Explore Foods Beginning With A, B, C, D, E

From Foods Starting with A to Foods Starting With E

Encouraging children to eat a varied and nutritious diet can be a challenging task for parents and caregivers. However, with a dash of creativity and a sprinkle of fun, mealtime can transform from a battleground into an exciting adventure. This list of food items beginning with A, B, C, D, and E gives you great ideas for meals, alphabet games and expanding your child’s range of foods.

From A to E, we’ll create a world where carrots become rocket ships, broccoli turns into mini-trees, and cucumber slices morph into coins from a treasure chest. We’ll discover how simple presentation tricks can turn ordinary vegetables into extraordinary experiences, and how involving children in food preparation can spark their interest in trying new things.

Whether you’re dealing with picky eaters, trying to introduce new foods, or simply looking to add some excitement to family meals, this article series offers a smorgasbord of ideas to make food fun and enticing for kids of all ages. Let’s explore how a little creativity can go a long way in nurturing healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.

Foods beginning with the letter “A”

Food	Description	Fun Presentation for Children
Apple	Round fruit with crisp flesh and thin skin	Create an “apple bobbing” game at parties
Apricot	Small, orange fruit with velvety skin	Make “apricot suns” by arranging slices in a circle
Asparagus	Green vegetable with elongated stalks	Call them “fairy wands” and encourage kids to wave them
Avocado	Creamy green fruit with large pit	Create “avocado boats” filled with healthy toppings
Artichoke	Edible flower bud with layered leaves	Present as a “veggie puzzle” to peel and eat
Almond	Oval-shaped nut with brown skin	Use them to make edible “tic-tac-toe” pieces
Arugula	Peppery leafy green	Create “rocket salad” (arugula’s other name) with space-themed toppings
Aubergine	Purple vegetable also known as eggplant	Cut into rounds and stamp purple “alien faces” on plates
Anchovies	Small, salty fish	Hide them in a “treasure chest” sandwich
Acorn squash	Green, acorn-shaped winter squash	Serve as “squash boats” filled with other foods
Alfalfa sprouts	Tender, young sprouts with mild flavor	Call them “hair sprouts” and use to decorate faces on sandwiches
Adzuki beans	Small red beans popular in Asian cuisine	Use in a “magical growing beans” sensory bin
Amaranth	Ancient grain with tiny seeds	Create colorful “sand art” using different grains
Anise	Licorice-flavored herb and spice	Use star anise to make edible “magic wands”
Açaí	Purple berry from South American palm trees	Serve “açaí ice cream” as a healthier dessert option
Albacore tuna	White-fleshed tuna species	Make “tuna submarines” using sandwich rolls
Alfredo sauce	Creamy white pasta sauce	Call it “cloud sauce” and let kids dip veggies in it
Allspice	Aromatic spice with combined flavors	Create a “spice painting” activity using allspice and other spices
Ambrosia apple	Sweet, low-acid apple variety	Slice into “apple smiles” with peanut butter and marshmallows
Amaretto	Almond-flavored liqueur (non-alcoholic version for kids)	Use as flavoring in “magic potion” smoothies

Foods beginning with “B”

Food	Description	Fun Presentation for Children
Banana	Long, curved yellow fruit	Create “banana dolphins” by cutting the peel to look like fins
Broccoli	Green vegetable with tree-like appearance	Call them “mini trees” and pretend to be giants eating a forest
Blueberries	Small, round blue-purple berries	Use as “blue marbles” in counting games before eating
Bacon	Thin strips of cured pork	Make “bacon butterflies” by folding cooked strips
Bagel	Ring-shaped bread roll	Create “bagel faces” with cream cheese and veggie features
Beets	Red root vegetable	Use to “paint” designs on plates with beet juice
Brussels sprouts	Small, cabbage-like vegetable	Present as “fairy cabbages” in a miniature garden scene
Butternut squash	Pale yellow, pear-shaped squash	Carve into a “squash boat” and fill with other foods
Blackberries	Cluster of small dark berries	Use to make edible “ink” for finger painting
Bell pepper	Colorful hollow vegetable	Cut into rings to make “veggie glasses”
Bread	Staple food made from flour	Make “bread buildings” by cutting into shapes and stacking
Brie	Soft cow’s milk cheese	Create a “cheese moon” with crater-like cuts
Burrito	Wrapped Mexican dish	Call it a “food sleeping bag” with ingredients tucked inside
Brownie	Chocolate baked dessert	Cut into puzzle pieces for an “edible jigsaw”
Butter	Dairy product made from cream	Use cookie cutters to make fun butter shapes
Baked beans	Beans cooked in sauce	Serve as “magic beans” in tiny pots
Bok choy	Type of Chinese cabbage	Arrange leaves to look like “veggie fans”
Blackcurrant	Small, tart dark purple berry	Use to make “purple polka dots” on yogurt
Barley	Cereal grain	Use in a sensory bin as “dinosaur eggs”
Basil	Aromatic herb	Create “leafy crowns” for finger puppets

Check out our Free Downloadable Banana Colouring Page

Foods beginning with “C”

Food	Description	Fun Presentation for Children
Carrot	Orange root vegetable	Create “carrot rockets” by leaving some greens on top
Cheese	Dairy product in various forms	Cut into shapes to make “cheese puzzles”
Chicken	Poultry meat	Make “chicken nugget animals” using different shapes
Cucumber	Long green vegetable with high water content	Slice into “cucumber coins” for a treasure chest
Corn	Yellow grain on a cob	Present as “corn microphones” for singing vegetables
Cauliflower	White vegetable with tree-like structure	Call it “cloud vegetables” and use food coloring to make rainbow clouds
Cherry	Small round fruit with a pit	Use as “cherry earrings” by hanging on ears (adult supervision required)
Chocolate	Sweet treat made from cocoa	Create “chocolate Lego bricks” using molds
Coconut	Large brown nut with white flesh and liquid	Make “coconut bowling” using whole coconuts and pin-shaped foods
Celery	Crunchy green stalked vegetable	Fill with peanut butter to make “ant logs”
Cinnamon	Sweet and woody spice	Use for “cinnamon stick art” by gluing to paper
Cantaloupe	Orange-fleshed melon	Carve into “melon monsters” with fruit features
Cabbage	Leafy green vegetable	Create “cabbage patch dolls” using whole cabbages
Cashew	Curved nut	Arrange to form “cashew caterpillars” on plates
Cranberry	Small, tart red berry	Use in “cranberry popping” games (squish between fingers)
Croissant	Crescent-shaped pastry	Pretend they are “edible boomerangs”
Clementine	Small, sweet citrus fruit	Peel and separate into “orange smiles”
Cupcake	Small individual cake	Decorate as “cupcake faces” with icing features
Curry	Spiced dish or powder	Call it “magic color powder” for changing food colors
Couscous	Tiny pasta made from semolina	Use as “sand” in an edible beach scene

Foods beginning with “D”

Food	Description	Fun Presentation for Children
Dragon fruit	Exotic fruit with pink skin and white flesh	Cut in half to reveal “dragon eggs” with black seed “spots”
Dates	Sweet, chewy fruit from date palms	Present as “edible gemstones” in a treasure box
Doughnut	Sweet, fried dough ring	Create a “doughnut tower” stacking game
Durian	Large, spiky tropical fruit	Call it “stinky monster fruit” and have a smell-guessing game
Dill	Aromatic herb with feathery leaves	Use as “mermaid hair” for food art
Dumpling	Small pieces of dough with filling	Present as “edible pillows” on a plate “bed”
Duck	Poultry meat	Make “duck pond” scenes with blue jello “water”
Daikon	Large white radish	Carve into “daikon dolphins” or other sea creatures
Dandelion greens	Edible leaves of the dandelion plant	Create “wish salads” and pretend to blow the leaves
Dark chocolate	Chocolate with high cocoa content	Mold into “chocolate coins” for a treasure hunt
Dried apricots	Dehydrated apricot fruit	Use as “orange ears” on fruit faces
Deviled eggs	Stuffed egg dish	Decorate as “egg monsters” with vegetable features
Drumstick (chicken)	Leg portion of a chicken	Pretend they’re “wizard wands” for casting food spells
Doritos	Flavored tortilla chips	Use as “dragon scales” on a mythical creature made of food
Dijon mustard	Tangy French mustard	Call it “yellow paint” for decorating sandwiches
Dragonfruit	Another name for pitaya	Scoop out and refill with fruit salad “dragon treasure”
Damson	Small, tart plum	Use in a “plum bobbing” game (like apple bobbing)
Dulse	Edible seaweed	Create “undersea gardens” on plates
Duck sauce	Sweet and sour condiment	Present as “magic potion” for dipping
Daikon sprouts	Young sprouts of the daikon radish	Use as “crazy hair” for food faces

Foods beginning with “E”.

Food	Description	Fun Presentation for Children
Egg	Oval-shaped food from birds	Create “egg people” using hard-boiled eggs and veggie features
Eggplant	Purple vegetable also known as aubergine	Cut into rounds to make “eggplant stamps” for artwork
Edamame	Young soybeans in the pod	Call them “alien pods” and have kids pop out the “aliens”
Eclair	Oblong pastry filled with cream	Present as “edible canoes” filled with sweet “treasures”
Elderberry	Small, dark purple berry	Use to make “magic ink” for painting on plates
Endive	Leafy vegetable with a slightly bitter taste	Create “endive boats” filled with fun toppings
English muffin	Small, round, flat yeast-leavened bread	Make “English muffin faces” with spreads and toppings
Enchilada	Rolled tortilla with filling and sauce	Present as “food sleeping bags” on the plate
Escargot	Edible land snails	Create a “snail race” on the plate (for adventurous eaters)
Eel	Long, snake-like fish	Arrange on the plate to spell words or make shapes
Espresso	Strong coffee brewed by forcing hot water through grounds	Serve as “grown-up juice” in tiny cups (decaf for kids)
Emmental cheese	Swiss cheese with holes	Use slices to create “cheese windows” on sandwiches
Emu (meat)	Meat from a large flightless bird	Present as “dinosaur meat” for adventurous eaters
Elbow macaroni	Short, curved pasta tubes	Use to make edible jewelry or art projects
Empanada	Stuffed bread or pastry	Call them “surprise pockets” with mystery fillings
Escarole	Leafy green vegetable	Create “escarole monsters” with teeth made from carrot sticks
Evaporated milk	Concentrated milk product	Use to make “cloud milk” by whipping with water
Elephant garlic	Large variety of garlic	Present cloves as “elephant tusks” on a veggie elephant
Egg noodles	Flat noodles made with egg	Create “noodle nests” and fill with small vegetable “eggs”
Ether extract	Natural fruit flavoring	Use to make “scratch and sniff” fruit pictures (adult supervision required)

15 fun ways to present vegetables to children

There are many creative and fun ways to present vegetables to children to make them more appealing and exciting. Here are some ideas:

1. Veggie characters: Create faces or animals using different vegetables. For example, use a bell pepper as a body, carrot sticks for arms and legs, and cherry tomatoes for eyes.
2. Vegetable trains: Use cucumber slices as wheels, bell peppers as carriages, and fill them with other colorful veggies.
3. Rainbow platters: Arrange vegetables in rainbow order to make a colorful and attractive display.
4. Dip stations: Offer a variety of healthy dips (hummus, yogurt-based dips, etc.) with vegetable sticks for dunking.
5. Veggie flowers: Arrange sliced vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, and bell peppers to form flower shapes.
6. Vegetable stamps: Cut vegetables like bell peppers or celery into shapes for painting activities using edible paint (like beetroot juice).
7. Spiralized veggies: Use a spiralizer to create fun “noodles” out of zucchini, carrots, or other vegetables.
8. Kebab creatures: Make colorful kebabs and present them as caterpillars or other creatures.
9. Veggie boats: Hollow out vegetables like zucchini or cucumber to create “boats” filled with healthy dips or other vegetables.
10. Mini veggie gardens: Create a small, edible garden scene on a plate using broccoli “trees,” carrot “fences,” and cherry tomato “flowers.”
11. Vegetable sushi: Make colorful sushi rolls using rice paper and various vegetables.
12. Hidden veggies: Incorporate finely chopped or pureed vegetables into familiar foods like pasta sauce, smoothies, or baked goods.
13. Veggie popsicles: Freeze vegetable juices or purees into popsicle molds for a healthy, fun treat.
14. Salad cups: Serve individual portions of salad in ice cream cones or edible cups made from large lettuce leaves.
15. Veggie pizza faces: Let children create faces on mini pizzas using vegetable toppings.