Cookery books for weaning
Your child is turning 6 months old, and an exciting new stage of development is just beginning—but knowing where to start with weaning can feel overwhelming. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. With the right books by your side, your weaning journey can become one of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of your day.
Weaning brings new rhythms to family life and often raises lots of questions: What should I make? Which ingredients are suitable? How do I prepare meals safely? And what exactly is baby-led weaning? Whether this is your first time cooking for your little one or you’re looking for fresh inspiration and fun new cookery books to enjoy as a family, here are a few titles I would highly recommend from one family of food lovers to another.
My favourite cookbook, which has traditional English mealtime recipes, is River Cottage Baby and Toddler Cookbook by Nikki Duffy. Filled with seasonal, wholesome recipes, this book is perfect for the whole family. The introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall sets the tone for a book that is here to help and enhance mealtimes. Being a relatable resource from another parent is ideal because weaning can indeed be a frustrating time, but this book combines good ingredients and easy recipes, making you feel relaxed and confident that you are making incredible meals for your little one. Firm favourites in this house are Golden goujons- which the husband continues to eat long after dinner has finished, when he thinks no one is looking, Rice Pudding- perfect for cold days, Little toads in-the-hole- ideal for little ones, as their hands can easily grab, and the little sausages are perfect for fork practice. Lastly, my favourite part of this book is the other resources section, which includes links to resources predominantly in the UK and further reading. Despite being published in 2011, this resource is perfect for any kitchen. I also recommend The River Cottage Family Cookbook, which is filled with family favourites and lots of sweet treats- as I write this, I am eating the last of my chocolate chip cookies I made last night… they never last more than 24 hours in this house as they are too delicious. The flatbreads have also been a great addition to other recipes made from cookbooks I will discuss below, such as the lamb koftas in Moon & Rue.
For a variety of dishes and the ease of knowing what is suited to each stage of weaning, I highly recommend Moon & Rue. The book is separated into sections following age stages as you work your way to whole meals with your little one. However, my main piece of advice is to read the recipe properly and take advice, because in my sleep-deprived state, I did spend 45 minutes quartering my kidney beans for the Veggie curry when I could have just mashed them… we live and learn! The recipes are not afraid to use flavour, so they suit the adults and the children at the table. And the weekly shopping list examples can really help in those first few weeks where you get to grips with your new routine.
Another book I purchased that was a firm favourite for some of my friends was Joe Wicks- Wean in 15. This book is filled with some great recipes, which I found most useful for those early weeks of cooking. With lots of advice and different ways of navigating weaning, you can read this book an feel empowered that you have all the information to start this process. Additionally, the first food chapter starts with a 2 week plan, you can dive straight into eating, which we did with broccoli.
I found that the books above were my personal go-to, and I had all the resources I needed for my weaning journey; however, I know many of my friends had other favourites which helped them. Two of which were How to Wean Your Baby by Charlotte Stirling-Reed and What Mummy Makes by Rebecca Wilson. Both these books are filled with an array of dishes that help you approach weaning deliciously and healthily.
One book I am looking forward to this year is Once Upon a Cookbook : A Treasury of Recipes Inspired by Timeless Children's Books by Bryton Taylor. I think the concept is wonderful and will make cooking a moment of nostalgia as well as fun.
I hope you enjoy your future weaning journey and help to create memories with your family, as there is no better way to create memories than over good food.
You can purchase any copies of the books above ( including the secondhand copies of River Cottage Baby and Toddler Cookbook by Nikki Duffy and The River Cottage Family Cookbook) by clicking on the links above. Use code BLOG for 10% off purchases of new blog books.