Cookbooks for Preschoolers - A Buying Guide

Are you looking for a cookbook to use with your preschooler? A cookbook designed with young eaters in mind is a great way to help preschoolers establish an interest in cooking and healthy eating. The best cookbooks for preschoolers focus on healthy ingredients, have ways for preschoolers to help, make fun themes healthy, and explore various cuisines.

Here is what to look for in a cookbook for preschoolers:

A Focus on Healthy, Basic Ingredients

Anyone can make tasty grilled cheese sandwiches or brownies. To set the stage for a lifetime of healthy eating, find a cookbook that helps you use healthy, nutrient-dense ingredients to make meals and snacks that your preschooler enjoys.

Recipes should:

present new ideas for serving fruits and vegetables.

use whole grains most of the time (whole wheat flours, oats, barley, brown rice, rye, millet, quinoa, triticale, sorghum).

offer options for healthy proteins like beans, nuts and eggs.

Opportunities for Preschooler Involvement

For preschoolers, watching isn't nearly as fun as getting hands-on experience in the kitchen. And you might be surprised what your preschooler eats if he helps to make it!

Recipes should:

have some simple steps that preschoolers can do by themselves (steps that don't require sharp knives, cooking with heat, or small appliances.)

use picture steps that preschoolers can 'read' and follow.

use images of ingredients and the final dish.

Fun Themes That Are Healthy

Serving apple slices and raisins in the shape of a smiley face can delight preschoolers and help healthy snacks disappear. On the other hand, adding food dyes and extra sugar and fat to every dish just to appeal to kids doesn’t help preschoolers develop healthy eating habits.

Recipes should:

use healthy foods to create fun foods.

use shapes and natural colors of fruits, vegetables and beans to create fun themes.

avoid food coloring.

Exploration of Various Cuisines

Expose your preschooler to the world of food by choosing cookbooks featuring cuisines like Mexican, Indian, Japanese, German, etc. Even recipes from another region of your own country can introduce new flavors that can become favorites.

Recipes should:

feature ingredients you may not have used before.

offer dishes other than what your preschooler normally eats.

Great Cookbooks for Preschoolers

DK Kids' Fun and Healthy Cookbook

Salad People And More Real Recipes: A New Cookbook for Preschoolers & Up

Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipies: A Cookbook for Preschoolers & Up

A First Cookbook for Children (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)

Holiday Cookbook Recommendations

Holiday Cookbooks for Kids - Three of the Best for Your Kitchen Shelf

by Kati Chevaux

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