My Favorite Books about Nutrition for Picky Eaters with Autism and ARFID
If you’re trying to encourage a child to sample new foods, a good place to start introducing new foods is in books.
📖 Why Picture Books Belong in Your Picky Eating Toolkit
For kids who are sensory-sensitive, mealtimes can feel overwhelming.
If your child has autism or ARFID, they might be especially turned off by the smell, look, or texture of unfamiliar foods. Even seeing something new on their plate can cause a meltdown—or a flat-out refusal to eat.
That’s why I love using picture books as a gentle starting point.
Books create a no-pressure opportunity to “meet” new foods without the stress of smells, textures, or table-time expectations. It’s like a friendly introduction—one that happens while snuggling on the couch instead of stressing at the dinner table.
Books Feed the Brain (and the Body)
Books don’t just help with exposure—they also support understanding.
Many of the autistic kids I’ve worked with are deeply curious about the world around them. And when they understand the “why” behind food—why our bodies need nutrients, how digestion works, or what muscles need to grow—they’re more open to giving new foods a chance.
A well-chosen book can explain what I often say in therapy: “Your body needs food to do the things you love.” And it does it in a kid-friendly, engaging way.
What the Research Says: Books Change Behavior
One of my favorite studies (Heath et al., 2014) looked at what happens when toddlers read picture books about vegetables every day for two weeks.
What they found is so exciting:
Kids looked at the veggie longer on their plate
Needed less encouragement to try it
And ate more of it when offered
That’s because books build familiarity. They give kids a safe, calm way to warm up to a food before it ever hits their plate.
Bottom line? If you’re struggling to introduce new foods at the table… try starting with a book. You don’t need a dozen titles or a perfect plan. Just one great book, read again and again, can be a powerful first step.
Below, you’ll find some of my very favorite books to help autistic and ARFID kiddos feel more confident—and even curious—about new foods.
✨ Hey—don’t miss my favorite pick at the bottom! It’s a printable social story I wrote just for kids with autism or ARFID who feel nervous about new foods. Gentle, kid-friendly, and based on real therapy strategies—it’s a resource I use with my own ARFID clients.
Picture books introduce picky eaters to new foods
Your picky eater with autism or ARFID might be a little someone who is very sensory sensitive. The smell of new foods may be a big turn-off. The look of some foods may be a big turn-off. If that’s the case, reading your child picture books with food photos is a nice way to ease them into a meet and greet with a new food outside of the mealtime context where they tend to feel overtaken by powerful scents and visuals.
Read more about sensory food aversions here.
Books support healthy eating
I also really like books about food for autistic kids, because they can provide so much information about what food does for our body. Some of the kids I’ve worked with are SO CURIOUS about the world, and they would really like to know why I’m interested in helping them learn to like new foods. Enter, books! Hearing how the digestive system works, learning what carbohydrates do for energy, or knowing how protein helps muscles are all good reasons for curious kids to consider giving new foods a chance.
My very favorite books for selective eaters with autism & ARFID:
Good Enough to Eat: A Kid's Guide to Food and Nutrition by Lizzy Rockwell // This book provides an in-depth look at what happens when we are hungry, what foods our bodies need, how digestion works, and what role nutrients play. If you have a curious eater, or you want to teach your child about a wide variety of new foods through pictures, this book is for you.
What's So Yummy?: All About Eating Well and Feeling Good by Robbie Harris // In this book, Nellie and Gus share all about their day packed with eating, cooking, grocery shopping, and physical activity. As you follow these kids and their family through the day, you learn what role food plays in keeping us happy and healthy. If your kiddo would benefit from an easy-to-understand overview on the importance of eating well and moving your body, check this book out!
Look Inside What Happens When You Eat This lift-the-flap book gives kids a peek inside the digestive process—breaking down what our bodies do with sugar, fat, carbs, protein, and vitamins. It covers how nutrients help us grow and move, plus cool extras like food allergies, gut bacteria, and what makes a balanced diet.
It’s perfect for curious eaters who want to know the why behind what’s on their plate—and a great way to spark conversations about trying new foods.
Becoming a Food Explorer This book is a total gem for food explorers. With beautiful illustrations and poetic language, it invites kids to feel safe, curious, and confident at the table. It’s all about building a positive relationship with food—without pressure. If you’re looking for something that gently encourages your child to explore new foods while keeping them fully engaged, this one’s a joy to read together.
Okay, these next one’s are not technically about eating—but hear me out.
Some of my favorite titles don’t mention meals or nutrition at all—but they do help kids get familiar with the look, color, or idea of a food in a fun, pressure-free way. And remember that study we talked about earlier? Just seeing a food in a book—especially with repetition—can help a child feel more at ease when it shows up on their plate. So next up, I’m sharing a few playful books that feature foods as part of the story, without explaining the importance of those foods.
Ten Apples Up On Top This silly, rhyming read isn’t about eating apples—it’s about balancing them! But don’t underestimate its power. For kids who feel cautious about food, seeing apples featured in a fun, non-mealtime context can help build familiarity and reduce pressure. Plus, the rhythm and repetition make it a joy to read again and again (which only strengthens that positive association).
Dragons Love Tacos Dragons love tacos (don’t we all?), but they can’t handle spicy salsa. This book offers a fun, way to talk about different kinds of food, preferences, and even food-related surprises. Plus, it’s silly enough to win over even the most hesitant listener.
The Carrot Seed isn’t about eating—but it is all about carrots. It’s a quiet little story about patience and belief, and it gives your child a chance to see a carrot grow from seed to sprout to harvest.
The social story I use to support my clients
Learn to Like New Foods is a fun, evidence-based story I wrote that shows kids how trying something again (and again!) teaches their taste buds to like new foods—with simple, grown-up-supported steps to keep going.
🧠 Based on real therapy tools
📚 Easy to add to your storytime rotation
✨ Ready for immediate download
💡 Just $9
In addition to loving all of these books for my therapy kids, I also adore sharing these books at home! My two daughters are both enchanted by every one of these. We have read each of them many, many, many times. I hope your picky eater with autism or ARFID loves them just as much!
References:
Heath, P., Houston-Price, C., & Kennedy, O. B. (2014). Let's look at leeks! Picture books increase toddlers' willingness to look at, taste and consume unfamiliar vegetables. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 191. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00191
Want more great book recommendations about eating?
Here is a lovely list curated by MaiStoryBook including books to teach respect and appreciation for different foods.
Here’s what I’m currently reading about autism and eating.
Did you like this post? If you did, you’ll LOVE my best tips to improve picky eating in this free resource.
