Teaching kids about foods and healthy eating are important in the early years in order to help kids develop healthy relationships with food. However, kids often decide to be picky eaters and not want to try new things. This list of children’s books about food & eating are a fun way to introduce new foods and the concept of trying new ones.

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Snacks

By Eric Carle

This board book follows the beloved little caterpillar as he eats his way through snacks that are opposites of one another. The easy to read text uses brightly colored fonts to highlight the characteristics of the foods that oppose each other. The colorful illustrations are done in Carle’s signature style and feature a hole through the thick pages, just like the original story. Kids will appreciate the way the text asks the opinions of the reader, while adults will enjoy the way the text touches on a variety of early concepts in a fun way.

Nom Nom Nom: A Yummy Book with Flaps

Written by Jeffrey Burton and illustrated by Sarah Hwang

This simple lift the flap book asks the reader which snack each animal character would want to eat. The text includes foods that would appeal to young kids, and ones that will gross them out as well. Once they choose a treat for the animal, they can open the animal’s mouth and read the “Nom Nom Nom” inside.

Related Post: More Children’s Books about Food & Eating

Mr. Bear’s World of Food

Written by Virginia Aracil

In this interactive book, readers join Mr. Bear on an exploration of foods and the way our senses allow us to experience them. The first page introduces the senses with flaps that kids can lift on the illustration of Mr. Bear. Each two page spread after that explores different kinds of foods and groups them by a similar characteristic. The characteristics include the common descriptors of sweet and bitter, as well as more specific ones like smoky and umami. Each page features small detailed illustrations of foods that fit into each category, so kids can make a connection with the foods they have tried before.

Eat Together

By Miguel Ordonez

This board book breaks familiar foods into smaller pieces, and puts them together to create a recognizable item, which is then carried away by ants. In the end, the ants have the break the food up again to fit it in their home, where they put together a big feast. Young readers will enjoy guessing what type of food the little pieces will make up when put together.

Just Try One Bite

Written by Adam Mansbach and Camila Alves McConaughey and illustrated by Mike Boldt

In this hilarious book, the tables are turned as a group of children try to convince their junk food loving parents to try a bite of healthy foods. The rhyming text follows the arguments of the kids as they share the benefits of the healthier foods while their parents make gagging noises and do their best to avoid them. Kids will love the funny illustrations and the way the story turns the typical mealtime argument on it’s head, while parents will appreciate the message that trying new foods is important.

Digestion! The Musical

Written by Adam Rex and illustrated by Laura Park

This remarkable book takes a scientific concept like digestion and gives it the Broadway musical treatment. Join a little piece of candy as it makes it’s way through the body and teaches readers about the process of digestion. The vibrantly colored illustrations highlight the journey through the body with all the flash and pizazz of a Broadway show, while foods and parts of the body are given little faces and perform their own parts in the musical. Kids will laugh out loud at this sweet and hilarious take on digestion, and the back of the book includes a glossary sharing information about each part of the body explored in the book.

Ultimate Food Atlas

From National Geographic Kids

This reference guide explores foods from all over the world with maps, games, charts, recipes, and more. Each page is bursting with colorful tabs and captions, and mouthwatering photos of all kinds of delicious foods. The maps throughout the book show kids where certain dishes and ingredients come from as well. This is a great introduction to foods and cultures around the world.

What are your favorite children’s books about food and eating? Share in the comments below!

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