Annabel Karmel has written 49 cookbooks. Here are her 7 golden rules for feeding kids.

Annabel Karmel is a name that most parents will know. A former classical musician turned chef, author and global food entrepreneur, Karmel knows everything there is to know about what kids like to eat.

"My son was super fussy as a toddler,' the cookbook icon and mum-of-three told Mamamia on a recent visit to Australia.

"He used to hate chicken, which was where my famous chicken apple balls came from. He loved them! He didn't even know there was chicken hidden inside."

Annabel Karmel's food-related empire grew, thanks to the now 33-year-old Nicholas, who she tells me is no longer a fussy eater: "He lives in New York and is about to get married but he still calls me regularly for salad recipes!"

Her two daughters live close by in London and are always popping over to hang out in the kitchen. Family is incredibly important to her and it was the devastating loss of her first daughter, Natasha, when she was just three months old, that later inspired Annabel to turn to cooking.

"A year later I had my son Nicholas, and he was a difficult child. He wouldn't sleep and he wouldn't eat. I wanted to give meaning to Natasha's short life, and I so ran a playgroup and would share the recipes I created with other mums. 

"The feedback was so positive and many of them said, 'You should write a book about feeding children'. At first, I thought it wasn't possible. But then I thought, what a great legacy to help other children and parents. It took me two and a half years, and it was hard because there were so many opinions on when to introduce solids or peanut butter, but I got there eventually."

Watch: Annabel make her famous and delicious chicken balls. Post continues below.

Her first book, The Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner was initially rejected by 15 publishers before being published in 1991 and selling millions of copies worldwide. It became the second bestselling non-fiction hardback of all time and was the start of Annabel Karmel's brand.

Annabel has continued to publish books – 49 in fact – and has just launched an easy-to-use app, Annabel’s Baby Toddler Recipes, with tips on meal planning, weaning, and nutrition, as well as 700 recipes for kids at every stage of life.

After 30 years of cooking for and working with parents and kids, here are Annabel Karmel's seven top tips for busy parents who want their kids to eat well and enjoy their food.

1. Fussy eating is a challenge, but you've got this.

Contrary to popular opinion, kids can enjoy a variety of foods. Even the fussy eaters.

"One of my most popular dishes in Australia is the kids' butter chicken," Annabel says. 

"Satay chicken is another one, and in the UK, it's the chicken tikka masala. They love to try food from around the world and also food that looks good. My recipe for cheesy carrot stars, or chicken and tomato stars is a total winner, because not only does it taste yummy and is packed full of healthy veg, but it looks good. 

"I know that having a fussy child is a nightmare. I've been there! But we also know that it is genetic and not the fault of your cooking, so don't blame yourself. Instead, try to reward good eating to encourage them to try new foods rather than giving them attention when they don't eat something. A blender is also your best friend with fussy kids, as you can hide lots of vegetables in meatballs or tomato-based sauces if you blend it up."

2. Buy seasonal and in bulk to save money.

With the cost-of-living crisis decreasing many families' grocery budgets, Annabel advises buying what's in season and buying in bulk.

"Food prices have gone up and that's such a challenge. But meals don't need to be fancy to be delicious. I advise buying veggies that are in season, or even frozen, to keep costs low. Recipes like my healthy noodles with minced beef and veggies are very low cost per serve and always popular with kids. 

"Another tip would be to make use of your freezer. Buy things like butternut pumpkin in bulk, and then batch cook it all, and freeze extras for a later date." 

3. Don't ban sugary foods.

Banning certain foods will only make them more appealing says Annabel. Instead, she advises you to think about your kids' nutrition over a whole week, rather than on a day-by-day basis.

"Don't avoid giving sugary foods for dessert. The worst thing you can do is make certain foods 'forbidden fruit', because if you do, kids just want them more and they'll find it and gorge on it when they're out of the house. 

"With my children, there were always cookies or chocolate around, and because of that, they always wanted to have a salad! I'm not a strict person who says 'no' to sugar, and honestly, it's hard to make a yummy cookie or a cake with no sugar at all. If you do, they just won't eat it!"

4. Consider your choice of snacks.

Annabel says that while most parents understand nutrition better than ever, "ridiculous snacks" still give her cause for concern. She says instead to keep snacks simple, but healthy.

"One thing that really worries me is the prevalence of completely ridiculous snacks all over the supermarket, which are just puffed corn sprayed with 3 per cent carrot and a picture of a carrot on the packet. I mean, why not just eat a carrot instead? There's nothing bad in those packet snacks, but nothing good either. 

"Snacks are a really important part of a kids' diet because they often eat more between meals than at meals, but they need to be healthy. And that's easy because children love things like hummus with carrots or cucumber sticks. Cheese is great or what about some natural yoghurt with a bit of fruit puree and granola? I'm not a fan of sticky fruit like raisins between meals however as it just rots their teeth."

Listen to Mamamia's podcast for all things family, This Glorious Mess. Post continues below.

5. Get kids involved in the kitchen.

Parents often shoo kids out of the kitchen because they hate mess, but Annabel says there are so many benefits to helping kids learn how to cook.

"Cooking with kids when they are little is great bonding time, and as they get older, it's good to let them just get on with it themselves! I got my children cooking every Friday. I used to just chop things up, and then they'd make supper and they loved it. They were all pretty good at cooking from a very young age."

Another benefit to getting kids in the kitchen is that they are more likely to try something they've made or prepared themselves.

"Kids love being part of that adult world in the kitchen. Cooking is great because you're also learning about time, measuring and maths in such a fun way that you don't even realise you are learning!"

6. Convenience meals are fine.

Annabel knows that while she loves cooking from fresh, sometimes busy parents just need to get food on the table. Which is why she took some of her favourite recipes and made them into freshly frozen ready meals.

"It's the same for busy mums everywhere. And with a fussy child in the mix, sometimes you just need something that you can take out of the freezer, put in the microwave, and five minutes later, you've got a meal that works.

"That's not to say you will not cook ever, but having that option is very important for parents and you can't feel guilty. I had a mum tell me I'd saved her marriage because she'd had twins after three children and was just mentally exhausted. It is incredibly stressful having children and sometimes we just need convenience."

7. Meal times matter.

For Annabel, cooking has always been her passion, and she still loves nothing more than getting her family together for meal times. And it's not just about the food.

"When you have delicious food, it really brings everyone together around the table to sit and talk. 

"It's precious time and I always say, 'Never tell a child off at the dinner table', because it's the one time each day you have them for a few minutes, so you don't want it to turn into a battleground."

For more information on Annabel Karmel MBE, visit her website or follow her on Instagram @annabelkarmel.  

Laura Jackel is Mamamia's Family Writer. For links to her articles and to see photos of her outfits and kids, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Feature Image: Instagram / Canva.