#TWKatHome Activities
December: Celebrating Food Traditions Around the World
Welcome to TWKatHome, our fun, free online content that helps kids and families explore food and build positive, healthy eating habits. Each month, we will provide activities and ideas for ways to engage children as they learn about food and where it comes from.
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Why a Pomegranate?
A food indigenous to Iran and consumed on the winter solstice, “pomegranate is believed to be a symbol of life and resilience, for it blossoms during the harshest climate of winter.”
Food Brings People Together
It has been said that food brings people together and this is very true. During the holiday season, food traditions become a way to bring people together also.
Hanukkah Food Stories
Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish celebration that is often called "the festival of lights." Families light a menorah each night with special prayers and foods to honor their faith and history.
Listed below are some of the most popular foods eaten during Hanukkah. Learn about each and try a new recipe.
- Latkes- Latkes are Yiddish for "pancake" and they are a common food eaten during Hanukkah. The potato pancakes are fried in oil and are significant to Hanukkah because of the history of lighting the menorah with oils.
- Matzo Ball Soup- Matzo is unleavened flatbread and used in many Jewish recipes. Matzo Ball soup is a hearty soup enjoyed on holidays.
- Sufganiyot- These fried jelly doughnuts are a special treat and are made to honor the miracle of one night of oil lasting for eight nights.
- Challah-Challah originated in Israel. It is an egg-based bread that is both flavorful and light.
Christmas Food Stories
Christmas is a religious and cultural celebration in Christianity. It is celebrated around the world in many different ways!
Listed below are some of the most popular foods eaten during Christmas. Learn about each and try a new recipe.
- Gingerbread Houses- Gingerbread houses started in the 1800s after the children's story of Hansel and Gretel. Today, it is a modern tradition to make a gingerbread house during the Christmas season. Try a spin on a gingerbread house with graham crackers.
- Buche de Noel- Buche de Noel is a traditional French cake that dates back to medieval times. The cake was made to resemble a Yule log because it represents the Yule log families would burn over the Christmas holiday to welcome good luck into the new year.
- Fruitcake- A fruitcake is a cake filled with dried fruits and nuts. They date back to Roman times and are symbols of the Christmas season because many people give them as gifts.
- Tamales- Tamale making can be traced back to the Aztecs over 5,000 years ago. Tamales are a symbol of love, friendship, and family and are prepared and shared on Christmas Eve.
Kwanzaa Food Stories
Kwanza is a celebration of community, food, family, and culture. It is a time set aside to honor African heritage. Kwanzaa in Swahili means first fruits of the harvest.
Listed below are some of the most popular foods eaten during Kwanzaa. Many Kwanzaa celebrations feature a variety of foods. Learn about some favorites and try a new recipe.
- First Fruits- Kwanzaa celebrates the first fruits of the harvest. Tables are decorated with a variety of fruits and vegetables in hopes for a bountiful harvest. Pears are often included and an ear of corn for each child!
- Black Eyed Peas- Black Eyed peas symbolize good luck for the new year.
- Candied Yams- A sweet soulful dish of Candied Yams is the perfect addition to a Kwanzaa meal.
- Collard Greens- Collard Greens symbolize good fortune for your family and friends.
- Jerk Chicken- Jerk chicken is dry rubbed with a hot spice mixture of jerk spices. It is a style of cooking that originated in Jamaica.
Winter Bird Feeder Activity
Download the printable activity here or follow the directions below to make DIY bird feeders perfect for these chilly months when food is scarce.
Instructions
Step 1: Gather your materials. If you have large nuts or seeds have an adult help you chop them into smaller bits. Place them on a plate or in a shallow bowl. You will also need a knife to help spread the peanut butter and scissor to cut your string.
Step 2: If your pinecone has a stem you can tie your string to that. If not, loop the string under the top few wings and tie a tight knot. Make sure to leave plenty of extra string on the ends so you can tie your treats to a tree later.
Step 3: Use your knife to dab and spread peanut butter all over your pinecone. Make sure to get inside those nooks!
Step 4: Once your pinecone is thoroughly covered, roll it in the plate of seeds so that they stick to all your peanut butter.
Step 5: Time to decide where to put your treats! Birds don't like to eat out in the open so try to pick a spot in your yard that is a little more protected. Hang the pinecones from the branches of a tree with the help of an adult. Don't have a yard or that many trees? Take a walk to a nearby park and hang your pinecones there. You can also try hanging them from your porch or balcony if you have one.
Conversation Starters:
- How many popular holiday foods can you think of? Which ones are your favorites?
- What holiday traditions are unique to your familiy? How do you celebrate?
- If you could travel to another country to enjoy a holiday tradition, where would you go and why do you want to go there?
- How can you help a family in need during the holiday season. Think about ways you could help bring them joy.
- What are your favorite holiday food memories?
Book Recommendations
Here are a few book suggestions for young learners.
- A World of Cookies for Santa by M. E. Furman takes readers on a tour of holiday cookies around the world.
- Hannukah Cookies with Sprinkles by David A. Adler is an inspiring Hanukkah story and teaches children that small acts of kindness have big impacts. Sara learns that sharing food with others can help spread happiness and cheer.
- The Great Holiday Cookie Swap by Melanie Kyer is a fun holiday read. Eight cookies from around the world come together for a place on a holiday plate. Each cookie represents a country and traditions.
- May Your Life be Deliciosa by Michael Genhart tells the story of a grandmother who shares the symbolism in each step of tamale making with her grandchildren, while also sharing a family recipe and cultural tradition as she bestows well wishes for their future.
Learn and Discover at Home!
Use our Holidays Around the World Inspiration Board to guide some at-home holiday fun and learning! Print it and you can display it and check things off as you go. Download it and discover ways to engage your taste buds and your mind by clicking on each picture or word. Once downloaded, each image is linked to a recipe or story and each word is linked to an activity or craft. Click here to download your copy!
Share your adventures with us!
Share what you learned or created from any of our activities on our social media! We’d also love to hear your ideas for what other content you’d like to see from TWKatHome. Share with us on Facebook (@TasteWiseKids) or Instagram (@tastewise_kids) and use the hashtags #TWKatHome and #myTWKsalad, or email info@tastewisekids.org.
