Top Ten: Cookbooks for Kids

Kids in the Kitchen. We used to spend hours paging through a children's international cookbook that was a gift from our grandparents. We still remember the illustrations of Dutch children in their wooden clogs and an intriguing recipe for Mexican Cocoa. While we didn't turn out to be the next Julia Child, leafing through cookbooks and watching and helping our mother cook sparked a lifelong interest in the culinary arts. Some of our favorite cookbooks for kids after the jump.

Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up by Mollie Katzen ($12).

DK Children's Cookbook by DK Publishing ($18).

Chef Bobo's Good Food Cookbook by Robert W. Surles ($25).

Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat by Megan Carle ($20).

Kitchen for Kids: 100 Amazing Recipes Your Children Can Really Make by Jennifer Low ($14).

International Cookbook for Kids by Matthew Locricchio ($11).

Fanny at Chez Panisse by Alice Waters ($13).

Big Snacks, Little Meals: After School, Dinnertime, Anytime by Rose Dunnington ($10).

The Family Kitchen: Easy and Delicious Recipes for Parents and Kids to Make and Enjoy Together by Debra Ponzek ($16.50).

Okay, that's 9 for a Top Ten List - what would be your 10th?

Comments (9)

Wow, what a great list. Thank you.

posted by poopmama on September 13th 2007 at 11:57am
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My tenth would be this book by Jessica Seinfeld, Deceptively Delicious. She finds ways to hide healthy vegetables in regular kid's food, like pureed cauliflower in mac and cheese, and carrots in spaghetti and meatballs. Sounds like a great idea to me.

posted by Lisa from VA/lsaspacey on September 13th 2007 at 12:04pm
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http://www.amazon.co.uk/River-Cottage-Family-Cookbook/dp/0340826363/ref=sr_1_1/203-6495742-4358349?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189718210&sr=1-1

Even if you don't have kids

posted by Lesley - London on September 13th 2007 at 12:22pm
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I love Whining and Dining, which purports to be a handbook/cookbook for parents of picky eaters. My toddler is no pickier than most, but the recipes are great for anyone (even people without kids, frankly). My little guy also likes to look at the all the photographs of kids cooking and eating. (True fact: showing your child a photo of a kid eating broccoli while trying to feed your child broccoli often works!)

Clare Crespo's incredibly weird but beautifully photographed cookbooks -- The Secret Life of Food and -- are really fun for older kids. The photos of "mutant roast chicken" and "spaghetti and eyeballs" make me laugh every time I look at them. And her cupcake designs are awesomely bizarre.

posted by TammyE on September 13th 2007 at 1:34pm
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Arg! A book title -- Clare Crespo's Hey There, Cupcake! -- disappeared from my post.

posted by TammyE on September 13th 2007 at 1:35pm
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Don't laugh. My family got a kids' cookbook at IKEA. My husband and daughter have hovered over a few "potions" together. We even love their cookbooks!

posted by Cate on September 13th 2007 at 6:01pm
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For cooking with kids- don't miss the essential online tutorial site: Spatulatta.com (video instructions for kids and BY kids).

I haven't seen their cookbook in person yet, but I'm sure it's also fabulous.

posted by adrienne on September 13th 2007 at 6:26pm
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link:
Spatulatta.com

posted by adrienne on September 13th 2007 at 6:28pm
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nice list....one of my favorite low-cost birthday gifts for a kid is a kids cookbook plus a handmade apron with matching potholder (I make a batch and just keep them at the ready)....sometimes i add in a spatula, cookie cutters and child-size rolling pin. it is always a hit.

posted by polkadot on September 16th 2007 at 3:18am
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