Children's Books That Encourage Kids to Eat
* This image includes the old name for the ‘Is There a Book for That?’ blog/book list.
There are so many different aspects of healthcare that can impact a child's appetite or their feelings about food. Medications can change the taste of foods or make kids feel nauseous. Treatments and surgeries can require a change in diet. Vomiting or nausea can start make it hard for any food to sound good. In addition, several diagnoses and sensory disorders are commonly associated with "picky" eaters or kids that struggle with a lot of foods.
These books all offer something a little different. Some encourage play with food, some give kids choices, and some talk them through negative feelings that can be associated with foods. Parents, SLPs CCLSs, RNs, everyone get excited -all of these belong in a hospital library!
Which Food Will You Choose? By Claire Potter
Let me start by saying that I love this book. The book tells the story of a mom who gets sick of only having beige food in the house and brings her kids to the grocery store to find foods of different colors. Children are prompted to point at which foods of each color they would choose. The book doesn’t teach that any foods are bad, but instead gives the reader control and options. There is a lovely tip sheet in the back that also reminds caregivers that this game isn’t about forcing kids to try foods, but rather exposure. Great for young children through middle elementary.
https://amzn.to/44CciFT
Fly Your Food to the Moon: A Playful Little Monsters Story That Encourages Food Play by Laura Camerona
This is another Words Worth Repeating book written by me! It is very different than my other books. I partnered with a lovely SLP to create a book that encourages families to play with their food which builds on positive food experiences for kids resistant to certain foods. The book does not use education to teach diverse eating, but rather it uses play. The book tells a silly story of monsters who fly food rockets. A child can play along with their own piece of food, perhaps interacting with a new food in a way that feels less intimidating. This book is not a replacement for feeding therapy, but could be a way to promote eating when not feeling well in the hospital or something families could do between feeding therapy appointments. Great book for young children through typical young elementary.
https://amzn.to/4pIdkbv
Cook in a Book: Pizza (Pancakes, Tacos, Cookies, Cake, and Spaghetti are also available)
This cute and interactive board book takes kids through the steps of cooking something delicious. This includes squishing, sprinkling, covering, etc. The books have tons of interactive pages that allow the child to manipulate different aspects, feeling like they really are cooking. If a child won’t eat because of a poor appetite or anxiety about how foods made them feel, this book can build positive play around the food. This is a great way to replicate cooking together while still snuggled up in bed together. Great for young children.
Pizza - https://amzn.to/4pgHcvX
Cookies - https://amzn.to/4iyPLQd
Cake - https://amzn.to/4pfKL5C
Tacos - https://amzn.to/44Ji1ts
Spaghetti - https://amzn.to/3KAkZd6
Pancakes - https://amzn.to/3MeVSgm
Food Play by Amy Palanjian
This book works as a cookbook for young children. I think it could be helpful for the hospital when working with young children who are refusing to eat or have very little appetite based on their health care. The pictures make the food look super yummy and fun. The book is filled with fairly easy recipes that would be easy to make with room service food. The preschool focused recipes are easy to make without cooking tools, but I think would be fun for young kids through elementary. It includes things like building with food, adding faces to food, flavoring food to taste different, and interacting with food in a variety of other ways.
https://amzn.to/4rxFN5B
Tummy Troubles: Gretchen Gets a GRIP on Her Fear of Throwing Up by Jaime Roche
This book tells the story of a girl who throws up in the school cafeteria. She has a stomach virus and goes home for the day. The next week she finds herself feeling sick thinking about the same pizza in the school cafeteria. The school counselor teaches her some tricks to stop the ‘flight or fight’ response that made her feel nervous and sick. This book can be super helpful to help kids cope with nausea caused by anxiety - a super common experience for kids who have been through health care experiences where they previously felt sick. Developmentally its probably best for kids in elementary school.
https://amzn.to/4ooEovj
