It's important to teach kids about different cultures and ethnicities. Not only is it important to teach them about different backgrounds, but kids should also know about the foods that go along with each cultural food group.
Here are some tips on how to teach kids to appreciate foods from other cultures.
- Make the food part of a learning experience. You can read books about different cultures or even take trips to see how people live in other countries.
- Ensure that your child's school has an appreciation day for each ethnicity. For example, many schools have Asian Day where they celebrate Asian culture by watching movies and playing games. No matter what race you are, teach your child to be proud of their own roots while also learning about others'.
- On food holidays like Thanksgiving or St Patrick's Day, talk with your child about the traditional foods associated with each holiday. Child-friendly websites can offer recipes, crafts, activities, and pictures related to these celebrations. These are great ways to show your child how a holiday is celebrated.
An important part of teaching kids to appreciate foods from other cultures is allowing them to try the food, but only if they are ready. You might have noticed that many kids have a very narrow palate. It's okay for their mealtime meals and snacks to be limited to the same few things they get excited about eating every day, but when it comes time to change things up, it can be frustrating for both parents and children.
The best way to get your kid interested in trying another type of cuisine or dish is by showing them delicious-looking photos of what you're planning on making that night (or in the near future). Most kids love seeing beautiful dishes and will be eager to try what you're making.
When preparing the meal, make sure to use the same utensils that they are used to using. If your child is eating dinner with chopsticks (or something else unique to the dish), provide them with their everyday silverware as well so they can switch back and forth if necessary. This will help them stay interested in trying all of the delicious food you've made for them.
As long as kids are exposed to different cultures, backgrounds, and foods at a young age, it should be simple for them to learn how to try new things when the time comes that they are ready. Kids have an innate capability of being able to understand what other people experience without even speaking their language—which is why they are able to feel empathy for others at such an early age. With the proper exposure and guidance, your child will learn how to appreciate foods from other cultures just as easily as they learned to love their own.
To help you teach your child more about various cultures, here are some simple ways to do so:
- Teach Your Kids About Greek Food - One of the most popular cultures in America is Greek culture because of the delicious Greek food offered around the country. If you're looking for a way to introduce your kid to Greek cuisine, try making Spanakopita. Phyllo dough can be intimidating to work with, but if your children are interested in learning how to make this dish or another tasty dish from another country, then they may enjoy helping out while baking.
- Teach Your Kids About Italian Food - Italian food is one of the most popular types of food in America because of how tasty it is and how simple it can be made. When teaching your kids about Italian culture, you could try making pasta and meatballs, one of the most well-known dishes from Italy and a dish that any child would enjoy eating.
- Show Your Children How to Make Japanese Food - Japanese cuisine includes plenty of sushi options as well as fresh fish. If your children love seafood, then they may really enjoy learning how to make Sushi with help from their parents.
- Have Fun Teaching Your Child About Indian Cuisine - Indian cuisine consists primarily of curries and other flavorful spices that will have your child's mouth-watering. If you're not sure where to start with teaching your kid about Indian food, then you may want to try making Chicken Tikka Masala. This dish is enjoyed by people of all ages and can easily be made at home.
- Try Vietnamese Food - Kids who like spicy foods will really enjoy learning how to make some Pho (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) . Once they learn how to make the soup, they may also be interested in adding their own ingredients for a personalized bowl of pho!
- Taste Chinese Food With Your Kids - Kids who already know how to make basic fried rice and egg rolls can help out while cooking Pork and Shrimp Egg Rolls on the Big Green Egg. Pork and Shrimp Egg Rolls are the perfect way to introduce your child to Chinese cuisine, but there are plenty of other dishes that can be introduced once this one has been mastered.
- Have Fun Teaching Your Kids About Korean Food - Korean food is still starting to become popular in America, but it's growing in popularity every day! If your children love spicy food, then they may enjoy learning how to make Kimchi, a traditional dish from Korea made out of the cabbage. There are plenty of other exciting dishes that you can try when teaching your kids about Korean cuisines as well!
- Get Creative With Mexican Cuisine - Many kids today know how to make basic tacos and nachos, but what if you want them to expand their Mexican food knowledge? If you'd like to introduce your children to some different Mexican dishes, then you may want to try making some Enchiladas.
- Familiarize Kids With Middle Eastern Food - One of the most popular types of foods that kids eat today is fast food. Whether they're eating at a burger chain or a chicken restaurant, it's very possible for them to receive an Americanized version of Middle Eastern cuisine in their meal. By showing your kids how to make their own Falafel, you will be introducing them to something new and delicious!
- Have Fun Introducing Your Children To English Food - While many people think all English food is just meat and potatoes, there are actually several traditional dishes that are eaten in England. If you would like to try introducing your children to English food, then you may want to start with something simple like Toad in the Hole. This traditional dish is made out of sausages baked inside Yorkshire Pudding!
- Have Fun With Ukrainian Food - You don't need to travel all the way to Ukraine or Eastern Europe just to enjoy some delicious comfort foods! By teaching your kids how to make some Khinkali, you can bring a taste of Eastern Europe home!
- Get Creative With Scottish Food - If your child is a fan of haggis and other types of meat dishes, then learning how to make Scottish tablets may be the perfect way to introduce them to traditional Scottish cuisine! Tablet is similar to fudge and makes for a complex flavor profile that any child would enjoy trying.
Comments:
These are fun ideas, but I think most families don’t have time to make every meal an adventure or experiment. I think a good way to get kids to eat foods that are foreign to them is to start small and pull back: Indian butter chicken (small amounts of Indian spice) with basmati rice. Chicken and rice are familiar, the pinch of spice is different but not overwhelming. Sushi rolls are usually far too big for a child’s mouth. Make a mini poke bowl with fried seafood, small bits of raw fish for them to try, vegetables and crispy nori snacks. Pho is an easy sell for kids of all ages; it’s noodle soup. Latkes as well - few kids don’t like fried potatoes. I used to make them for my kids on Anne Frank’s birthday. I also used to take them to various international markets (or even the international aisle in the grocery store) and let them pick out something to try. If you start with small steps when they are quite young, pushing forward becomes much easier. But it is important to respect their boundaries. Textures are often more of a problem for children than taste and that only improves with time and age.
winglessvictory / 2021-11-11 04:12:00
You probably got them used to food from other cultures so quickly, that the classic Western stuff probably seems bland and boring in comparison.Exactly right. Got the same situation with my kid. He’ll take a chicken korma or bún bò xào over cheesburger and fries any day, all day. It’s all due to the fact he’s been fed everything from all over from the time he was old enough to sit in a highchair and shove whatever we gave him in his maw without help. He always rejected “baby food” wanted whatever we were eating so as long as it wasn’t going to choke him we gave him whatever we were eating, and we’re borderless eaters.
harmon20 / 2021-11-16 17:24:53
one sort of alternative could also be trying a certain type of food that has variations in multiple cultures (especially if there’s something the kid seems particularly fond of). even as an adult, i’ve been exploring different kinds of steamed buns and dumplings, and they all seem universally delicious even though they are all different. (next on the list: pelmeni!)
fwgkwhgtre / 2021-11-19 06:36:18
How to Teach Kids to Appreciate Foods From Other CulturesJust serve it to them. Treat it like ‘normal’ food, because it is. Treat a curry the exact same way you’d treat a cheeseburger. Treat sushi the same way you’d treat chicken fingers. Just another recipe in your book.
For example, if your child has never tasted a pomegranate and is
reluctant to try it, tell them eating pomegranate could make them
smarter—in Judaism, each of the 613 seeds of the pomegranate fruit (make
them count the seeds if they don’t believe you) stands for one of the
613 commandments in the Torah, the Jewish holy book.
How about don’t tell ridiculous bullshit to your kids?
Practice corresponding table etiquette from each country, too. For
example, in the Middle East, you eat only with your right hand, as your
left hand is reserved for sanitary purpose. In Ethiopia, it is
traditional to feed each other. In China, slurping noodles noisily is
totally acceptable, and burping at the end of the meal is considered a
compliment!
If you’re in those countries, then you should respect their table etiquette. If you’re not, do whatever you want. You want me to tell my kids then can eat a cheeseburger with either hand, but they can only use their right hand to eat a shawarma? To feed each other pasta beu siga but not spaghetti bolognese?
Especially when trying unfamiliar foods, urge kids to slowly chew and
verbally describe it, rather than writing it off right away as “gross.”
Ask them to explain what the food looks like, what it smells like, what
flavors pop out, and what they like or dislike.
Now this is great advice. “What different flavours can you taste? What ingredients do you think went into this?” It can really show them how different ingredients & flavours can work together (or not).
priest-of-maiden / 2021-11-23 04:12:40