Picture Books Can Foster Conversations About the Social, Cultural and Nutritional Functions of Food: Study

Fruits, vegetables, milk and other foods are commonly featured in picture books, and, according to a new study, they offer an opportunity to engage preschoolers in conversations about the social, cultural and nutritional functions of food. The study, “Portrayals of Food and Nutrition in Popular US Picture Books,” published in the August 2026 Pediatrics (published online July 10), suggests that picture books — as a commercial-free early literacy tool aimed at children ages 2-5 — can be used to address nutritional and relational health. Researchers assessed food and nutrition content in a representative sample of U.S. picture books (159), documenting the presence and types of food, mealtimes and social drivers of nutritional health. Most books depicted food in text (67%) or pictures (68%). Fruit (39%) was the most depicted food group, milk the most depicted beverage (15%) and sweet the most depicted flavor (33%). Among books that included meals, snacks were most common (57%), followed by dinner (41%). Characters ate with their families in over half (53%) of books that depicted meals. Food often symbolized a role beyond satiating hunger, such as rewarding behavior or fostering connection. The authors conclude that picture books can be a valuable tool to support pediatric primary care objectives and inform policy efforts to invest in early childhood.

##

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.