It doesn’t matter where in the world you are, one thing we all have in common is food. Whether you’re a pizza lover, a fruits and veggies advocate, or a taco connoisseur, there’s something for everyone in this comprehensive, kid-friendly list of books about food celebrating the foods we prepare and eat.
Books about Food for Preschoolers
Here you’ll find more than 40 teacher-approved books to motivate and inspire your little learners to make healthy choices at meal times, celebrate favorite foods, and maybe even branch out and try new foods from different cultures!
Best Children’s Books About Food
Mama Panya’s Pancakes: A Village Tale from Kenya, by Mary Chamberlin
The perfect book to teach young children about the spirit of generosity and living in abundance.
Pancakes for Breakfast, by Tomie DePaola
From master storyteller Tomie DePaola, your littles will love this wordless picture book about a little old lady’s attempts at making pancakes.
Pancakes, Pancakes! by Eric Carle
Beautifully illustrated by Eric Carle this book tells the story of Jack, as he gathers all the ingredients he need to make the pancakes he so desperately wants.
Books About Pizza
Do your kids love pizza? Channel your student’s love of pizza and transform your dramatic play center into an adorable pizza shop. Your kids will have oodles of fun taking orders, making, and delivering pizza to their friends! These books about pizza are perfect for introducing this delightful play scenario to your students.
Every Night is Pizza Night, by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
Little Pipo is a picky eater who loves to eat pizza. This hilarious book will get even your pickiest eaters to try something new.
The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza, by Philemon Sturges
A fresh twist on a classic tale, the Little Red Hen helps her friends make pizza.
Pizza at Sally’s, by by Monica Wellington
Sally owns a pizzeria. She gathers tomatoes from the community garden, buys cheese from the shop next door, receives flour delivered on a big truck. Then she gets to work to make pizza.
Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party, by James and Kimberly Dean
What could be more fun than a pizza party with the one and only Pete the Cat?
Pizza Day, by Melissa Iwai
It’s pizza day! A boy and his dad gather vegetables from the garden, carefully prepare them, and make dough and sauce. Then they assemble their pizza for dinner.
Hi, Pizza Man! by Virginia Walter
Mom says she will open the door and say “Hi Pizza Man” when the pizza arrives. But Vivian wonders what Mom would say if the pizza was delivered by a woman, a cat, and many other characters.
Food Books for Preschoolers
Bilal Cooks Daal, Aisha Saeed
Daal is a slow-cooked lentil dish from South Asia. The charming illustrations in this book introduce readers to the many different ingredients needed to creat this traditional dish. The descriptive text brings the recipe alive and showcases how food can bring a community together.
Dim Sum for Everyone! by Grace Lin
At the dim sum restaurant, everyone picks what they like…and then shares their dishes with the rest of the family.
Dumpling Day, by Meera Sriram
Dumplings are delicious! Learn about the different types of dumplings from around the world and the places they come from.
Bee-Bim-Bop! by Linda Sue Park
Rhyming text describes making this delicious Korean dish, from the grocery store to the table – yum!
Everybody Cooks Rice, by Norah Dooley
It’s time for dinner, but where is brother? A young girl searches the neighborhood to bring her brother home for dinner only to discover the similarities in the foods her neighbors eat.
Soup Day, by Melissa Iwai
A girl and her mother buy ingredients at the grocery store and then, step by step, make soup.
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story, by Kevin Noble Maillart
Inviting illustrations show how preparing, cooking, and enjoying food can bring people together in this Native American community.
Everybody Brings Noodles, by Norah Dooley
The perfect book to demonstrate the similarities between different cultures and the way we all cook and eat food.
The Bagel King, by Andrew Larsen
Fresh bagels on Sunday? Yes, please! Your little learners will learn how to problem solve and take responsibility through this tale of yummy bagels.
Books About Tacos
The Runaway Tortilla, by Eric Kimmel
The Gingerbread Man has nothing on the Runaway Tortilla! Your kids will get a kick out of the naughty Tortilla’s exploits through the desert.
Dragons Love Tacos, by Adam Rubin
Nobody loves tacos more than dragons, but when dragons eat spicy salsa – watch out!
Little Taco Truck, by Tanya Valentine
A precious story of inclusion and friendship that centers around everybody’s favorite food – tacos!
How to Fold a Taco, by Naibe Reynoso
A fun bilingual picture book that encourages young children to use their imaginations as they learn how to fold a taco.
Take Taco Tuesday to the next level in your classroom by setting up a pretend taco truck scenario in your dramatic play center. Little ones will have a blast taking orders and making tacos with this super fun play theme.
Delicious Food Books for Kids
Mr. Cookie Baker, by by Monica Wellington
Step-by-step, Mr. Baker prepares his delicious cookies.
Jamberry, by Bruce Degen
Silly rhymes and grand adventures will delight your little ones in this classic, must-read picture book.
I’ll Wait, Mr. Panda, by Steve Antony
Your littles will learn value of waiting and the importance of saying thank you in this adorable tale.
How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jan Yolen
A humorous tale of all the inappropriate habits dinosaurs display when they eat.
Lunch, by Denise Fleming
Children and teachers alike will enjoy finding their favorite colors in this silly tale about a mouse who eats too much.
Gregory the Terrible Eater, by Mitchell Sharmat
According to his parents, Gregory the goat has the worst eating habits! Your little ones will howl with laughter when they discover the foods Gregory prefers.
Mealtime, by Elizabeth Verdick
Perfect for toddlers, this sweet book will introduce young children to healthy choices and table manners.
Please Mr. Panda, by Steve Antony
Want to teach your students the value of saying please and thank you at meals? Mr. Panda to the rescue!
Food and Nutrition Books for Preschool
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear, by Don & Audrey Wood
Your students will delight in this classic tale of a Little Mouse who tries to save his strawberry from the Big Hungry Bear.
The Fruits We Eat, by Gail Gibbons
Readers will love the vivid illustrations to go along with all the delicious fruits available to eat.
The Vegetables We Eat, by Gail Gibbons
Fruits and vegetables are part of a balanced diet. Introduce your little learners to the wide variety of veggies they can choose from at their next meal.
I Will Never, Not Ever Eat a Tomato, by Lauren Child
Here is an amusing story about a brother who uses silly descriptions of food to get his sister to eat healthy.
Want to encourage healthy eating? Set up a farmer’s market in your dramatic play center. Your little learners will have a blast harvesting and selling fruits and veggies to their classmates!
Classic Children’s Picture Books About Food
Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban
This classic children’s book never gets old! Your picky eaters will relate to Francis and her food preferences.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
Introduce a new generation to the story of Caterpillar and all the fine foods he devours before becoming a beautiful butterfly!
Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey
A prime example of a picture book that has withstood the test of time. Little readers will enjoy this tale of a girl and a baby bear out hunting for blueberries with their mothers.
Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss
Quite possibly the most iconic children’s picture book of all time, Green Eggs and Ham is one remembered fondly by generations of Americans.
Books About Healthy Foods
Vegetables in Underwear, by Jared Chapman
A hilarious and clever way to introduce children to vegetables with their favorite taboo subject, underwear!
Growing Vegetable Soup, by Lois Ehlert
Little readers will want to start digging their garden before they’re even finished reading this excellent book.
Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli, by Barbara Jean Hicks
After reading this silly book, children may just change their minds about broccoli, like the monsters in the story.
Eating the Alphabet, by Lois Ehlert
Lois Ehlert’s beautiful and unique artwork will have students and teachers alike wanting to eat their way through this delicious book featuring colorful fruit and vegetables.
Pie in the Sky, by Lois Ehlert
Is there such a thing as too much Lois Ehlert? Absolutely not! In Pie in the Sky, acclaimed author and illustrator Lois Ehlert effortlessly ties together seasons, weather, colors, and everybody’s favorite – pie!
Food Books about Grocery Shopping
Everybody’s been to the grocery store, right? Turn your dramatic play center into a pretend grocery store, your kids will be thrilled to finally be in control of the shopping instead of being passive observers. They’ll have a blast making grocery lists, selecting their favorite items, and paying for them at this kid-friendly grocery store. These books would be perfect for introducing this play scenario to your kids.
Llama Llama Mad at Mama, by Anna Dewdney
Author Anna Dewdney captured the hearts and minds of young children everywhere with her beloved Llama character. In this tale, little Llama has some big emotions when he goes grocery shopping with his mother.
At the Supermarket, by Anne Rockwell
What child doesn’t love to help? The reader tags along on one boy’s grocery shopping trip as he helps his mom shop for all the food they need.
What Happens at a Supermarket? by Amy Hutchings
Explore the kinds of work people do in different areas of the supermarket.
Put It On the List, by Kristen Darbyshire
When the family runs out of something, Mom says to put it on the list. But the family keeps forgetting things at the grocery store so they don’t have what they need.
More Book Lists
