Some dietitian friends have helped me create a list of top rated books about food and nutrition for kids and teens!
It is known that reading books have the potential to skyrocket kids’ vocabulary and ability to communicate well, but they also build knowledge and create curiosity… and curiosity can lead to powerful actions.
A mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size.— Albert Einstein
Helping kids grow into adventurous eaters is an amazing goal, but one that can feel frustrating for many parents and caregivers. As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and mom, I have found that creating curiosity outside of the dinner table is a great way to introduce new foods without the pressure to eat them.
Instead, we ask questions, wonder, and go on adventures in our mind, creating little sparks of interest.
This is POWERFUL.
I 100% want my kids to grow into adventurous eaters. I want them to eat a wide variety of vegetables and plants. I want them to value their health and wellness, noticing how foods make them feel and the understanding the connection between nutrition and how our body performs.
But I also don’t want to force them, coerce them, bribe them, convince them or require them to eat a food. Like every other parent, I want them to ‘want to.’
Books are one of the ways that we take food adventures and sometimes, it leads to a trip to the grocery store or farmer’s market to seek out a new item to try. I asked some amazing dietitian friends for their best recommendations for books that discuss food and nutrition.
The list below are some of the top rated books you can add to your home library. To always maintain transparency, the links below are affiliate links which means I receive a small commission but your cost does not change. Thank you!
PRO TIP: Don’t just read these books with your kids- use books as an opportunity to go deeper. Ask a question to spark more curiosity or to move an idea from the idea box to the action box in their mind.
Before you close the book take one extra minute to discuss a concept or a food or a fact you found interesting and just see what happens…
Whether you are frustrated with your child (or teen’s) limited food choices, have a child that is showing interest in cooking OR are just looking for more resources to help you lay a solid food and nutrition foundation for your family, these books are fun, educational and filled with tasting images of food!
Top Rated Books About Food and Nutrition for Kids and Teens
Where Does Broccoli Come From? A Book of Vegetables
by Arielle Dani Lebovitz, MS, RDN, CSSD, CDE
This engaging book is a fun way to help kids explore all types of vegetables. It is full of fun facts from farm to table, vegetable seasonality, nutrition information, and tasty ideas for cooking and preparing vegetables. This book is all about fun, experience-based learning.
Ages 2-12
Where Do Bananas Come From? A Book of Fruits
by Arielle Dani Lebovitz, MS, RDN, CSSD, CDE
A colorful and playful guidebook that introduces 108 fruits with full-color photography. Kids will go on a food adventure as they learn, ask questions and explore different types of fruit beyond the produce department.
Ages 2-12
101 Descriptive Words for Food Explorers: A Visual Guide for Adventures in Food (Growing Adventurous Eaters)
by Arielle Dani Lebovitz, MS, RDN, CSSD, CDE
A strong vocabulary allows kids to better describe what they do like, don’t like and are unsure about. This book teaches kids 101 descriptive words, building their vocabulary and sparking imagination as they grow in their ability to describe what they eat.
Ages 3-8
A to Z with Fruits and Veggies
by Arielle Dani Lebovitz, MS, RDN, CSSD, CDE
This is the perfect read-aloud book, to build language skills, improve comprehension, and teach phonics all while sparking a love of reading and fostering curiosity about fruits and vegetables.
Ages 3-6
Super Simple Cooking for Kids: Learn to Cook with 50 Fun and Easy Recipes for Breakfast, Snacks, Dinner, and More!
By Jodi Danen, RDN
This cookbook gives kids a taste for kitchen independence (and their own delicious food!). With 50 simple recipes designed specifically for beginners, this kids cookbook requires no previous experience, pricey ingredients, or specialized equipment.
Ages 8-12
From Chewing to Pooing: Food’s Journey Through Your Body to the Potty
by Lauren Gehringer & Dr. Natalie Gehringer, Illustrated by Maile McCarthy
A fun and entertaining book that takes you on a food journey through the body to learn about digestion and how our bodies function. This book comes highly recommended by MANY Registered Dietitians and moms!
Ages baby – 11yrs
Lunchtime: A Story About Appreciating All Different Types of Lunches
by Julia Rubin
This is a charming book that touches on cultural diversity, especially as it is reflected in food. Teaching kids to ask questions with curiosity when someone is eating differently than they are is a valuable skill that translates into many areas of life.
Ages 6-8
Prep: The Essential College Cookbook
by Katie Sullivan Morford, MS, RD
This useful guide has 10 basic lessons, dozens of recipes, notes on knife skills, essential (and non-essential) cooking tools and all the tips your student needs to cook real meals with real food. This is a go-to guide for cooking basics.
Ages High School & College (appropriate for some middle schoolers)
N is for Nutrition: Rhymes by the Alphabet
by Todd Skene, Dr. Amneet Aulakh & Illustrated by Kezzia Crossley
This is a fun book that takes several adorable kids on a farm-to-table exploration, as they learn about plant-based food and nutrition.
Ages 4-8
Eating The Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables From A to Z
by Lois Ehlert
Books can help introduce foods in a fun and colorful way… outside of the dinner table. It can create conversation and dialog in a non-threatening way. This one is for very young kids. After reading it, take your kids to the grocery store and play a game to find all of the different types of produce!
Ages baby-3yrs
Mmm… Let’s Eat!
By Libby Koponen
Helping kids ‘eat the rainbow’ begins by introducing them to fruit and veggies in a fun and colorful way. This book is great for toddlers & preschoolers who are learning their letters and expanding their vocabularies.
Ages 2-5
Little Digger’s Big Garden
By Jill Woodward, MS, RD, LD
A clever story that will help kids process what to do when facing new foods that feel a little scary. Picky eating is a normal phenomenon and research shows that if unaddressed, it can stick stick with kids into adulthood. However, early intervention and positive messaging can help improve food acceptance. Take your kids on an adventure with Digger and find out what happens when faced with trying a new food!
Ages 1-6
Kid Chef Junior Every Day: My First Easy Kids’ Cookbook
By Yaffi Lvova, RDN
The perfect recipe book for any young child who wants to experiment in the kitchen and try their hand at some tasty creations. This book has gorgeous pictures of recipes that are kid (and parent) tested! It is also full of cooking tips and instructions that are color-coded and easy to read so that kids don’t miss important steps. If you click ‘look inside’ on Amazon, you will see the clever, kid-friendly design & tasty pictures!
Ages 4-8
The Superheroes on Your Plate
By Tansy Boggon, Nutritionist
In this fun and competitive story, all the foods are competing for the prize position of superhero on your plate! Which ones will make it? This story will teach some nutrition and inspire kids to eat a wider variety of whole foods. Indiebook Reviewer, Marcus, says “A fun and thought-out way to present food values to children.”
Ages 2-8
My list of Top Rated Books About Food and Nutrition for Kids and Teens is ever growing! Do you have a book I need to know about? Send me a message on Instagram or Facebook!
Thank you to Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, Kacie Barnes, Arielle Lebovitz, Megan Boitano, Jodi Danen, Betsy Ramirez, Lindsey McCoy, Jill Woodward, for your recommendations!
Now, go have some fun on a food adventure with your kids and see where it takes you!