A visit to your local library can be a fun, healthy, and educational way to get your toddler excited about trying healthy foods. There are many children’s books that can encourage healthy food habits. Below are a few examples:
I Will Not Ever Never Eat A Tomato
by Lauren Child
(©2000, Candlewick Press)
Lola is a fussy eater until her big brother, Charlie makes up inventive names for vegetables and other foods.
Books by April Pulley Sayre are written in rhyme, with vivid colored photos that will delight both kids and parents.
Rah, Rah Radishes!
(©2011, Beach Lane Books)
Go, Go, Grapes!
(©2012, Beach Lane Books)
Let’s go Nuts! Seeds we Eat
(©2013, Beach Lane Books)
Handa’s Surprise
by Eileen Browne
(©1999, Candlewick Press)
This is a delightful tale of a young Kenyan girl on her way to visit her friend in a nearby village. On the way, seven different animals eat the seven varieties of fruit on her head. Children love seeing the beautiful and colorful illustrations and delight in the surprise twist at the end of the story.
Healthy Foods from A to Z:
Comida sana de la A a la Z.
by Stephanie Maze and Renee Cornet
(©2012, Moonstone Press)
This bilingual picture book features fabulous color photos of faces made from fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts and beans. It also has fun food activities to do
at home.
If you can’t make it to the library, there are a number of resources online too! Discover MyPlate has mini eBooks available to download for free:
https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/discover-myplate-emergent-reader-mini-books.
Reading books like these with your child shows them that choosing healthy foods is important and can also be a lot of fun. When you make healthy eating a priority, your child will too!
