Do you have a child at home who is interested in cooking? Cookbooks for kids are a wonderful way to introduce young ones to the joy of cooking and foster a love for preparing their own meals (with adult supervision, of course!). In this blog post, we’ll share a list of some popular and highly recommended cookbooks for kids.
Do you have a child who is interested in helping in the kitchen, but you’re not sure how to let them? Check out our tips on how to let kids help in the kitchen.
The Benefits of Cooking for Kids
In our opinion, as soon as a child shows interest in helping in the kitchen, invite them in to help! Of course, this will look different based on a child’s age, abilities, and coordination. We’re not recommending that you let your three-year-old chop onions, but maybe you let them pour the pre-chopped onions into a pan. There are all kinds of ways little hands can help!
Cooking is a life skill. The younger your child starts learning kitchen skills, the more comfortable they will be in the kitchen. Not to mention, it’s a great way to introduce and solidify concepts like numbers and even fractions. You can’t help but learn when you’re cooking. As they get older, they will be able to help more and more. That’s a parenting win!
Additionally, being involved in the cooking process might encourage picky eaters to try something they normally wouldn’t. When they know they had a hand in preparing the meal, they will be more invested in it, including eating it.
How to Choose Cookbooks for Kids
When choosing a cookbook for your little one, consider the age of the child, their cooking experience, and their dietary preferences. Many of the cookbooks we’ve listed below are designed to be kid-friendly and include safety tips and techniques to ensure a positive and enjoyable cooking experience for young chefs.
If you’re not quite ready to purchase a cookbook, we have a ton of kid-friendly recipes on our website you can check out.
Cookbooks for Kids
Check out our recommended cookbooks below! We’ve included links so you can read more about each one.
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America’s Test Kitchen Kids
This cookbook is designed specifically for kids, and it features more than 100 easy-to-follow recipes with step-by-step instructions and colorful illustrations. With over 20,000 reviews and a 4.8-star rating on Amazon, this is a great pick.
Kid Chef Junior: My First Kids Cookbook by Anjali Shah
This cookbook is perfect for young children and beginners. It is full of simple and healthy recipes that kids can prepare with minimal adult assistance. It is perfect for an aspiring chef who is ready for a little freedom in the kitchen.
The Disney Princess Cookbook
Do we have any princesses (or even princes!) in the house? This cookbook offers recipes inspired by various princess characters, encouraging creativity and imagination in the kitchen. With recipes like sea turtle cupcakes and enchanting strawberry roses, this is perfect for the little princess in your life.
Bluey and Bingo’s Fancy Restaurant Cookbook: Yummy Recipes, for Real Life
If you have little kids at home, chances are they love Bluey…and you probably do, too! This cookbook for kids has 13 recipes inspired by the TV show. The recipes are simple enough for little chefs to follow and delicious enough for everyone to enjoy.
The Cookbook for Kids by Lisa Atwood
Geared toward older kids, this cookbook includes more than 60 recipes that cover a wide range of dishes and cooking techniques. Its colorful illustrations help young chefs create tasty masterpieces.
The Forest Feast for Kids by Erin Gleeson
This cookbook introduces kids to vegetarian cooking with tasty and visually appealing recipes. Recipes include pesto pepper pizza and butternut quesadillas.
Baking Class: 50 Fun Recipes Kids Will Love to Bake! by Deanna F. Cook
This baking-focused cookbook for kids provides step-by-step instructions for creating delicious treats like breadsticks, cake, and more!
ChopChop: The Kids’ Guide to Cooking Real Food with Your Family by Sally Sampson
This cookbook emphasizes cooking together as a family and features recipes that appeal to both kids and adults. It also teaches math, science, and cultural and financial literacy.
The Star Wars Cookbook: BB-Ate: Awaken to the Force of Breakfast and Brunch by Lara Starr
For Star Wars enthusiasts, this cookbook includes fun and themed recipes inspired by the beloved characters from the films, like C-3POat Pancakes and Galaxy Granola Bars.
So which cookbook do you think your child will love most? We know it’s only summer, but cookbooks make a great (and practical!) holiday gift for kids. So save this page to reference later this year when you’re trying to think of the perfect gifts for the kids in your life.