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10 Super Cute Wooden Play Food and Cooking Sets to Go With Your Kid’s Wooden Play Kitchen

published Feb 28, 2023
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A toddler girl plays with her outdoor kitchen in her backyard on a warm, sunny day. There are pots and pans and kitchen tools and a table and chairs in the background and also a red playhouse.
Credit: Layland Masuda/Getty Images

So you’ve found the wooden play kitchen of your dreams — now it’s time to fill those shelves, ovens, and stovetops with beautiful food, dishes, and cookware, and maybe hang an apron nearby. 

I’ve probably thought way too much about play kitchen accessories over the years. I wanted to find items that were colorful, but with safe finishes (but then sometimes you just want natural wood). I wanted durable pieces that would stand up to years of play, and fun pieces that encouraged my daughter to think about food: How do we put a meal together? How many different types of produce can I find? What are some of my favorite things to eat or things I want to try? 

The result is this guide to some of my favorite brands and products for both natural wood and painted play food, toy appliances, toy cookware, even miniature-sized aprons. If you like a particular look, be sure to check out the rest of the brand’s offerings — it was so hard to choose just one!

A note on soft food: This guide focuses on play kitchen food, which is generally made for ages 3 and up. While you can certainly buy and use much of this for younger kids at your discretion, you might want to consider soft food at first — especially to avoid bite marks! 

Play Food

1 / 8
Wonder & Wise
$39.00

No kitchen should be without some choppable produce! I love the understated look of these, along with the sweet little details that still let you know exactly what you’re looking at. This comes with a cutting board and a knife and is wonderful practice for fine motor skills.

2 / 8
Amazon
$40.00

It’s important to me to encourage my daughter to try foods from a variety of cultures, and my husband and I love sushi. What better way to celebrate it than with these precious pieces from Plan Toys? I especially love the soy sauce!

3 / 8
Smallable
$131.00

If you’re looking to get a wide variety of play food, Erzi’s Big Box is for you. These are much beloved for their durability and they are made from beech wood. This German brand has great details (I love their potato bag and chocolate bar). One thing to note: These, like many European brands, are on the small side, if that matters to you.

4 / 8
Etsy
$45.00

If you’re plant-based, vegan, have allergies, or just want your child to be exposed to a variety of foods, this vegan play set is beautiful and inclusive. I especially love the descriptive illustrations.

5 / 8
Happy Little Folks
$55.22

No play food roundup would be complete without the gorgeous work of Raduga Grez. Their play food is truly art, like their tagline says. I’m particularly fond of this vegetable collection because of the avocado, but all of their products are heirloom-worthy — a favorite of parents and kids.

6 / 8
Maisonette
$68.00

I’ve long been a fan of Milton and Goose’s play kitchen, and their play food is similarly wonderful. I love the felt and textile details and the beautiful polished wood grain. Their condiments and bottles are also very sweet!

7 / 8
Little Ivy
$58.00

There is just something about this French breakfast box that makes me feel calm and continental. Although I’ve seen some of these elements, it’s rare for me to find them all together, and these might be the best play crackers I’ve ever found. I love how many skills are present here — with a knife for the butter and to cut the egg and bread, this set goes a long way.

8 / 8
Hape
$18.75
was $24.99

I love everything about this salad set, from the wooden veggies to the DIY dressing and the beautiful felt leaves. I’m hoping this beautiful set will help my daughter learn to make real salad early, as well as make it seem more accessible for her palate.

Play Appliances

1 / 4
Maisonette
$59.99

This tiny mixer is a hit at our house, with lots of ingredients to add for the perfect loaf of bread (sometimes we swap in our cookies or birthday cake, too). I liked teaching her about weighing ingredients with a scale and rehiding the egg to crack into the mix.

2 / 4
Maisonette
$89.00

I love the look of paint, but there’s something so wholesome and lovely about the natural wood. Our coffee maker gets a good workout in the kitchen space and this one is sure to offer piping hot cups for years to come.

3 / 4
Small Kins
$30.00
was $27.00

I’ve been amazed by how much play our toaster gets, but I guess it makes sense. It’s an easy appliance for a child to use and many children start spreading butter, jam, or honey early on too. I love the egg and cheese, and I’m happy to have a spare knife for cutting veggies or other things (as ours sometimes go missing for a while).

4 / 4
All Mama's Children
$32.54
was $24.08

If you’re at all into smoothies, a toy blender is a great addition to your play kitchen. My daughter makes a variety of strange concoctions, using much more than just fruit. I like that this set is all wood and comes with two cups for sharing.

Dishes and Cookware

1 / 3
Amazon
$49.29

There is a timeless quality to this beautiful tea set — a must for your pretend play space. Aside from the aesthetic, what I love most about this set is the large array of tea bags, the lemons, and the honey pot. This set manages to feel fun and functional at the same time.

2 / 3
Pottery Barn Kids
$49.00

This simple, classic set from Pottery Barn gives you everything you need to serve a luxury dinner a la your imagination. I love the subtle paint, the salt and pepper shakers, and the variety.

3 / 3
Maisonette
$34.95

If you’re looking for something with a little more decoration, this lovely dinner set from Le Toy Van fits the bill nicely. I like the addition of a mug and a cup as well as the sweet napkin and ring.

Play Textiles

1 / 3
Pottery Barn Kids
$24.95

The regular size of these aprons are a classic for a reason — they are durable, sturdy, and will protect from all kinds of spills. You littles can wear them when in their pretend kitchen or when helping out in your real one (if you want, you can get a personalized version).

2 / 3
Maisonette
$40.00

For something with a little more flair, this princess bunny apron is the epitome of style. I love the ears and the tiny crown and even though I wouldn’t want my daughter anywhere near a cookie-baking mission, it’s perfect for pretend play.

3 / 3
Maisonette
$29.99

Although this is really both food and cookware, I’ve put it with the textiles because of the sweet felt pasta. This is perfect for learning about pasta shapes and how to cook it and I love the toppings (including splats of sauce!). This set is a treasure.

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