Freedom Soup by Tami Charles, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara

Published by Candlewick, 2019

A girl and her grandmother make Freedom Soup on New Year’s Day to commemorate the slave revolt in Haiti that led to freedom for the enslaved people there. 32 pages; ages 4-9.

Soul Food Sunday by Winsome Bingham, illustrated by C. G. Esperanza

Published by Harry N. Abrams, 2021

When a family gathers for Sunday dinner, the narrator heads out to the kitchen for cooking lessons from Granny.  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Rice from Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Koreans by Tina Cho, illustrated by Keum Jin Song

Published by little bee books, 2018

A South Korean girl and her father are part of a group sending rice to North Koreans via balloons. Kindness rules the day, even when some suggest they are helping the enemy. There’s some good back matter to help kids learn more about the history of Korea. 40 pages; grades K-4.

Every Color Soup by Jorey Hurley

Published by Simon and Schuster, 2018

A simple picture book celebrating vegetables and colors, with each veggie shown in all its glory, unadorned and on a white background. Additions of white salt, black pepper, and clear water turn everything into soup. 40 pages; ages 3-7.

Toasty by Sarah Hwang

Published by Margaret Ferguson, 2021

Seems as though a story about a piece of toast that aspires to be a dog would be kind of a disaster, but Sarah Hwang makes it work in this charming tale where dreams come true for both Toasty and the girl he befriends. 32 pages; ages 3-8.

Dumplings for Lili by Melissa Iwai

Published by Norton Young Readers, 2021

Lili learns about all kinds of dumplings from around the world when she helps her Nai Nai (grandmother) make baos. An exciting celebration at the end provides the perfect reason for a dumpling feast. 48 pages; ages 4-8.

Let Me Fix You a Plate: A Tale of Two Kitchens by Elizabeth Lilly

Published by Neal Porter Books, 2021

A girl narrates her family’s annual trip to visit both sides of her family West Virginia and Florida, with an emphasis on the different foods served by each family. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin

Published by Little, Brown and Company, 2018

Little Star can’t resist nibbling on that big mooncake her mother left to cool. A fun introduction to both phases of the moon and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Published by Roaring Brook, 2019

A celebration of fry bread and the different indigenous groups that enjoy it. 48 pages; ages 4-8.

Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and June Jo Lee, illustrated by Man One

Published by Readers to Eaters, 2017

When Roy Choi lost his job as a chef, he decided to open a taco truck with a Korean twist, and the rest is culinary history. This was published by Readers to Eaters which has a lot of other great food titles. 32 pages; grades 1-5.

Saturday at the Food Pantry by Diane O’Neill, illustrated by Brizida Magro

Popcorn Country: The Story of America’s Favorite Snack by Cris Peterson, photographs by David R. Lundquist

Published by Albert Whitman and Company, 2021

Molly’s excited to be shopping at the food pantry with her mom, but her classmate Caitlin seems embarrassed to be there with her grandmother. The two create art for people standing in line and a friendship blossoms that helps Caitlin feel okay about needing some help. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Published by Boyds Mills Press, 2019

Americans consume approximately four and a half billion gallons of this snack each year. Find out how popcorn makes its way from the Corn Belt of the country all the way to your movie theater, popped, buttered, salted, and ready to eat. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Born Hungry: Julia Child Becomes “the French Chef” by Alex Prud’homme, illustrated by Sarah Green

Published by Calkins Creek, 2022

Traveling through France during and after World War II, Julia Child developed a love of French food and cooking, which she brought back to readers and TV audiences in the United States. 40 pages; grades 1-5.

Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan, illustrated by Anna Bron

Published by Annick Press, 2020

Living at Vancouver’s Welcome Center isn’t easy for Syrian refugees Salma and her mom. Hoping to bring a real smile to her mother’s face, Salma decides to make foul shami, one of Mom’s favorite Syrian dishes. With the help of others in the Welcome Center, Salma overcomes some bumps in the road to accomplish her culinary goal. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Our Table by Peter H. Reynolds

Published by Orchard Books, 2021

A girl finds a way to get her family away from their screens to gather around the dinner table the way they used to. 48 pages; 4-8.

Try It! How Frieda Caplan Changed the Way We Eat by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Giselle Porter

Published by Beach Lane Books, 2021

If you’ve ever enjoyed a kiwi or a blood orange, thank Frieda Caplan who, in the 1950’s, was looking to introduce something a bit more interesting to produce consumers than the piles of potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, and apples that she saw. She had an instinctive ability to choose unfamiliar fruits and vegetables that her customers ended up loving. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed, illustrated by Anoosha Syed

Published by Salaam Reads/Simon and Schuster, 2019

Bilal’s excited to invite his friends over for dinner. He starts to worry, though, when they think the ingredients look and smell funny, and has plenty of time to fret during the long hours it takes for the daal to cook. Fortunately, the end result is possible as his friends dig in and give their supper two thumbs up. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Alice Waters Cooks Up a Food Revolution by Diane Stanley, illustrated by Jessie Hartland

Published by Paula Wiseman Books, 2022

A trip to France sparked a love of French cooking for Alice Waters and inspired her to open a popular French restaurant in California. She struggled to find fresh ingredients, though, and her work with California farmers helped inspire the local food movement. 48 pages; grades K-5.

Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuko Ando by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz

Published by little bee books, 2019

If you’ve ever enjoyed a package of ramen noodles, you can thank Momofuko Ando, who saw the need in postwar Japan for cheap, easy-to-prepare nutrition, and wouldn’t give up until he produced the food that we enjoy today. 40 pages; grades K-5.