#TWKatHome Family Fridays
How to Make Food Part of Your Family's Story
Our favorite books often have food in them, without us even realizing! Food is a way people connect, build friendships and relax. This week, TasteWise Kids is exploring connections between food and storytelling.
We are very excited to partner with (cool) progeny throughout the month of July to offer Family Foodie Fridays!
(cool) progeny is the trusted source for Greater Baltimore area parents in the know – check out their weekly themed Summer Adventure Series (up next week: Island Adventures) and their Summer Passport for deals from local businesses, virtual experiences, and fun!
Check out our entire series of #TWKFamilyFridays tips here, where we hope to provide you with resources to both learn a little more about the world of food and its sources, and connect with one another in the process.
Reminiscing over my childhood while cracking open Maryland Blue Crabs reminded me of how our lives are filled with stories told and untold, and how food has been an intricate detail in most of mine. Interestingly, when I go home to Boston, I remember most of the landmarks of my childhood by the foods I had there. Whether it is the lobster roll and fresh lemonade at the pier or the Thai food my parents used to get after every dance show, food has a way of bringing up the good ‘ole days.
This week’s family tip provides some fun ways to make food a part of your family’s story!
Reminisce on Memories and Discover your Children's Favorite Foods and Stories so far over Family Dinner.
Our TasteWise Kids conversation starter sheet is a great way to connect food and family tradition around the dinner table. With questions like “If I could only eat one thing for an entire month, I’d eat…,” you are sure to get some interesting conversations going.
Take a Summer Pause to Read Great Summer Stories as a Family.
With the current COVID19 climate, most public libraries are currently offering curbside pickup for books. It is a great time to build an indoor pillow fort, plop down, and read with the kiddos. Some of our favorite stories that have a “food element” at TasteWise Kids are:
- Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
- Dragon Pizzeria by Mary Morgan
- If You Give Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
- How Did That Get in My Lunch Box?: The Story of Food by Chris Butterworth
- How to Feed Your Parents by Ryan Miller
- The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems
- Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks
Create New Memories and Stories During "Down" Times.
We always have a few minutes here and there when we need to fill some time – use that as an opportunity to create new memories and share stories. If you are waiting for something to start or are standing in line, do a quick story “volley”- Start your kid(s) with the first line of a story like, “Once upon a time, there was a fox and a bear who wanted to..” and have your child finish the sentence. Then have him/her start the next line of the story and you finish it and start the next sentence. See how long you can get the story to go.
Or make some home-made popsicles (check out all these popsicle recipes from Popsugar). While those are in the freezer grab some paper and art materials, guide your child in creating their own story and you can even write one with them. Use the books you read as a prompt to identify the components necessary to build a good story (younger children may need help with the writing). When the popsicles are frozen you can read your stories together over that delicious snack.
As always, tweak these ideas to work for you and your family. Have another great idea or suggestion? Share it with us! We’d love to give it a try, too!