Make an Ethnic Meal with Your Child

Plan Ahead

Suggest a few countries to your child to choose from for the theme of the meal.
Find a cookbook that corresponds to the theme you have chosen. One with photographs will make it easier for your child to help with recipe selection.
Read about why the recipes are a tradition.
Help your child choose a simple menu that requires only one or two main dishes (generic side dishes can include plain vegetables, rice or salad).
Talk about how you might decorate the table.
Make a list of what you will need and go shopping together.

Making The Meal

Assemble everything you need.
Wash your hands together and explain why.
Measure out ingredients and explain why it is important to be accurate.
Explain the steps of the recipe to your child, and ask them to notice how the recipe is changing as you go.
Talk about how things feel, smell and look.
Let your child help serve the dinner.
At the table, talk about why or how these foods differ from foods they normally eat.
Talk about how things taste and what your child likes or doesn’t like about a particular dish.
Be sure your child participates in at least some of the clean-up.

Follow-Up Fun