9 cookbooks for delicious and nutritious meals

The the best cook books incuding emily english's so good and deliciously ella's book — (Image credit: Amazon)

What's for dinner? It's the question we all struggle with on a weekly basis, but if you have the right cookbooks, you can feel inspired to try new recipes, mix in more fibre, and try some delicious sweet treats for the family.

This year, we've seen a renewed focus on fibre, a confident embrace of plant-based cooking, and a pull towards cosy unfussy meals that can be made in an air fryer. I've tried making one-pot meals from Em The Nutritionist and we've embraced Jamie Oliver's easy air fryer methods (with out best air fryers too).

Whether you're looking for comfort foods or fifteen minute meals, we have the cookbooks for you. But don't forget about the best cookbooks of 2025 - they're just as delicious this year as they were last.

The best cookbooks of 2026

Quick healthy cooking

Ella Mills

Quick Wins: Healthy Cooking for Busy Lives

High-fibre and healthy

Rhiannon Lambert

The Fibre Formula

Protein-rich and easy

Niall Kirkland

The Good Bite Easy

Plant-based baking

Philip Khoury

Beyond Baking

Delicious and nutricious

Emily English

So Good Express: the Number One Sunday Times Bestseller - ‘gen Z’s Nigella’ the Times (emily English)

Hasty, tasty cooking

Jamie Oliver

Easy Air Fryer

Hollistic and healthy

Susan Ottaviano

Plants That Heal: Plant-Based Wisdom for Body, Mind & Soul

Food for hosting

Yotam Ottolenghi

Ottolenghi Simple Too

Meal prep magic

Poppy Cooks

The Actually Delicious Batch

Whether you're feeling inspired by the Bake Off or looking to make some healthy swaps for September, these nine books will be your bibles. They've kept us busy cooking and baking - trying to resist the delicious meals we've made in them too.

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Laura is woman&home's eCommerce editor, in charge of testing, reviewing and recommending products for your home. You'll see her testing anything from damp-banishing dehumidifiers and KitchenAid's most covetable stand mixers through to the latest in Le Creuset's cast iron collection.

Previously, she was eCommerce Editor at Homes & Gardens, and has also written for Living Etc, The White Company and local publications when she was a student at Oxford University. She is also a Master Perfumer (a qualified candle snob), SCA-Certified Barista (qualified coffee snob) and part of a family who runs a pizza business (long-time pizza snob) - all of which come in handy when you're looking for the best pieces of kit to have kitchen.