One of the most beneficial habits that adults can encourage in children is a healthy relationship with food. By teaching kiddos to understand what goes into our foods and how to make nutritious choices to fuel our bodies, caregivers can set them up for a lifetime of success when it comes to what and how they eat. We’ve pulled together seven entertaining and engaging books that can help start conversations on food.
Yummy in My Tummy: Learn about Healthy Eating with Sesame Street by Charlotte Reed
Starting with a simple guide featuring some beloved friends, this awesomely accessible guide starts early readers off right with the basics of balanced eating and snacking. Food is introduced to youngsters as an important part of taking care of ourselves by keeping our minds and bodies strong, encouraging them to make healthy choices where they can, such as healthy snacks when they’re feeling hungry between meals. It’s a well-executed introduction to the idea of eating well that focuses on listening to one’s body rather than vilifying the occasional sweet treat.
If a Monkey Ate Nothing but Bananas by Lillias Kinsman-Chauvet
Publishing in June, this delightful thought experiment asks the question: what if animals only ever ate their favorite foods? For instance, if a bear ate nothing but honey, it would surely get a tummy ache. If a dog ate nothing but bones, it would go terribly hungry! And if a kid ate nothing but pizza and sweets? While the book does conveniently skip over the fact that there are animals with monotrophic diets — koalas, for example, and believe us when we say a clever kid will gladly point that out — the silly rhymes and zany illustrations make a great point about introducing variety and balance to our diets.
Carly Tries New Foods by Katrina Liu, Illustrated by Bella Ansori
One of the biggest roadblocks to balanced eating for kids can be the dreaded picky eater; while some kiddos have sensory aversions or allergies to understandably consider, there are many times when kids just don’t like the idea of trying new things. Carly is one of those kids and prefers to stick to her rather short list of favorite foods during mealtimes. However, at her bestie’s around-the-world culinary birthday bash, not a single one of Carly’s go-tos is on offer. What’s a picky eater to do? Ansori’s adorable illustrations and Liu’s gentle story do a wonderful job of not only encouraging kids to try new foods but new cultural cuisines as well, pointing out that you never know what could be your new favorite food.
How to Feed Your Parents by Ryan Miller, Illustrated by Hatem Aly
Flipping the script on the traditional picky eater story, this title introduces young Matilda, who loves trying new foods — if only her parents felt the same way! But no, their palates are restricted to fast food and takeout, so Matilda makes it her mission to encourage her grownups to expand their culinary horizons. Young readers love it when a child protagonist gets to teach grownups the error of their ways, and will likely be tickled to point out that Matilda’s parents need to expand their diets past chicken nuggets and sugary cereal.
The Foodie Flamingo by Vanessa Howl, Illustrated by Pablo Pino
Frankie loves to eat the shrimp that give flamingos their distinctive pink color, but she’s getting a little tired of the same meal day after day. She decides to try a few new dishes to see if she likes them just as much, to the consternation and confusion of her flamingo friends. Yet Frankie finds that with each new food she tries, a world of flavors — and colors — is opened up to her! Howl’s playful story and Pino’s jovial artwork encourage readers to not only consume food but to explore and savor it, and makes a point to acknowledge that while Frankie does not enjoy every unique dish, she doesn’t let that discourage her from trying more new meals.
Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies by Megan Lacera & Jorge Lacera
Little zombie Mo Romero (a nice wink to horror fans) has a secret: he loves vegetables. Loves to plant and grow them, loves to cook with them, and loves to eat them! Mo’s parents are concerned with this very un-zombielike behavior from their niño, and encourage him to eat zombie cuisines such as finger foods and arm-panadas. Can Mo convince his parents that veggies are just as tasty? If your kiddos enjoy a bit of the darkness in their books, this is absolutely one to check out: the Laceras’ writing and illustrations are packed with yucky puns, yet still offer a fantastic lesson on how delectable a well-cooked veggie can be…even to the undead.
This Is What I Eat: Fun Activities for Mindful Eating by Aliza J. Sokolow, Illustrated by Lauren Lowen
For kids who are ready to begin some culinary explorations, this guide/activity book/journal makes a fantastic companion to their foodie journey. Focusing on learning to understand the provenance of food and the reader learning their personal preferences, this title motivates kids to experiment with flavors and cuisines by making these experiences fun and interactive. It also features wonderful information on how to grow food at home and help others who are facing food insecurity. Charming illustrations make each page feel like a picture book that the reader gets to contribute to, making this a great way to connect kids with what they eat.
Encouraging kids to cultivate a healthy relationship with the food they eat can be one of the best things a caregiver can do for their kiddo’s physical and emotional health, and we highly encourage checking out these titles to start conversations on the food we eat. We hope that you enjoy them — happy reading, and happy eating!
For more of our picks for young readers, check out this article on the Best Picture Books of 2024.
To see all of our recommendations for mini bookworms, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
