Comparing food between cultures has always intrigued me. For example, that most cultures have some type of portable meal wrapped in bread; Hungarian pierogies, burritos from Mexico, pork buns or egg rolls from China, wraps or sandwiches in the United States, empanadas, stromboli or calzone, the list is virtually endless. Even regional dishes such as New Orleans Po'Boy sandwiches or hot weiners from Rhode Island make the list. Below are some children's titles to spark your interest in exploring new foods with your young ones. Seek out recipes and pair a book with a new meal. Even picky eaters might be interested when they have seen the food in another context or played with it in a non-threatening dramatic play setting.
Some scenarios:
Dim-sum lunch
Read Yum Yum Dim Sum by Amy Wilson Sanger
or Dim Sum for Everyone by Grace Lin
Have fun using the Good Fortune Chinese Food Play Set by Small World Toys or make your own with wooden chopsticks and clay!
Try a simple recipe for one or two items or find them frozen at the market. Pork buns and dumplings are easy to find.
Tamale or Jalapeno bagel breakfast (with or without actual jalapenos!)
Read Jalapeno Bagels by Natasha Wing (for preschool or school-age kids) and then make some!
Read ¡Hola! Jalapeno by Amy Wilson Sanger and pair it up with the Hispanic play food set by Learning Resources which includes a tamale or make real ones!
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Fun books! We like Grace Lin books a lot here. And don't forget pasties (PAAAS-tees) from Montana. Kind of like pierogies, but a little bigger. Miners used to eat them as their mid-day meal!
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