Kids Books About Middle Eastern Food

One of my favorite ways to help kids be more interested in and curious about trying new food doesn’t actually involve food! Reading books that feature food is a great way to help kids be more comfortable with the idea of new things and become more interested in trying them!

Here is a list of my favorite kids picture books that feature food from the Middle East. Curl up with some good books and then head into the kitchen to try your hand at making some great kid friendly Middle Eastern recipes like chicken shawarma, beef kofta, and more.

How to help your kids try new foods

Want to avoid picky eating? Its all about exposure and curiosity! The more fun and interesting you can make new food seem, the more likely kids will be interested in trying it. Don’t make it a power struggle, make it a fun investigation!

Getting your kids involved in helping you bake and cook is important, but helping your kids be curious about what they are trying outside the kitchen helps, too! 

Food related activities like restaurant dramatic play, tv shows, and books are also so helpful in helping your kids be curious about food. And when they are curious, they are more likely to try it!

Make sure you also read my guide on how to teach kids to love international food.

Kids Books About Middle Eastern Food

Head to your local library or bookstore to find these awesome foodie books and start exploring today!

Disclosure: Jenni Ward/The Gingered Whisk is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You can read more about this on my Disclosure Page.

Picture books about Middle Eastern cuisine

Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan is the cute story of a little girl who wants to cook a dish to cheer up her mom, but she needs the help of her new friends to get it done.

Dina’s Ghormeh Sabzi Stew by Anahita Tamaddon is story of a little girl named Dina who shows you how to cook her favorite stew.

These Olive Trees by Aya Ghanameh is the story of a little girl from Palestine and her family’s ties to olive trees as they leave for a new land.

Yara’s Lunch by Natalie Tasci Srour is the story about a little girl who goes to school for the first time and learns that everyone’s lunches are as unique as they are.

Zeit and Zaatar by Amany Isa and Doha Koma is the story of a little boy who learns to make a snack that his mom ate when she was little.

The Great Lebne Trade by Eman Saleh is the story of a little boy who is hesitant to take a labneh sandwich to lunch, but then chaos ensues when the whole school gets a taste…

Lailah’s Lunchbox by Reem Farqui is the story of a little girl who is finally old enough to participate in Ramadan, but she is nervous what her new schoolmates will think.

Sitti’s Olive Trees by Nada Hassan is the story of olive harvesting season in Palestine.

Arab Fairy Tale Feasts: A Literary Cookbook by Karim Alrawi is one you definitely need to have on your bookshelf. Short fairy tales that revolve around food and ends with a recipe. This series of books is so creative, you should just buy the whole set!

Birthday Kunafa by Rick Ebeid this wordless picture book is beautiful and so fun! A little girl just wants a special treat on her birthday. Can she get it?