Written and illustrated by: Catherine Jones and Rose Ann Hudson, RD, LD
Publisher: Da Capo Press, Life Long Books
Publication Date: June 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7382-1352-1
Reviewed by: Pamela Victor
Review Date: June 2010

Pregnancy is a natural opportunity to focus seriously on nutrition. But where to begin? And, even harder, where to end if you don’t want to come home from the bookstore with your arms overflowing with purchases? Fortunately, Catherine Jones and Rose Ann Hudson make this decision easier by packing generous servings of nutritional information for pregnant women along with 150 healthy, simple recipes into just one book.

Eating for Pregnancy combines easy-to-make, nutritionally-rich recipes literally from soup to nuts, with a plethora of nutritional information, healthy eating tips, and dietary guidelines. The authors touch on many useful topics, such as combating heartburn, choosing the healthiest fish, high risk pregnancies, and environmental concerns, to name but a few. Vegetarians and vegans will find plenty of support for making good dietary choices during pregnancy in this book, with an entire chapter devoted to “Vegetarian and Vegan Delights” full of succulent and simple recipes. The second edition has been expanded to include a Nine Months Later section, providing recipes specifically for breastfeeding mothers, an exercise program and tips on dealing with post-partum depression from experts in the field.

Woven into the thorough array of gastronomical guidelines, the authors provide a delightful range of guilt-free recipes that taste as delicious as they sound. Breakfast might be a French Toast Banana Sandwich, a lunch of Asian-Style Turkey Wrap or Crispy Fried Tofu with Sesame-Soy Sauce, and for dinner a Sauteed Salmon on a Bed of Greens with Citrus Vinaigrette. And for dessert? Hmm, will it be Peach and Blackberry Cobbler or Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting? Maybe both? These recipes are so wholesome that you can have your cake – and your cobbler – and eat it too.

The recipes in Eating for Pregnancy are remarkably easy to make, requiring minimal effort. Most can be made in only three steps! The simple ingredients seem carefully chosen to provide the most nutrition and the best taste with the least effort. Both authors are mothers who know intimately about the up’s and down’s of pregnancy in today’s world. They wrote this book to assist real women in a real world. “Considering our time-pressured lives,” the authors write, “we tried to make this book as quick to read and user-friendly as possible. At-a-glace nutrient sources, pantry lists, and cooking tips are designed to make your life easier in the grocery story and in front of the stove.”

The authors write for an inclusive readership, anticipating the special needs of over- or under-weight moms-to-be as well as teenagers, those carrying multiples, and women with gestational diabetes. However, Eating for Pregnancy seems to be most suited for educated readers who already have a health-conscious approach to eating. Women less knowledgeable about good food choices might become overwhelmed by the advice and some of the recipes. For instance, a woman accustomed to a salad of iceberg lettuce might have a hard time getting her mind around more nutritionally-packed choices like dandelion, sorrel and mustard greens. (Though in my opinion, it’s a hurdle worth trying to overcome.)

Healthy eaters will become even healthier with the guidance of this book. Eating for Pregnancy helps women make better dietary choices for themselves and their families, not just during pregnancy, but for a lifetime of good eating.

Quill says: Everything a mother-to-be needs to know about healthy eating, plus 150 nutrition-packed, tasty recipes. Yum!

For more information on Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Guidebook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be, please visit Catherinejonescooks.com