The Best Cookbook for Little Kids: Food Play!

My kids cookbook is a gift that keeps on giving and I am so excited to have Busy Little Hands: Food Play! out in the world to help keep the kids busy and well fed!

Cookbook for Kids

I love to have my kids in the kitchen because I’ve found that it helps to make new foods less scary, it gives us something to do together on days that we’re at home, and it lets them experience smells, textures, and skills that they otherwise wouldn’t. And the confidence and joy that appears on their faces when they do something on their own that they didn’t think they could is so much fun!

But I also know that the reality of little kids often means short attention spans, big messes, and resistance to trying new things. And so, I wanted to make this cookbook for the kids to help address all of these issues!

Inside the 48 page wipe-clean cookbook, you’ll find 25 easy, assembly-only recipes. Which means that there’s no heat or unsafe steps, but instead simple recipes that the kids can make and eat by your side. There are ideas for each meal of the day, pictures of real kids making the recipes so the kids have visual cues, and helpful hints for parents. It’s straight forward and so much fun!

Order your copy of Busy Little Hands: Food Play! on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Bookshop, or your local bookstore!

(You can find the full information on my newer book, Dinnertime SOS, too.

Busy Little Hands: Food Play!

Here’s the official description of the cookbook:

Get kids ready kitchen exploration! With this Busy Little Hands book, preschoolers become chefs, kitchen artists, and adventurous eaters. Each recipe teaches kids to have fun and play with food while laying a foundation for a love of cooking and eating well. Whether making Magic Fruit Wands, DIY Flavored Milk, or Use Your Noodle Bowls, kids are encouraged to try out edible items of different colors, tastes, and textures, while creating their own favorite ingredient variations. Parents and caretakers will appreciate the emphasis on healthy ingredients, including fresh fruits, natural sweeteners, and even a chocolate smoothie with spinach, avocado, and zucchini hidden in the mix! Filled with bright pictures for pre-readers, this book guarantees little ones will love stirring up healthy, delicious kitchen fun.

What People are Saying

Here are a few nice words about the book:

I don’t know about you, but having a 3-year-old help me in the kitchen is one of the most stressful things I can think of. When my boys were younger, it was hard for me to let them help in the kitchen all that much for fear of them staining their clothes with bright red pasta sauce splatters, grabbing a hot pan of cookies bare-handed, or sloshing the entire contents of a mixing bowl full of cake batter all over the floor. I wish this cookbook existed during their “I do it, Mommy!” preschool years. —Ashley Jones, Romper

Where to Buy

Everyone from parents and grandparents to daycare providers and preschool teachers will find really useful ideas for keeping the kids busy and well nourished! I hope that so many kids have more fun in the kitchen (and with their food) because of the book!

TIP: Here’s the crinkle cutter that I mentioned on IG that pairs really well with the book and you can find all of my favorite kids cooking tools here.