for overall health and wellness - for adults and children alike. While I still have control over what my daughter eats and doesn't eat, I want to be sure I am providing her the absolute best and now I have another tool in my wheelhouse to help nourish our next generation.