#TWKatHome Activities
National Grilled Cheese Day Fun
Welcome to TWKatHome, our fun, free online content that helps kids and families explore food and build positive, healthy eating habits. We are continuing to focus on Food Happenings, connecting food to current events. In the coming months, we will be exploring how food can help create a better understanding of the events around us.
In this week of Food Happenings we are talking about all things cheese! We will learn the history of National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day and explore creative twists on grilled cheese. Learn how cheese is made and have some fun in the kitchen. Get ready to make some tasty memories in the kitchen!
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What is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day?
April 12this recognized each year as the day to celebrate grilled cheese. People all over the world love the sandwich because it is simple, tasty, and so versatile. Two pieces of bread and some melted cheese are the perfect blend and it has become one of the most popular comfort foods Food historians believe that grilled cheese sandwiches were even made in ancient times! Today, countries all over the world make their own versions. In American history, the first grilled cheese sandwich began to appear in the 1920s after the inventions of the bread slicer and processed cheeses. The first mention of a grilled cheese sandwich came from a Navy cookbook during World War II. A sandwich with so much history and loved by so many is one worthy of celebrating!
How is cheese made?
Cheese is a dairy and is made using milk. The milk for cheese can come from many different animals. The most popular animals for cheese making are cows, goats and sheep. Watch a video of how cheese is made here!
Are You Ready for an Activity?
This week we have two fun activities to help you celebrate cheese! Follow along below to learn more and have some silly fun in the kitchen.
Activity: Grilled Cheese Taste Test
Every bite we eat we use our sense of taste. When we taste things our tongues experience flavors that are salty, sweet, sour, and bitter. Have you ever thought of a grilled cheese sandwich being all of those things? It is now time for you to get creative in the kitchen. Can you invent the next best grilled cheese sandwich? What can you use as an ingredient that would be different?
Ideas for things to add: fruits, vegetables, a mix of cheeses, spices
Instructions:
- Gather your family together in the kitchen!
- Challenge each family member to make their own version of a grilled cheese. Think about what you can add to make your grilled cheese different.
- Have each person make their sandwich and cut their sandwich into pieces for everyone to try.
- Taste each sandwich and vote on a family favorite!
Activity: Become a culinary artist!
Culinary art is the art of preparing and cooking foods. A chef can also be called a culinary artist because they design food plates that are beautiful and look like works of art. You can be a culinary artist at home!
Download a printable version of this activity and use the directions below to get started on making your own grilled cheese piece of art.
Materials Needed:
- cookie cutters
- bread
- cheese
- butter or olive oil
Instructions:
- Organize your materials.
- Wash your hands.
- Spread butter or one spoon of olive oil on one side of each slice of bread.
- Place the bread slices buttered side down on a warmed skillet. (adults help needed)
- Place cheese on top of bread and then add the second slice of buttered bread.
- Lightlhy brown each side of the bread.
- Move your sandwich to a cutting board.
- Use the cookie cutters to make a piece of grilled cheese culinary art!
- Enjoy your tasty treat.
