October 16th is National World Food Day! Do you ever incorporate foods from other countries into your meals? It is so important for our children to learn and know about other countries and cultures, and food is a great way to introduce that! We’ve picked 5 Easy International Recipes for Kids to help you get the conversation started. So to celebrate National World Food Day, join us and Amway (a Realistic Mama sponsor) to learn about food around the world, as well as ways we can address the epidemic of childhood malnutrition.
Plantain Chips (South & Central America)
If you’ve ever been to South or Central America, you’ve probably tried banana chips! They are crunchy and wonderful, and kids love them too! Try this great recipe, with options to fry or bake them (and all the ingredients should be easy to find in your local grocery store).
There are 11 countries in South & Central America that Amway and its partners have chosen to work with in addressing world hunger. These countries have been selected because they have high rates of malnutrition in children under 5 and Nutrilite™ Little Bits™ can help. More facts about childhood malnutrition in each of these countries can be found on their website -check out the really neat infographics that are very kid-friendly!
Easy Haitian Rice & Beans (Haiti)
Everyone needs an easy, go-to recipe for delicious rice and beans. It’s inexpensive to make, and simple enough for even the pickiest eater. Try this recipe from Haiti!
Your children may or may not be old enough to remember the terrible 2010 earthquake that devastated the small country of Haiti. This would be a great opportunity to combine learning about natural disasters and not only the science behind them, but also the impact they have on culture, economy, and health! One huge problem in the aftermath is providing proper food and water sources for the many children there – The Power of 5 campaign from Nutrilite is helping to address this in Haiti as well!
Caramel Chicken (Vietnam)
This is a simple, but tasty and simple chicken recipe you could easily use for dinner! I substitute the jalapenos for something with less heat for my kids, but you could do it either way.
Vietnam has a rich culture and history. While it has made significant economic gains over the past 10 years, and started to recover from the difficulties surrounding the Vietnam War, malnutrition is still a concern. For older children, this could be an opportunity to talk about war and it’s connection to cultural change.
Milk Tart (South Africa)
Similar to custard, this treat would be a great dessert to end almost any meal. Ingredients are simple too, and it would be easy to incorporate kiddos into the preparation!
Milk tart is a South Africa food that comes from the Dutch influence in the country. South Africa is one of the more well-off countries in Africa, but still has a lot of issues left over from apartheid. What a great opportunity to discuss issues of race, and how that impacts culture as well as things like malnutrition and who in a country is rich vs. who is poor.
Noodle Peanut Saute (Indonesia)
Noodles are always a quick and easy meal, and can make for a good snack too! Try this variation on a classic Indonesian recipe.
As we celebrate culture and National World Food Day, it’s important to remind our kids that many children around the world don’t have access to food like we do. Amway is using its Nutrilite Power of 5 Program to address this epidemic of childhood malnutrition and between now and December 2016 will be providing 5 million nutritious meals to children in need around the world! They do this using Nutrilite Little Bits – it’s an odorless, tasteless micronutrient supplement. They sprinkle it on food to add 15 essential nutrients for growth and right now, it gets distributed in 10 countries (with plans to expand to 20 countries by 2019)!
Download My Free Family Organizer
Ready to de-stress + spend more time with your kids?
Life gets busy. I hear you. I'm here to show you how to CREATE more time for what matters most. Get a free family organizer as a thank you for joining our newsletter – includes monthly calendars, chore charts, meal planners and more...
Leave a Reply