Blog written by Judith Lynn - Paediatric Nutritionist - Founder of Little Monkey Nutrition.

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As a parent of a fussy eating toddler, you know all too well the struggles that come with trying to get your little one to eat a nutritious and balanced diet. It can be incredibly frustrating to deal with a toddler who refuses to eat certain foods, and the constant battle over mealtimes can be exhausting. Luckily, there are lots of different strategies you can use to help your toddler become more open to trying new foods, and one of them is reading books about food to your child.

Reading books to your child can be a wonderful way to introduce them to a variety of foods and spark their interest in trying something new. Books that feature food as a key part of the story can help your toddler understand why it’s important to eat a variety of foods and give them the opportunity to explain the importance of food at level of their understanding. 

Here are some of our top picks for books to read to your fussy eating toddler that can help inspire healthy eating habits:

Children aged Baby - 4 years 

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: 1-3 years 

This classic children’s book features a hungry caterpillar that goes on a journey of discovery, exploring a variety of different foods along the way. It’s a great way to introduce your toddler to different fruits and vegetables, and the delightful illustrations will keep them engaged throughout the story.

2. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss 2-6 years

This Dr. Seuss classic is sure to bring a smile to your child's face. the story follows a character who is determined to not like green eggs and ham until he finally tried them and discovers he loves them. This book is a great way to encourage your child to try something new. 

3. The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle: 1-3 years.

This book follows a busy spider as it creates a web and catches different types of food. The beautiful illustrations and simple text will help your toddler learn about the different kinds of food that spiders eat.

4. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff: Baby - 4 years

This classic children’s book follows a mouse as it goes on a wild adventure in search of different types of food. Your toddler will be captivated by the story and will learn about all the different foods that the mouse encounters. Reading books to your toddler can be an enjoyable way to introduce them to a variety of healthy foods. Pick up these books and get your little one excited about trying something new!

5. The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss: Baby- 4 Years.

This beloved book follows a young boy who plants a carrot seed despite his family’s doubts that it will ever grow. In the end, the boy’s persistence pays off, and the carrot grows into a big, strong plant. This book is a great way to teach your child about the importance of trying new foods, even if they don’t seem appetizing at first.

6. Kitchen Disco and Veg Patch Party by Clare Foges and Al Murphy

When the sun goes down, the Kitchen Disco starts up - and all the fruit in the fruit bowl come out to play. There are lemons who break-dance, tangerines who twirl and some very over-excited apples.

Kitchen Disco is a zany and hilarious rhyming picture book for young children, featuring a stunning holographic foil spread in the middle of the book.

The vegetables start waking up
They stretch and rise and shine -
They set up lots of stages,
Cos it's VEGGIE PARTY time!

Mud, rain, vegetables. A winning combination

7. Runaway Pea By Kjartan Poskitt and Alex Wellmore

It's time for tea, but one pesky pea has decided to ping himself off the plate in search of a party!

The rogue pea shoots, flings and bounces across the kitchen as he embarks on his perilous adventure - but will he find the fun he is looking for or is the kitchen a scarier place than he thought?

This quirky caper from debut duo Kjartan Poskitt and Alex Willmore will show you just what can happen when you take your eye off your dinner for a second!

8. Ten Fat Sausages By Michelle Robinson and Tor Freeman

Come on a great escape through the kitchen as we follow each sausage that decides to make a run for it. Will they succeed or will the cat, blender, plug hole or fan prove their downfall? Michelle Robinson's no-holds-barred humor is perfectly matched by Tor Freeman's mad-cap artwork. Hilarious and merciless, this tale will have you hooting out loud.

If you would like some more one to one support for your fussy eater click here to find out more about my 'Fussy Eating Bundle'. 

Send me a WhatsApp and tell me about your fussy eater and the challenges you are facing right now.