“Multi-Cultural Foods in Childcare” 

 

By Keecha Harris, RD

 

Three decades ago, it would have been difficult to imagine the diversity now seen in restaurant and food choices: sushi bars in Atlanta, burritos in Anchorage, and Jamaican jerk chicken in Minneapolis.  Furthermore, it was somewhat unimaginable that people in the Southeast would frequent bagel shops or that their northeastern counterparts would enjoy hot bowls of grits for breakfast.

 

However, in a global community linked by the Internet, cellular phones, and convenient travel, it is easy to interact with a broader variety of people and learn about their culture and foods.  Childcare centers and programs are ideal settings for joining in this global exchange.  The foods you serve in your childcare programs not only help children with their physical growth, they also can help shape their opinions about the world.

 

What foods do you think of as multi-cultural?  Are they foods from cultures on other continents, like ntomo krako (Ghanian sweet potato fritters) or Pud Thai (a Thai rice noodle dish)?  Are they foods from different regions of the U.S. like smoked salmon (Northwest), collard greens and cornbread (Southeast), frybread (Southwest), or clam chowder (Northeast)?  Our background and life experiences shape many (if not most) of our food choices.  Your neighbor may eat stir-fried dishes daily yet marvel at your macaroni and cheese dish.

 

In a world where it is easy to interact with people from a broad variety of cultures, it is important that we equip children to be culturally astute.  The inclusion of multi-cultural food-related activities in your program is an extension of the socialization activities that you already have in place.  These activities help young children understand more about themselves and those around them and builds self-esteem and confidence.

 

Inviting parents to share recipes is one way to encourage understanding and to extend these activities to the home.  It is important to expose young children to a variety of foods that are delicious, nutritious, and safe.  Be careful when preparing foods with unfamiliar spices and herbs.  For example, allspice, which is used in Caribbean and Middle Eastern cooking, contains cinnamon, and sofrito, used in Puerto Rican cooking, contains onion, both of which may pose allergy risks.  It is important to purchase foods with standard food labels so that you can identify and potential allergens before serving items to children in your centers.

 

For childcare programs receiving reimbursement through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), most dishes can count as meal components as long as they meet standards of quality and quantity.  With all of the food that could be offered, which ones should you include?  When planning menus, it is important to first honor the food cultures that are represented in your program.  For example, because Daniel’s family has just moved to your town from Boston, he may enjoy eating a bagel for breakfast.  Also, invite Ammin’s mother to read a story about India when you serve basmati rice.  The bagel half and ¼ cup of basmati rice can count as reimbursable grains for the CACFP.  The children may really enjoy eating their sandwiches rolled in pita bread as Khadija’s family does at home.  If the sandwich contains at least ½ of a pita, 1 ½ ounces of meat, and ½ cup of vegetables, you would only need to add 6 ounces of milk and ¼ cup of fruit to complete the meal.  These meals should be integrated into the nutrition education curriculum.

 

The families in your program are your first and most important resource for multi-cultural ideas.  After exposing children to foods from the cultures represented in your programs, consider other cultures that the children are likely to encounter in the community.  If you community is represented by a few primary cultures or if you would like to explore other ways to “beef” up your multi-cultural curriculum, here are some ideas you might consider:

 

• Select a culture or country to explore each month and include foods from that culture.  During the month of May, you might choose to celebrate the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo.  This holiday marks the observance of the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla.  One dish you might consider as a part of the celebration is salsa.

 

• Have a tasting party during the month of December, when cultures observe sacred days such as the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, the Christian holiday of Christmas, and the African-American holiday Kwanzaa.  These holidays are each associated with special foods that are customarily eaten during these times, such as latkes (Jewish potato pancakes), fruitcake (an American Christmas tradition) or a bowl of fruit (traditionally on the Kwanzaa ceremonial table).

 

• Honor Mediterranean and Northern African culture by dipping pita bread or raw veggies in spinach dip.

 

Early childhood care and education settings are ideal for trying new foods from various cultures.  When planning multi-cultural menus, first consider the culture of the children in your centers, as they are your richest resources.  They should feel that their cultures are being recognized and honored.  Food is one medium that may connect many people-you eat many of the same foods but prepare them in different ways.  Bon appetit!

 

Healthy Child Care, October-November, 2001