Born to Eat

"For thousands of years, humans have thrived without "baby food" (which was invented in the late nineteenth century). Think about it: the human race has made it this far largely on whole food. Only in recent decades have we begun overthinking and over-processing our foods, which has led to chronic dieting, chronic disease, disordered eating, body distrust, and epidemic confusion about the best way to feed ourselves and families. Eating is an innate skill that has been overcomplicated by marketing schemes and a dieting culture. It's time to leave the dieting culture behind for the whole family. It starts with the baby's first bite! We are all Born to Eat and it seems only natural for us to start at the beginning-with our babies. When babies show signs of readiness for solid foods, they can eat almost everything the family eats and become healthy, happy eaters in the process. By honoring self-regulation (also an innate skill) and focusing on a whole food foundation, we can foster healthier children, parents, and families. You don't have to cook another entire meal to feed just baby, nor blend everything you eat into a puree to support healthy growth in an infant. With a little patience, presence, and skill, you can transform nearly any family meal into a baby-friendly food. Who knew a little planning could have the whole family eating together, and better? Aside from the United States, most countries are accepting of babies starting of solids with the foods of the family. With a focus on self-feeding and a baby-led weaning approach, nutritionists and wellness experts Wendy Jo Peterson and Leslie Schilling provide age-based advice, step-by-step instructions, help for parents, and easy recipes so you can ensure that your infant is introduced to healthy and tasty food as early as possible"--

Wendy Jo Peterson, MS, RDN is a registered dietitian and culinary nutritionist. She is the coauthor of The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook For Dummies and Adrenal Fatigue For Dummies. As with all military spouses, she wears many hats, but her favorite is her role as a mama. She splits her time between Austin, Texas; San Diego, California; and Europe. Leslie Schilling, MA, RDN is a nationally recognized registered dietitian & nutrition expert. She’s been featured in Women’s Health, BuzzFeed, Yahoo News, the Huffington Post, USNews, and on HGTV. Leslie is a self-proclaimed anti-diet dietitian who teaches health through self-care and pleasurable eating. When she’s not cooking with her family, she’s likely shopping for ingredients near her home in Las Vegas, Nevada.