Reading books and trying new recipes are two of my favorite hobbies, so when they are combined it’s all the better! This list is for all the foodies, cookbook readers, lovers of international food, and the more casual cooks who just love to read about food! This list is also focused on mostly lesser known books. I figure you could look at a bestseller list or celebrity chefs for those recommendations, but I hope this helps you discover something new and wonderful! And maybe a great gift for the food lover in your life!
Disclaimer: Many of these books were sent to me from the publishers for free to review, but all opinions are my own. The post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a very small percentage if you purchase through the links at no additional cost to you.
What’s Cooking at 10 Garden Street? by Felicita Sala
Picture book meets cook book in this creative new release that follows a diverse group of residents living in an apartment complex as they are each preparing a dish to share. It’s a beautiful look at foods around the world and coming together to be connected–with recipes included on almost every page!
The full text of the classic is interspersed with recipes and beautiful food photography and they are so fun to flip through! There is A Christmas Carol and Pride and Prejudice so far, and I hope there will be many more to come!
United Tastes of America by Gabrielle Langholtz
I pored over this book and know that I will continue to! I love the concept behind it with information and illustrations of popular food from each state in America along with one full recipe to try. I learned so much! Whether you’re looking to expand your cooking, want to have an idea of foods to look for on your travels, or just want to increase your knowledge of food across America, this one is a winner!
Cook in a Book series by Lotta Nieminen
These books are a huge hit with my kids–and many other kids! The board books are highly creative and interactive with things to touch and move on each page as you ‘cook’ inside the book by following the recipe. They appeal to a pretty wide range of ages! My son says the Tacos one is his favorite, but we love all four!
Nourishing Superfood Bowls by Lindsay Cotter
The recipes in this book are pretty to look at, healthy, and very doable! I have so many of the pages marked that I am excited to try! I love the creativity in so many different versions of bowled meals. And everything is gluten-free!
Midsummer’s Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca
This wonderful middle grade novel is pitched as A Midsummer Night’s Dream meets Master Chef Junior and it was one of my favorite books I’ve read this year! It’s full of delicious and unique food descriptions and you can get many of the recipes in the book or on the author’s website to try for yourself!
Pancakes to Parathas: Breakfast Around the World by Alice B. McGinty
A great child-level look at foods around the world, this one was a lot of fun for my son to look through and try to guess the countries as well as learn lots of new information! It’s not over saturated with facts and can easily be a quicker or longer read depending on what you want.
The Silver Spoon for Children by Amanda Grant
The 10th anniversary edition of this book was recently released and it’s a great guide to cooking Italian food with your kids! With simplified recipes, helpful tips and guides, and great formatting it is both pretty and functional as you explore new recipes together.
Also check out these gift guides:
Books and Gifts for Anne of Green Gables Fans
