Who is Annabel Karmel, what kids recipe books has she written and what has she said about baby led weaning?
The author and chef has published more than 40 books on feeding children and families
WITH a career spanning over 25 years, Annabel Karmel has pioneered the way families across the world feed their babies and children.
Here's everything you need to know about the writer, chef and TV personality.
Who is Annabel Karmel?
Annabel Karmel MBE was born in London on May 10, 1957.
A mother of three, she's the author of books on nutrition and cooking for babies, children and families.
As well as this, she's fronted TV series including Sky Active's Mummy That's Yummy and Annabel's Kitchen, which was commissioned for CITV.
Her iPhone app Annabel's Essential Guide To Feeding Your Baby And Toddler features 120 recipes and episodes.
What kids recipe books has she written?
Annabel's first book was The Complete Baby And Toddler Meal Planner, which was published in 1991.
She's said it was a legacy to her first child Natasha, who died of a viral infection when she was just three months old.
Her website explains: "Feeling vulnerable when her son Nicholas came along, [Annabel] wanted to give him the very best foods.
"But she’d landed herself the world’s fussiest eater.
";So she rolled up her sleeves and set to work on cooking-up inventive combinations that Nicholas would love."
The Complete Baby And Toddler Meal Planner has become the second best-selling non-fiction hardback of all time.
She's since published over 40 books on feeding children and families, as well as eating during pregnancy and cooking with children.
These include:
- My Kitchen Table - Annabel Karmel: 100 Family Meals
- Annabel Karmel's Complete Family Meal Planner
- Top 100 Finger Foods
- Annabel Karmel's New Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner
- Fussy Eaters
- After School Meal Planner
- Top 100 Baby Purees
- Annabel Karmel's Favourite Family Recipes
What has she said about baby led weaning?
The ethos behind baby led weaning (BLW) is that you forgo purees, instead offering your baby a variety of foods which he or she can pick up and eat.
This allows them to decide what, how much and how quickly to eat.
According to Annabel's site, the most important aspect of BLW is introducing a wide variety of healthy foods, flavours and textures early on.
She says encouraging self-feeding of soft finger foods and family meals is a great way of creating good habits from the start.
However, she also believes that you shouldn’t have to choose between BLW and spoon feeding.
Her site states: "While lots of parents have success with spoon-feeding or baby-led weaning alone, combining the two is often an approach most suited to lots of families.