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Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook: Healthy, Kid-Friendly Recipes to Cook Together
Invite your little one into the kitchen—a fun and tasty guide to cooking with kids ages 1 to 4
Get your toddler comfortable in the kitchen with fun and simple recipes that they can help with. Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook is the perfect choice for parents who want to give adventurous young children an opportunity to learn cooking basics.
This standout among children's cookbooks helps your little one discover new foods as they work together with you to create English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas, Broccoli Nuggets, Rainbow Rice Noodles with Toasted Tofu, and more. Each recipe features a difficulty ranking, instructions that clearly tell you which steps are toddler-safe, and space to record your experiences—making this children's cookbook a wonderful keepsake of first cooking memories.
Give your aspiring little chef a head start on a lifetime of kitchen skills with Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook .
Get your toddler comfortable in the kitchen with fun and simple recipes that they can help with. Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook is the perfect choice for parents who want to give adventurous young children an opportunity to learn cooking basics.
This standout among children's cookbooks helps your little one discover new foods as they work together with you to create English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas, Broccoli Nuggets, Rainbow Rice Noodles with Toasted Tofu, and more. Each recipe features a difficulty ranking, instructions that clearly tell you which steps are toddler-safe, and space to record your experiences—making this children's cookbook a wonderful keepsake of first cooking memories.
Give your aspiring little chef a head start on a lifetime of kitchen skills with Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook .
156 pages, Paperback
Published June 25, 2019
488 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 7, 2019
Ah, what can I say about this cookbook? I was always too busy in the kitchen to have any of my four kids helping me to cook a meal, the kitchen is pretty limited for anyone but one person at the counter and it still is. I was always concerned that my child/ren would get hurt. I never had kid-friendly recipes either. Then the kids grew up with no interest to do anything in the kitchen.
That said, I wish I had had a cookbook like this one, this cookbook makes it easy to cook with kids. Easy recipes labeled by difficulty, tips, and guidance on how to keep your kitchen kid safe. The recipes have kid-friendly steps so you know how and what the child can help with. You can also record your experience with your fun times cooking with your child.
There are a lot of safety tips in the front of the book, having a safe kitchen, knife safety all important before you start cooking with your child. Now for the recipes, there are sections for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and sides, and desserts. Smoothies, breakfast pizzas, tomato soup, chicken parm pasta bake, chunky monkey bars, and chocolate pudding 'dirt' cups to name a few. Look good?? I thought so too. I really like the colorful pictures, easy to follow recipes, minimal ingredients so that the child does not get bored.
I think this is the perfect cookbook for the parent, grandparent or other adults to have for cooking with your child. I also think that a child should learn how to cook at an early age so that they know how to do it as they get older and are not afraid of the kitchen.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.
That said, I wish I had had a cookbook like this one, this cookbook makes it easy to cook with kids. Easy recipes labeled by difficulty, tips, and guidance on how to keep your kitchen kid safe. The recipes have kid-friendly steps so you know how and what the child can help with. You can also record your experience with your fun times cooking with your child.
There are a lot of safety tips in the front of the book, having a safe kitchen, knife safety all important before you start cooking with your child. Now for the recipes, there are sections for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and sides, and desserts. Smoothies, breakfast pizzas, tomato soup, chicken parm pasta bake, chunky monkey bars, and chocolate pudding 'dirt' cups to name a few. Look good?? I thought so too. I really like the colorful pictures, easy to follow recipes, minimal ingredients so that the child does not get bored.
I think this is the perfect cookbook for the parent, grandparent or other adults to have for cooking with your child. I also think that a child should learn how to cook at an early age so that they know how to do it as they get older and are not afraid of the kitchen.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.
May 31, 2021
I was surprised how much I loved this cookbook!! Cute pictures for almost every recipe. The recipes are fun and foods most kids would love. Filled with fresh ingredients, I adored the large amount of fruits and veggies in the recipes. Lots of vegetarian choices, though the book isn't vegetarian.
The recipes are divided into difficulty levels - so you know most toddlers can assist with level 1 and maybe an older sibling can help with a level 3.
The recipes steps are also color coded for what kids can help with and what the adult steps are.
It's a lovely book! I highly recommend it for those with little hands in the kitchen.
The recipes are divided into difficulty levels - so you know most toddlers can assist with level 1 and maybe an older sibling can help with a level 3.
The recipes steps are also color coded for what kids can help with and what the adult steps are.
It's a lovely book! I highly recommend it for those with little hands in the kitchen.
January 14, 2023
My 3.5 year old got this for Christmas and there are lots of toddler-appropriate recipes in here. I've read through the whole thing, even though we haven't tried any of the recipes yet, and I foresee lots of productive time in the kitchen.
The one thing I'm a little apprehensive of is the "hidden" veggies that keep cropping up. Sometimes a corn muffin can just be a corn muffin.
The one thing I'm a little apprehensive of is the "hidden" veggies that keep cropping up. Sometimes a corn muffin can just be a corn muffin.
June 19, 2019
This little cookbook is so sweet! My kids were super excited to see all the cute recipes and we have already planned a ton.
I also love the little section where you can rate the recipes and write what you enjoyed about it.
I also love the little section where you can rate the recipes and write what you enjoyed about it.
June 18, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook is a tutorial how-to cookbook specifically aimed at getting kids from toddler age up to help prepare food and gain skills with cooking. Due out 25th June 2019 from Rockridge press, it's 156 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook available now).
When my own kids were small, I was often so busy and tired that they didn't get very many chances to help me cook. Though they're young adults now, happily one of them has discovered that she enjoys cooking, the other two definitely don't. I have lingering regrets over us not having much time together in the kitchen when they were small. It might not have made any difference to their enjoyment, but now that they're moving on to the adult phases of their lives, I wish we'd had more time together making memories and good food. That's what this book aims to facilitate.
It's arranged in chapters with a good solid introduction and discussions about kitchen safety and food prep techniques. The author has a lot of experience teaching kids to cook and it shows. I liked the helpful tips on knife safety and use, as well as the food safety tips (hygiene, egg safety, food storage, etc).
The following chapters are arranged around mealtimes with breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts each getting their own chapter with recipes.
I really liked that all of the recipes have a space for making notes at the end. There's room for adding a date when the dish was made, what the readers enjoyed, a star rating, and personal notes about the recipe. I also love the author's encouraging and upbeat philosophy about messes. She provides good tips for minimizing safety risks, but has a very down-to-earth attitude about messes in the kitchen.
The electronic version of the book has a handy interactive table of contents including hyperlinks in the text.
Possibly worth noting for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. This title is available in the KU subscription to borrow and download for free.
There aren't a lot of books aimed at getting the youngest kids (2-4 years) actively involved in cooking, and this is a really good one.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook is a tutorial how-to cookbook specifically aimed at getting kids from toddler age up to help prepare food and gain skills with cooking. Due out 25th June 2019 from Rockridge press, it's 156 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook available now).
When my own kids were small, I was often so busy and tired that they didn't get very many chances to help me cook. Though they're young adults now, happily one of them has discovered that she enjoys cooking, the other two definitely don't. I have lingering regrets over us not having much time together in the kitchen when they were small. It might not have made any difference to their enjoyment, but now that they're moving on to the adult phases of their lives, I wish we'd had more time together making memories and good food. That's what this book aims to facilitate.
It's arranged in chapters with a good solid introduction and discussions about kitchen safety and food prep techniques. The author has a lot of experience teaching kids to cook and it shows. I liked the helpful tips on knife safety and use, as well as the food safety tips (hygiene, egg safety, food storage, etc).
The following chapters are arranged around mealtimes with breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts each getting their own chapter with recipes.
I really liked that all of the recipes have a space for making notes at the end. There's room for adding a date when the dish was made, what the readers enjoyed, a star rating, and personal notes about the recipe. I also love the author's encouraging and upbeat philosophy about messes. She provides good tips for minimizing safety risks, but has a very down-to-earth attitude about messes in the kitchen.
The electronic version of the book has a handy interactive table of contents including hyperlinks in the text.
Possibly worth noting for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. This title is available in the KU subscription to borrow and download for free.
There aren't a lot of books aimed at getting the youngest kids (2-4 years) actively involved in cooking, and this is a really good one.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
July 8, 2019
Review Title: Treasury of Recipes for All Ages (Review of Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook by Heather Wish Staller)
Reviewer: Janice S. Garey
***** 5 Stars
This cookbook will become a favorite for all who use it because it offers what people want and need regarding nutritious, quick, and simple foods to prepare for the family. These days with all the takeout foods and microwave meals, many have never learned the art of cooking. This book is a treasury for all beginners and the variety of recipes and combinations will appeal to accomplished cooks, too.
The informational tips for teaching young children to cook
are excellent for training in safety, creativity, process from start to finish, team work, staying on focus, and waiting for the finished product. The recipes, although selected with the interests of preschoolers in mind, will certainly whet the appetite for all people. Organizationally, the recipes are grouped by meal times, including snacks and desserts, for ease in selection. Also, the level of difficulty is indicated for each recipe so no one should get overwhelmed by trying something too difficult to begin learning to cook.
The book in ebook format has lovely photos of some but not all of the completed recipes. Everything offered in the book seems doable with easy to follow instructions. The book does not promise picky eaters will want to try some of all the recipes, but often, being part of the production crew heightens interest in at least having a small portion. One really nice feature is an area at the end of each recipe for journaling the date it was made and the results.
As a former preschool teacher who enjoyed cooking with children as part of their learning experience, I highly recommend this book for use by preschool staff. Of course, allergies are always a concern for a classroom of children so some adjustments may be needed for the recipes. The author has given some helpful alternatives for common food allergies.
I received this book free from Net Galley for reading and review. I have read the book and plan to use recipes from it. This is my honest review of a book definitely worthy of 5 stars.
Reviewer: Janice S. Garey
***** 5 Stars
This cookbook will become a favorite for all who use it because it offers what people want and need regarding nutritious, quick, and simple foods to prepare for the family. These days with all the takeout foods and microwave meals, many have never learned the art of cooking. This book is a treasury for all beginners and the variety of recipes and combinations will appeal to accomplished cooks, too.
The informational tips for teaching young children to cook
are excellent for training in safety, creativity, process from start to finish, team work, staying on focus, and waiting for the finished product. The recipes, although selected with the interests of preschoolers in mind, will certainly whet the appetite for all people. Organizationally, the recipes are grouped by meal times, including snacks and desserts, for ease in selection. Also, the level of difficulty is indicated for each recipe so no one should get overwhelmed by trying something too difficult to begin learning to cook.
The book in ebook format has lovely photos of some but not all of the completed recipes. Everything offered in the book seems doable with easy to follow instructions. The book does not promise picky eaters will want to try some of all the recipes, but often, being part of the production crew heightens interest in at least having a small portion. One really nice feature is an area at the end of each recipe for journaling the date it was made and the results.
As a former preschool teacher who enjoyed cooking with children as part of their learning experience, I highly recommend this book for use by preschool staff. Of course, allergies are always a concern for a classroom of children so some adjustments may be needed for the recipes. The author has given some helpful alternatives for common food allergies.
I received this book free from Net Galley for reading and review. I have read the book and plan to use recipes from it. This is my honest review of a book definitely worthy of 5 stars.
July 21, 2022
Even better than I imagined! I love this. It's not a kids cookbook for kids with overly simplified stuff. It's an adult cookbook for cooking with kids. Heather Wish Staller takes great care at the start of the cookbook to explain safety tips and teaching tips. She gives advice on how to prepare and where to find kid-friendly gadgets. Every recipe is ranked with one of three "levels" of cooking skill so that you can choose recipes that you and your child can succeed at. Every step of each recipe is coded purple or green so that you can quickly and easily see if it's something the grown-up should do or something the toddler can help with. I LOVE all of this!
And if you read my cookbook reviews, you know I love when a cookbook has photographs of the finished products. This one delivers! Full color photos of every single one!
Tried:
•Slow Cooker "Apple Pie" Oatmeal (Level 1) - Didn't turn out at all, unfortunately.
•Green Eggs and Ham Cups (Level 2): Such fun! Joey loved helping on this one. He did all of the "Kid" parts except cutting. The cookbook reassures that even preschoolers can cut with supervision.... but I'm just not ready. Bonus: they were truly delicious. You can barely taste the spinach over the eggs and the cheese. Unfortunately stuck pretty hard to my muffin tin, so next time I'd use silicone cups that can go through the dishwasher. Yes, we will eat them here and there, we will eat them anywhere! :)
•Cauliflower "Popcorn" (Level 1): Joey didn't help, but I could see how a kid easily could. Bland taste though.
•Chunky Monkey Bars (Level 1): Joey did all the kids parts, plus some, and they turned out really delicious!
And if you read my cookbook reviews, you know I love when a cookbook has photographs of the finished products. This one delivers! Full color photos of every single one!
Tried:
•Slow Cooker "Apple Pie" Oatmeal (Level 1) - Didn't turn out at all, unfortunately.
•Green Eggs and Ham Cups (Level 2): Such fun! Joey loved helping on this one. He did all of the "Kid" parts except cutting. The cookbook reassures that even preschoolers can cut with supervision.... but I'm just not ready. Bonus: they were truly delicious. You can barely taste the spinach over the eggs and the cheese. Unfortunately stuck pretty hard to my muffin tin, so next time I'd use silicone cups that can go through the dishwasher. Yes, we will eat them here and there, we will eat them anywhere! :)
•Cauliflower "Popcorn" (Level 1): Joey didn't help, but I could see how a kid easily could. Bland taste though.
•Chunky Monkey Bars (Level 1): Joey did all the kids parts, plus some, and they turned out really delicious!
June 11, 2019
As far back as I can remember, I loved to be in the kitchen with my Gran--a wonderful cook who taught me (almost) everything she knew about food and cooking. I still love to cook, and I really enjoyed "Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook: Healthy, Kid-Friendly Recipes to Cook Together". Not only did this fun, friendly book bring back some sweet memories, it also taught me some new kitchen tips. Author Heather Wish Staller has put together 40 kid-friendly recipes along with safety guidelines and hints for successful clean-ups. One very good tip from the author: Picky eaters are more likely to try new foods if the are involved in the preparation. Patience is a prime ingredient, and recipes are labeled for level of difficulty. There is a full range of recipes from breakfast on through dinner and dessert. Both children and adults will enjoy dishes like these: "Rainbow Smoothie"; "Green Eggs and Ham Cups"; "Creamy Mac and Peas"; "Chicken Parm and Pasta Bake"; "Super Green Spaghetti"; "Green Toad Toasts"; "Homemade Yogurt-Ranch Dip"; "Chunky Monkey Bars"; "Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies"; and "Mini PB&J Cupcakes". This cute little cookbook is all about food that is good for you and good fun too. Each recipe page has a space for notes so that you can look back later and relive happy memories.
Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers
Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers
Read
June 19, 2019I love you, Heather! I agree that children should be allowed to help in the kitchen as soon as they show interest. My 1 year old helped with chores (bring out wast baskets that needed emptying, dusting , taking sheets off beds...little things. I wasn't a slave driver!) And began simple kitchen chores at 1 and a half. She could use a measuring cup and spoons at 2. Children truly are little sponges! We baked cookies to start. As her confidence grew, she'd suggest changes to recipes and we'd try them (zucchini bread with bananas? Chocolate chips? Sure! and now they are everyone's favorites! ). I still have a hard time convincing parents that their young children can help out in the kitchen. And it's such a shame as the children really enjoy the experience. She also helped out making soups and stews and pizza's. It was much harder to find kid friendly cookbooks back in the 1970's and 80's. This book is going to be a keeper for parents of young children as it has a journal section which I think could turn the book into a family keepsake. Lovely recipes that grow with the child from very simple to more difficult. Great book, with loads of recipes and photos!
I received a Kindle arc from netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
June 5, 2019
Not every kid is born to be a chef, but that does not mean that helping in the kitchen and being creative with food is not something that every should enjoy. This book does a good job of introducing kids to cooking, food prep and, importantly, eating healthy. The book has a nice selection of easy recipes that range from smoothies to desserts and entrees. The author includes some guidance on child-proofing a kitchen, which is important because you want the cooking experience to be a positive one that keeps the kids engaged. I also like the fact that the recipes, why appropriate for toddlers, also help mom come up with combination that may convince an much older, but still picky eater, to give some vegetables as try. Overall, a well-written and conceived book that allows a parent top get the child started in the kitchen early and support healthy nutrition by teaching the toddler how to prep their own fancy meals.
I received a free copy from the publisher.
I received a free copy from the publisher.
November 12, 2019
Not for Toddlers! Children defined usually as age 1 to 3 or so, there is no way any recipe in this book could be made by a toddler. Many recipes are fairly complicated for normal 8 to 10 year-olds, and even that would be with adult help. Lots of written copy that adults need to read, very little in the way of visuals for children. There were a half dozen recipes that were simple enough for a young elementary student to help an adult with, otherwise the book was pretty worthless. Very disappointing, not for little kids.
December 7, 2019
Very approachable, attractive photos, good tips for safe participation (though I could do with a bit more detail at times--great idea to teach toddlers to keep their hands at their sides into they know what the next step is, but...how...). Recipes look to be toddler participation friendly without being boring. Lots of recipes with no eggs, not as many that are dairy-free but can probably substitute milk/cheese/butter without too much difficulty in most cases. Again the main area for improvement would be being spiral bound so you could lay it flat easily while cooking.
April 10, 2022
Great way to eat veggies kids and adults!
I loved this book, I read all the recipes, easy to do, tried some, probably add a little more spice to some, as I'm eating just as an adult, but it was a pleasure to find some yummy recipes for veggies I'm not that keen on that I know I should eat like eggplant, avocados, Brussels spouts, kale
I loved this book, I read all the recipes, easy to do, tried some, probably add a little more spice to some, as I'm eating just as an adult, but it was a pleasure to find some yummy recipes for veggies I'm not that keen on that I know I should eat like eggplant, avocados, Brussels spouts, kale
October 8, 2022
These are nice, SIMPLE, and healthy recipes for kids to help their parents make.
I honestly don't think my daughter will eat half of what is in this book but she'll enjoy making a lot of these things and hopefully she'll at least try them! If not, mama will eat them for her 🤤
I honestly don't think my daughter will eat half of what is in this book but she'll enjoy making a lot of these things and hopefully she'll at least try them! If not, mama will eat them for her 🤤
January 15, 2021
Great ideas, lots of pictures
I appreciated the wealth of pictures so I could see what it's supposed to look like. Great ideas for cute, colorful, and toddler friendly meals.
I appreciated the wealth of pictures so I could see what it's supposed to look like. Great ideas for cute, colorful, and toddler friendly meals.
October 1, 2021
I borrowed this from the library and was impressed enough that I ordered my own copy!
January 2, 2024
I love the simplicity of the meals.
January 26, 2025
It's okay.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews