How to Get Your Kid to Eat ... But Not Too Much is the best book I have read on feeding issues. The information it contains applies both to infants and to older children. The advice she gives can start your child off with a healthy relationship to food that can last a life time.
Alan R. Greene, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Dr. Greene's HouseCalls -- Pediatric Wisdom for the Information Age
http://www.drgreene.com

As a Registered Dietitian, I have used the concepts in this book to help parents transform their feeding relationships with their kids! It is best to read this book before you even have children or when they are very young and problems haven't started yet, but if you pick it up out of desperation, that's OK too - the concepts here are a great relief for many parents: It is not up to you to get the food into the mouth of the child! As long as you are doing your part of providing consistent, reasonably balanced meals, your child will do the rest and eat what he/she needs. In fact, when you end the begging/pleading/bribing of the child to eat, they will end up eating better in the long run! The concepts in this book, when consistently applied, lead to a much more relaxed mealtime, less struggle over food between parent/child, and in my opinion, ultimately help the child achieve and maintain a healthy weight and healthy relationship with food.

This is a book all parents should read. As a Registered Dietitian, I have been recommending this book to parents since it was published. Parents become very anxious about how their children eat, throughout the lifecycle, and the book will both comfort and guide parents throughout those years. The book will let parents focus on other more pressing issues of childrearing.

This book is the best I've ever read on the subject of infant and toddler feeding. The advice on breastfeeding, starting solids and feeding finicky toddlers is practical and down-to-earth--unlike some books which insist on rigid meal plans and servings-per-day which are just not realistic when feeding toddlers. The author emphasizes the loving relationship between parent and child, and discourages letting food become a battleground. She stresses a healthy attitude toward eating such as allowing kids to listen to their bodies in order to regulate intake, rather than forcing them to "clean their plate" or making them feel bad about eating when they tend toward overweight. All in all, its a very readable book with lots of usable information.

When my 4-month old went for her well-baby check up, our pediatrician said we could start solids. That was all the direction I got. As I reported this news to grandparents, neighbors and friends, I got all kinds of conflicting advice. I knew the basics-- You put the food on the spoon and when baby opens up get as much in there as possible. But like all first time parents, I wanted to do things "right" (research documented, tried & true, supported by physicians and child development experts).

I am NOT a good eater. I am very picky. I didn't want my daughter to grow up that way. Thankfully, due mostly to this book, she did not. She LOVES vegetables and fruits. She'll turn down a cookie to eat what the rest of the family is eating. I've been complemented by relatives, friends, day care providers and strangers in restaurants about how well she eats. I still pull "Child of Mine" out every so often to review and it never disappoints me.

I would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone out there looking for some good feeding advice...the tips Ellyn Satter gives serve not just to get you through infant, baby and toddlerhood feeding, but to set patterns that can continue through life. My only regret is that I'd had this book before my daughter was born so the chapters on breast and bottlefeeding would have been more help. (BTW, she is not at all judgmental or preachy.)

The book provides not only solid recommendations on diet itself, but also gives do-able advice about how to approach food and feeding with kids. Many parents feel a great deal of anxiety and guilt as they deal with feeding issues. Too often, nutrition books on the market are so restrictive or complex that parents end up feeling defeated, and even more guilt-ridden. This book empowers parents with tools and simple guidelines like "Let kids choose how much to eat." What a relief for parents when they realize it's not a tragedy when their kids don't finish the whole plate of food!

I've made it a habit for the past several years to get this book for friends when they become pregnant with their first child. Numerous times, I've heard back from these friends that the information was priceless, especially during the touchy transition between breastmilk or formula, & solid foods.

Bottom line: BUY THIS BOOK! It's one of the best around.

This book was written with a very simply and easy approach to help understand a healthier diet. The style is simple, has some really great ideas and advise. There are recipes also. The book was just on so matter of fact without all the glitz it applies common sense instead which was this a wonderful book.

Ellyn Satter understands kids, parents and the pressures of modern life, and shows us how to navigate our way to a healthier diet! No guilt here, either. Just common sense and good advice.

This book is a must have if you are interested in feeding your children well. I think the style is friendly and easy to read and the ideas are terrific. I would recommend to anyone who has trouble knowing what to feed their family.