Nutrition education at an early age paves the way for healthful dietary choices as children develop. Fictional stories are an excellent medium for disseminating information to children about age-appropriate nutritional subjects in a way they can enjoy. Focus on exposure to different foods with small children, foods' origins and culture with older children and body image and dietary choices with teenagers.
Toddlers
"The Beastly Feast" by Brad Goldstone introduces foods in a fun, engaging way appropriate for young children learning visual recognition and words about food. Along with a rhyming scheme that includes pairs such as "mosquitoes burritos," the book includes colorful images and a fast-paced storyline to keep toddlers interested until the end. The book's pages are textured, which adds an additional element for little ones to enjoy.
Preschoolers
"Blue's Clues" is a popular television show for young children. If your preschooler is familiar with Blue, use the book "Blue's Snack Party: A Lift-the-flap Story" by Kevin Cardinali, to engage her interest in nutrition. The characters plan a meal, and your toddler can follow along, choosing foods, counting ingredients and following recipes.
School-Age
Nurture the burgeoning awareness children have of different cultural backgrounds when they first attend school with "Bread, Bread, Bread," a book by Ann Morris. The book tells a story of people all over the world in everyday situations eating baguettes, bagels and other international breads. This book instructs children on the unifying force of foods, which brings together cultures across the world.
Teenagers
"Lake Rescue," from author Annie Bryant's Beacon Street Girls series, is a story about an overweight girl ostracized at school because of her appearance who gets help losing weight and improving her health and body image from a former camp counselor. In a 2010 Duke University study, overweight teenage girls participating in a health education program while simultaneously reading "Lake Rescue" had more success losing weight compared with girls in a control group.
