It’s fun to read stories about baking, cooking, eating, and sharing food. Here are our favorite children’s books about food to read aloud with your child.
“Can we makepastilla?” my son asked. He had been poring through a world atlas that showed custom food from different regions. This dish in particular was from Morocco. We had already cooked Egyptian falafels, Native American fry bread, and latkes for Hanukkah.
As busy parents, we may not always have the time to cook meals from scratch, much less unfamiliar recipes with ingredients we don’t always recognize. But cooking and eating new foods don’t have to be complicated to be enjoyed.
This is why I love reading children’s books about food and following them up in the kitchen.Below are some of our favorites that can help your little ones get excited about cooking, baking, and of course, eating:
Table of Contents
Children’s books about food from various cultures
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Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup by Pamela Mayer
Sophie loves both her grandmothers’ chicken soups, whether the Jewish kreplach or the Chinese wonton soup. Learn how she combines her family’s traditions—complete with three chicken soup recipes for you to try.
Dumplings for Lili by Melissa Iwai
Many cultures cook some sort of dumpling, as Lili will soon learn as she travels up and down her building fetching ingredients for different families. Learn about Chinese baos, Jamaican beef patties, Italian ravioli, Lebanese fatayer, and many other foods based on dumplings.
Hot Hot Roti for Dada-Ji by F. Zia
Join Aneel and his Dada-ji as they use all their strength to whip up a batch of roti. Soon after reading this book, we went to an Indian restaurant and ordered some roti.
Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang
Meet Amy Wu, who is out to make the perfect bao, despite all the times her baos come out wrong. Your child also learns that it’s okay to struggle with something and to keep trying.
Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina Lazo Gilmore
I grew up eating pancit at every Filipino party, so this was a fun book to read. I can also recognize one of my kids in Cora who wants to do all the grown up tasks with cooking.
Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley
As Carrie goes from house to house looking for her brother, she realizes that each home, despite coming from different cultures, all cook rice in one way or another. Perhaps you can prepare various dishes of rice, from beans and rice to fried rice.
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard
Fry bread comes from a painful part of history where Native Americans were forced to forgo their usual fare and subsist on meager ingredients. Still, they made the most of it and turned a hardship into a cultural staple. After reading this book, we tried the recipe and loved it.
Omu cooks up a batch of her amazing soup that draws people to partake in the meal. This wonderful book illustrates the power of generosity and how food can build community among neighbors.
The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin
A Chinese-American girl wishes that her front yard looks as beautiful as the neighbors’ instead of growing “ugly vegetables.” But come harvest time, those vegetables turn into a delicious meal that draws the neighbors as well. As a gardener, I can appreciate the value of growing edibles, even if they may not look like the typical yard.
Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
After reading this book and learning more about this delicious Korean meal, we made the recipe and it’s now one of my son’s most requested meals!
Children’s books about chefs
Baby carrots, blood oranges, kiwis… these are different foods that may not be as popular without the efforts of Frieda Caplan. Rather than trying to compete with established markets, she sought unique and interesting food and showed us how to widen our palettes.
Niki Nakayama: A Chef’s Tale in 13 Bites by Debbi Michiko Florence
Learn about Japanese-American Niki Nakayama’s rise to become an influential chef in haute cuisine.
Mr. Crum’s Potato Predicament by Anne Renaud
After a picky customer keeps sending potatoes back to the chef, George Crum slices the thinnest potatoes he can and sprinkles them with salt. And wouldn’t you know it—potato chips were born!
Children’s books about where food comes from
Alice Waters Cooks Up a Food Revolution by Diane Stanley
Alice Waters is known for her restaurant Chez Panisse and revolutionized what it means to use fresh, local ingredients. She later advocated for healthy school lunches and building school gardens to teach kids where their food comes from.
Right This Very Minute by Lisl H Detlefsen
Discover what it takes to bring your food to the table (and it’s not just about going to the grocery!). Learn how maple syrup is collected, how a peanut farmer tests his soil, and the way citrus growers test their fruits for ripeness.
Children’s books about picky eating
Gregory, the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat
Gregory doesn’t want to eat what goats eat—he wants vegetables! A funny twist on what picky eating means, kids learn all about moderation and a healthy balance of eating.
Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Imagine where sweets are vegetables and vegetables are sweets. In this story, Little Pea’s parents want him to finish all his sweets or there won’t be any vegetables for dessert. Kids (and parents!) can relate to this scenario and discover that they’re not alone in picky eating.
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
Charlie tries to convince his sister Lola to eat vegetables, especially since they’re not really vegetables but planets and clouds. Kids can relate to Lola’s stance yet also realize that it’s okay to try things you swore you didn’t like.
Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider
What’s worse: pre-chewed gum or broccoli? James’ dad tries to convince him that food isn’t all that bad if you just give it a try.
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
Frances only wants to eat bread and jam for every meal. The result? She eats anything her mom prepares with gusto. Your child just might be inspired to eat a more varied diet.
Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks
Want to convince your child to eat broccoli? This book just might do it. Despite the monsters’ insistence that they don’t eat it, after a while they agree to give it a try (especially when they look so much like trees!).
How to Feed Your Parents by Ryan Miller
This book shows what it would be like if kids tried to convince their picky eating parents to give different food a try. A fun twist for kids who’ll only eat burgers from a bag or noodles from a box.
Rah, Rah, Radishes by April Pulley Sayre
Kids can’t help but cheer for these vegetables! The next time you want to offer your child a carrot or radish, read this book to make it more fun.
Children’s books about specific food
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
A classic board book, join the hungry caterpillar as he makes his way eating various food as he plumps up. Combine the book by eating the same food. For instance, eat apples on Monday, pears on Tuesday, plums on Wednesday, strawberries on Thursday, and oranges on Friday. Top it off by picking one of the special treats the caterpillar gets to eat on Saturday!
The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philomen Sturges
The hen may not get much help making pizza from her friends, but she still works hard at putting this delicious meal together. In the end, she still shares with her friends, who are grateful for her generosity and clean up so she can rest.
Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party by James Dean
Pete’s favorite topping is pepperoni, so what is he going to do when his friends start adding their own toppings? Pete has to learn how to compromise, and thankfully, he and his friends still enjoy a wonderful party.
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
Dragons like all sorts of tacos, but watch out for the spicy salsa! Perfect for taco night.
Follow a mother and daughter as they go to the market to purchase the freshest ingredients for soup on a snowy day. It even includes a recipe so you can taste what they made!
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
I read this and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a child, and both books make you want to relish a bite of a peach and a nibble of chocolate!
Read these next:
- Children’s Books About Farms
- Children’s Books for Earth Day
- The Best Children’s Books about Gardening
- Multicultural Children’s Books to Read with Your Child
- Thanksgiving Children’s Books
Free resource: Want even more book ideas? Join my newsletter and get your copy of the Read Aloud Book List! You’ll get hundreds of favorite selections to read aloud with your young readers. Get it below—at no cost to you:
