Book suggestions for developing the pleasure of eating

22 May, 2019

Do you like cookbooks? Who doesn’t like to be inspired by beautiful pictures or new ideas? Did you know that children (even the youngest ones!) also share this interest? Since we eat several times a day, food quickly takes up a lot of space in our children’s lives, becoming familiar elements, very present in our homes.

From the earliest childhood, children manipulate foods and easily recognize them in picture books, even learning to familiarize themselves with colors through them. In kindergarten, some teachers will even introduce them to sounds by cutting out foods from flyers. In short, food is an easy learning ground because it is very present in our lives. And it doesn't stop there! To raise good eaters, it's not enough to tell them to eat well; I would even go so far as to say that this approach doesn't really work. What we should do instead is pique their interest in food by offering them varied meals, enjoying eating them, and above all, avoiding lecturing them by explaining "dubious" nutritional principles.

In fact, telling them "eat your vegetables, they're full of vitamins" will not necessarily motivate them to eat them. It may be true, but it's too abstract for our children and not a sufficient source of motivation for them to eat them. To spark interest in food and cooking, involving them in meal planning and preparation remains the best way. Here are a few ideas:

  • Ask them to circle the foods they like in flyers
  • Bookmark pages in your favorite cookbooks that might inspire them
  • Ask them for a meal suggestion for the coming week
  • Display the menu on your family planner
  • Give them access to the counter and assign them some tasks
The most valuable advice I can give you if you have a picky eater or a child with little interest in new foods is to try to spark their interest in them outside of meal times. Do you find that strange? Unfortunately, for many families, meals are a perpetual struggle, which does not make them conducive moments to arouse interest in food. It is therefore better to use other times of the day, without pressure, through stories, cooking activities (helping parents cut food, making a recipe yourself) or by flipping through cookbooks just to whet the child's appetite or look at the pictures. That will already be a big step forward! Books are truly a good way to spark interest in cooking, food, and recipes! So here are some favorite suggestions by book categories.

Picture Books

Animal and food picture books are my favorites for toddlers because they often feature more common images.

Children's Story Books

Here are a few books that highlight healthy foods in a positive way. I generally don't like stories where children hate or are afraid of vegetables. Some are funny, but can reinforce the idea that we have to force ourselves to eat vegetables.

Want to discover more tips to help your children discover food? Check out our mealtime survival kit!

DISCOVER THE MEALTIME SURVIVAL KIT

Back to Meal Planning

1 comment

Jacinthe Touchette

J’aimerais bien avoir le livre belle combine de santé

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