5 Children’s Books that Will Get Kids Excited About Food

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, by Josh Funk and Brendan Kearney
This adorable picture book takes your kid on an epic journey through the refrigerator as Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast race to get the last drop of syrup. As they ski, rappel, jump, and run through the contents of a well-stocked fridge, kids are exposed to colorful depictions of chili, sauerkraut, broccoli, and more. While they battle against each other, the food becomes just another hurdle, and there’s even a bean avalanche to slow down the competition. After it’s all said and done, the last page opens up to depict a full refrigerator, so kids can map out the journey for themselves.

Peanut Butter and Cupcake, by Terry Border 
With hilarious close-up photographs of anthropomorphic food, this story tells the tale of a slice of peanut butter bread, who is looking for his perfect friend. He sets off on a journey, meeting loads of fun food on his way. We may already know where Peanut Butter’s journey will end, but it’s a fun ride watching him encounter Hot Dog, Egg, and Cupcake along the way. The food comedy is a perfect way to expose kids to new food, but the best part is the art. The food characters not only look delicious, but their little wire arms and legs and natural human gestures are downright funny.

Dragons Love Tacos, by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri 
This beautifully illustrated book is actually a how-to on throwing an incredible Taco Party in order to attract dragons. This party will, of course, include all types of tacos—from chicken tacos, to beef tacos, to giant tacos. There are actual boat-loads of tacos, which are basically irresistible to dragons (and also anyone who reads this book). Pages and pages of tacos and dragons, illustrated with colored pencil and watercolors, are a fun treat that’ll make your mouth water. But don’t worry: the spicy salsa isn’t invited to this taco party.

Yum Yum Dim Sum, by Amy Wilson Sanger
If you want to teach your kids about different culture’s cuisines, Amy Wilson Sanger’s World Snacks board book series is the perfect way to do it—and Yum Yum Dim Sum is one of my favorites. It not only introduces delicious, traditional foods like dumplings and oolong tea, it also includes a glossary to describe the contents of the foods. The collage-style pictures are colorful and realistic, and the traditional Chinese names are used for the dishes, so it’s easy to learn the correct names for the more exotic foods. The book also introduces the idea of Dim Sum, which is a type of Chinese family-style meal with teahouse foods. Also available in the series are First Book of Sushi and Hola! Jalapeno.

Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss
The classic children’s book about not discounting something before you’ve tried it, Green Eggs and Ham is the perfect go-to for picky-eaters. After all, who can’t sometimes use a gentle reminder that you should try something before you decide you don’t like it? Persistence is key for Sam-I-Am, as he walks us through all the places green eggs and ham can be enjoyed as well as all the friends they can be enjoyed with. It’s a silly book, with lots of easy words to help encourage young children to start reading, while also encouraging them to try something new.
What food-based books do your little readers devour?