It’s a time Dimbleby remembers with fondness: “I feel very proud to have started the whole Sainsbury’s thing. It was such a success. It worked brilliantly for many years and it was a very happy, good part of my life, too.”

If you want to give your kids a bit more control over the cooking process (still with supervision, of course) you may wonder where to start. Kid cookbooks, like the ones featured on this list, are a fantastic way to get kids excited to cook. They’re full of tasty kid-friendly recipes and simple-to-follow instructions, usually complete with pictures. There are also thousands of online tutorials for those who prefer visual and auditory learning. So, why does Norman believe the books were rated so highly by the Glenfiddich judges? “Well, I think they were well conceived, they were written by people who knew what they were doing – and it was innovative. Sainsbury’s was the first supermarket who went in for a line of cookery books. They were small and inexpensive. I know when the first one came out, and I still working was at Penguin and we thought ‘Oooh, competition’.”

The earliest cookbooks found around the world give people today a fascinating look at not only what the people of the time ate but also their lifestyles, mainly of those from the upper class. From 1700 BC to 1390 AD, here are some of the world’s oldest cookbooks.

Involving kids in cooking meals is not only a great way to build life skills, but also to bond as a family. Depending on their age, there are plenty of tasks that children can handle. Younger kids can help add measured ingredients into bowls. As they grow older, have your kids stir in mixing bowls, peel potatoes and carrots, or measure out spices and liquids. Once they’ve refined their motor skills, tweens and teens can help chop and dice vegetables or monitor things cooking in a pot or pan. Starting kids in the kitchen at a young age is great for them to develop important cooking skills. The book is filled with fun and interesting recipes that children will adore making and eating. They will also be able to follow the instructions themselves as they are so easy to understand.

Perfect for the under 7 Julia Donaldson fans we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the fabulous Gruffalo Crumble. Young cooks will love first to create and then to feast on delights such as Fox’s Sandwiches, Scrambled Snake and the awesome Gruffalo Cake. The twenty four recipes are easy to follow and are brought to life by Axel Scheffler’s brilliant and familiar illustrations. Perfect for new cooks – and their parents! Cooking for Christmas, Marvellous Meals with Mince, First Impressions and Sweet Dreams by Josceline Dimbleby The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs" by America's Test Kitchen takes our top spot because of its wide range of kid-tested recipes and helpful visuals. If you and your little one are vegetarian, try " The Forest Feast for Kids." Both of you are sure to enjoy the beautiful watercolor images in addition to its fresh, fun recipes. What to Look for in Cookbooks for Kids Age Level

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As is often the way, the cookbook series came about through serendipity rather than careful, strategic planning. Annabel Karmel, who we all recognise from those early weaning days, has created her own fantastic foody book for our young budding chefs. Have fun in the kitchen and learn new skills with one of the UK's top children's cookery authors. Annabel Karmel's Fun, Fast and Easy Children's Cookbook covers all the bases for the 5+ age range. The recipes are a lovely mix of both healthy dishes, with fresh fruit and vegetables added in creative and appealing ways, and twists on old favourites such as sunshine paella, vroom vroom bolognese and pesto pizzas. David Atherton was the winner of Bake Off 2019 and is also intent on inspiring the next generation of chefs. My First Cook Book is David's first book for children, with a focus on fun and imaginative recipes that are sure to inspire the youngest of readers to get cooking. With warm illustrations, fun and healthy recipes and easy-to-follow steps to help readers master basic cookery techniques and get inspired about food, this is an essential introduction to cookery. In 1978, UK supermarket Sainsbury’s published Cooking for Christmas by Josceline Dimbleby . This title was the first in what was to become an extensive collection of cookbooks that over the coming decades would sell millions of copies. The books were written by some of the most celebrated figures in the food world, and well-thumbed, scribbled-on copies of these books are still in use in countless kitchens across the UK.