Cookbooks for Kids

Get Them Involved with Cookbooks for Kids

Asking kids to spend hours in the kitchen preparing a beautiful Beef Wellington or classic French Dauphinoise Potatoes is probably going to be met with a resounding "No!" Asking them if they would like to make a more kid-friendly recipe like Cake for Breakfast, will get them in the kitchen before you even have the chance to ask again. Here is a short list of wonderful cookbooks for children (and adults) of all ages.

• Kids Cook: Fabulous Food for the Whole Family by Sarah and Zachary Williamson – Over 150 kid friendly recipes in which the difficulty level is rated by spoons. One spoon=Easy; Two Spoons; Moderate; Three Spoons; Advanced. This book is perfect for the "cooking-challenged or cooking-phobic" parent as well as their "budding chef" children.
• I Made it Myself! by Sandra and Heather Nissenberg – There are over 100 recipes in this fun-filled cookbook for kids. Check out the titles of these fun recipes that no child could possibly resist: "Cake for Breakfast", "Purple Cow" and "Monkey Bread".
• A First Cookbook for Children by Evelyne Johnson – Great introduction to cooking with simple and easy to follow recipe instructions geared toward younger children.
• The Everything Kids Cookbook: from mac 'n cheese to double chocolate cookies, all you need to have some finger lickin' fun! by Sandra K. Nissenberg M.S. R.D. – This book is full of traditional kid-favorite recipes like Macaroni and Cheese as well as some not-so-traditional recipes like Waldorf Salad. The mixture of both traditional and non-traditional is a great way for your kids to explore new and interesting flavors.
• The International Cookbook for Kids by Matthew Locricchio – This cookbook is the perfect way to introduce new foods from Italy, Mexico, France and China to your child's maturing taste buds.
• Kitchen for Kids: 100 Amazing Recipes Your Children Can Really Make' by Jennifer Low – The great kid-friendly recipes in this book including "Paddy Thai Noodles", Baby Lemon Meringue Pies" and "Dumpling Raviolis" make it interesting enough for older children to get involved in cooking these dishes and fun and easy enough for younger children to participate.

Vegetarian Cookbooks for Kids

No meat in your family? No problem! There are plenty of vegetarian cookbooks for children available.

• The Jumbo Vegetarian Cookbook by Judi Gillies and Jennifer Glossop – If you are having trouble finding new and exciting vegetarian dishes, this is the book for you. Although The Jumbo Vegetarian Cookbook is geared toward younger cooks, the food is something the entire family will enjoy.
• The Teens Vegetarian Cookbook by Judy Krizmanic – Is your vegetarian teenager complaining that there is never anything to eat? Well, here's your answer. Peruse the pages for a veggie recipe that you can make together, for the whole family to enjoy.
• Honest Pretzels and 64 other Amazing Recipes for Kids Ages 8 and Up by Mollie Katzen – This book is great to have around even if you and your family are not strict vegetarians. It contains recipes for basic sauces and everything from vegetarian breakfast entrée's to dessert.
• Kids Can Cook: Vegetarian Recipes Kitchen-Tested by Kids for Kids by Dorothy Bates – The combination of easy to make recipes and easy to find ingredients make this book a must-have for any vegetarian family.
• The PDQ (Pretty Darn Quick) Vegetarian Cookbook by Donna Klein – Busy families do not have time to slave away for hours cooking dinner. The ingredients and prep work are simple and the meals are designed to take no more than 30-minutes from start to finish. Fast and delicious, what more could you ask for?

Family Fun

Getting the kids involved with preparing meals not only pique's their interests in the culinary arts but also gives them a sense of accomplishment. You have to cook dinner anyway, why not turn it into a way to spend quality time with your kids at the end of a busy day? If it isn't practical in your household to have the kids in the kitchen every night, try instituting a new "Kids Cook Night", once a week or make it a lazy Sunday afternoon affair where no one is rushing to do homework or pay bills. Whatever you choose, make it a fun, family affair.