Trying, Sharing, Enjoying Different Foods

Sharing family foods with others helps your child…

• learn about your family’s customs and culture.
• feel proud of who he or she is. Every family has its own customs and culture, no matter how long they’ve lived in a place. Your family foods reflect your culture. Some may differ from foods that others eat and enjoy. Some foods are about the same. That’s true about people, too. We’re alike. We’re different. And we’re all special!

Trying foods of other families and other cultures helps your child…

• learn about and enjoy new foods.
• get the health benefits from different kinds of foods.
• see how people are alike and different.
• know and respect others.

Share Your Family Foods

Get involved in your child’s day care or learning center. Being a parent volunteer helps your child, the staff, and you. Pick one or more ways you can help.

• Share your family food customs and traditions. That helps staff and other adults understand your child better.

• Talk in Circle Time about your family foods – if you can. Bring ingredients, perhaps a fruit or vegetable. Show special cooking equipment, dishes, utensils, or table coverings, too.

• Encourage your child to tell others about a family food. A picture may help. That helps build self-esteem.

• Offer ideas for field trips. Go to places that grow or sell special foods.

• Learn to make foods from other families. Offer them at home.

• Cook with kids. Do a “show and tell” about the ingredients. Let children help with simple, safe tasks, perhaps pouring or stirring. Adults can help, too. Talk about the taste, color, aroma, and look of the food.

• Make a family food to share with other families at childcare center events. You may need to prepare it there.

• Offer a recipe for center meals or snacks. You might help staff prepare it. Eat with kids when it’s served.

• Help with a family cookbook. It can be filled with family recipes from all the children in the childcare center.

• Share more! Share other things from your family’s culture. Teach a dance or game. Play music. Read a book.

Nibbles for Health Nutrition Newsletter for Parents of Young Children, USDA, Food and Nutrition Service