Of course, we want to teach our students the importance of fueling their growing, playing, and learning bodies with healthy foods. When children learn about good nutrition and develop positive attitudes about eating, they go a long way toward lifelong health. Plus, kids deserve to learn about how good healthy eating can feel and taste. From trying new foods to learning how to cook, understanding food allergies, and of course eating those vegetables, here are some of our favorite picture books on nutrition and healthy eating habits to share with kids.
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You are reading: Children’s books on healthy eating
1. rah, rah, radishes: a vegetable song by april pulley sayre
This photographic celebration of vegetables shows them at their best. is one of our favorite catchy (non-instructional) nutrition books to share with young children to start a unit on healthy eating or plants. Also, check out Go Go Grapes – A Fruit Song to get everyone excited about fruit!
2. rubin pfeffer summer dinner
This alliterative story tells the farm-to-table story of a healthy seasonal meal. It’s great for kids to think about where their food comes from and talk about their own family food traditions.
3. maurice the inhuman by amy dixon
Maurice may be an unusually gentle monster, but he’s determined to be himself. that includes strongly preferring green vegetables to traditional monster food. For kids with a negative attitude toward vegetables, Maurice proves that kale is definitely great.
4. gregory the terrible eater mitchell shamat
gregory loves fruits, vegetables, eggs, and fish, rather than the typical goat food of tires, cans, and t-shirts. Kids will find it amusing that Gregory’s parents don’t want him to eat their fruits and vegetables and instead want him to eat garbage. Instead of being told what’s healthy, kids will point it out themselves in this silly role-playing book.
5. i will never eat a tomato (charlie and lola) by lauren child
Lola won’t eat healthy food until her brother creatively renames them, calling carrots “orange twigs of jupiter” and mashed potatoes “pointy peaks of mount fuji.” After reading, have your students think of other creative and fun names for commonly disliked foods or write a story about a time they ate something new and were surprised by how it tasted.
6. how did that get in my lunchbox: the chris butterworth food story
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A big part of making healthy food choices is understanding where your food comes from. Each colorful spread teaches children how a common lunch food is grown or produced. the above subject includes a brief introduction to the food groups.
7. tyler makes spaghetti from tyler florence
A little boy who loves spaghetti spends the day making fresh pasta, sauce and meatballs with a local chef. make kids wonder about the ingredients in their favorite foods.
8. the seven foolish eaters by mary ann hoberman
Kids love this fun story that gently taunts picky eaters. Are the seven peters brothers healthy eaters? Probably not, but the book will definitely get kids discussing what healthy nutrition really looks like.
9. green eggs and ham by dr. seuss
Here’s the classic children’s story about overcoming food objections. Like strong-minded children everywhere, it takes a great deal of convincing for Sam to try a new dish.
10. to the market, to the market by nikki mcclure
nutritious food starts with nutritious ingredients. This timeless book captures healthy food shopping habits so beautifully. Let’s go to the market!
11. zombies don’t eat vegetables from jorge and megan lacera
zombie mo romero has a dark secret: he loves vegetables. He even grows them in a hidden garden! mo’s attempts to give his parents a chance at vegetables will make the kids laugh, especially the clever solution he finally comes up with. this is a great story to talk about trying foods prepared in different ways to find one you like. a Spanish version of the book is also available.
12. the princess and the peanut allergy by wendy mcclure
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This riff on the princess and the pea presents food allergies in an relatable context: a birthday party. When Regina’s friend Paula explains her peanut allergy, Regina revamps her cake plans so Paula can eat safely. this is a helpful story both to empower people with food allergies to advocate for themselves and to encourage empathy from others.
13. aiden the wunderkind who couldn’t be stopped: a food allergy & bigotry story by colleen brunetti
This story reflects the experiences, concerns and wonders of many children about food intolerances, allergies and sensitivities. aiden learns about what she can and can’t eat to keep feeling “super” better. he also learns that there are many children in the world like him!
14. every night is pizza night for j. kenji lopez-alt
Here’s a story for every kid who thinks pizza, or any other favorite food, should be permanently on the menu. Pipo’s undying love for pizza means she’s not interested in eating anything else. she then takes a trip around her neighborhood and learns about many other interesting and delicious options. This title is a great conversation starter about the importance of a varied diet!
15. bilal cooking daal by aisha saeed
Bilal’s friends are curious about the food their father is preparing, especially when he calls Bilal to help him prepare it before dinner time. The day turns into a fun-filled team cooking adventure, ending with Bilal’s friends trying a new and delicious dish. use this story to encourage children to have a curious attitude about unfamiliar food.
16. Try it! how frieda caplan changed the way we eat by mara rockliff
Frieda Caplan launched her identity as a “grocery pioneer” when she began animating the Seven Street Farmers Market in Los Angeles to sell types of fruits and vegetables most people hadn’t tried before. she thus began her career by introducing us to customers the kiwi, the horned melon, the purple asparagus and more. This unique biography is sure to entice the kids to look for something new to try the next time they hit the market!
17. eat your vegetables, red, yellow and purple: a cookbook for children by dk
This is one of our favorite nonfiction nutrition books for kids, and it’s a great cookbook to start with! uses a perfectly accessible concept for children to understand healthy eating: eat a rainbow! It’s packed with great step-by-step photos, making it a great textbook to write in the classroom.
what are your favorite nutrition and healthy eating books for kids to share? tell us in the comments!
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