Weaning your baby from milk to solids is an exciting time and a big step for both of you. What you feed your baby as he starts his life journey is all-important for healthy development. So follow our guide to weaning and try some of our delicious recipes on the way? Baby’s best first foods Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potato, parsnip and swede tend to be the most popular with very young babies ...

Welcome to At Home with Annabel Karmel I don’t know about you but my heart sinks when I read about the health of our nation’s children and the terrifying increase in childhood obesity. I know that diet isn’t only to blame, lack of exercise is also a major factor, but I think we must all play our part in tackling this issue. I’m concerned when I see lunchboxes full of processed, calor ...

Every parent knows the foods and recipes their children enjoy most. Here are three great ideas from Annabel’s children. Lara loves... Chicken on the griddle with mouth-watering marinade Makes 4 portions time to prepare 8 minutes time to cook 15 minutes Lara has invented her own special way of eating this. She heats tortilla wraps either in a microwave or dry frying pan for about 15 seconds, mixes toge ...

Got a baby, toddler or older child food question? Annabel has the solution Is he really full? My four-year-old son says he’s full when he’s barely finished half of what’s on his plate. Is there something wrong with him or should I just try to give him less food but more often? Angela Weston, 36, Birmingham Annabel replies: Too much food on a plate can be off putting. Keep portions small an ...

Banish your child’s bad eating habits with these easy and effective ideas Play the food detective game Make rejecting things into a game – children find it enjoyable to criticise the adult world and become detectives outwitting the enemy. Take a look at the ingredients on some children’s breakfast cereals and explain that a teaspoon of sugar weighs about 6g. The weight of sugar per portion ...

There are loads of fun and instructive ways to interest kids in cooking. Here are some ideas If it’s your child’s birthday why not organise a cooking party? You can even make invitations out of coloured card in the shape of rolling pins or chef’s hats. You and your child can choose some fun recipes for the guests to cook. Measure out the ingredients before the party starts so that everythi ...

Annabel Karmel’s contribution to the world of food and nutrition for babies and children is second to none. In fact she is the world’s best-selling author on the subject – at home finds out what drives her. What made you want to become a best-selling author on children’s nutrition? My first child, Natasha, died at 13 weeks – she was born healthy but she caught a viral infection ...

The right combination of foods can boost the brain as well as the body. Iron and essential fatty acids are particularly important in children’s diets. Oil rich fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines are especially good brain boosters. This is down to their high levels of omega-3 essential fats, which optimise messaging between nerve cells in the brain. High intakes are crucial for good brain ...

If you’re not happy with the quality of hamburgers, chicken nuggets, fish fingers and pizza from your local supermarket why not make your own – you can even sneak in some EXTRA vegetables! ANNABEL’S TASTY BEEFBURGERS Why not make your own healthy burgers using good quality minced beef and no nasties. Makes 10 burgers Suitable for freezing Time to prepare 10 minutes Time to cook 25 minutes ...

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with lunch ideas for your growing kids – here’s how to get them to enjoy different foods that are fun and nutritious! Five million lunchboxes are made every day in this country. The Foods Standards Agency survey of lunchboxes showed that three out of four contained foods too high in saturated fat, salt and sugar and almost half failed to contain any fruit. W ...