Celebrate food this new year!
By Kelly Furr, NIU STEAM educator
It’s the beginning of a new year, which has many of us thinking of something we might want to change, most likely in the food we are eating. Instead of criticizing ourselves for what we are eating, take the opportunity to celebrate the new year with food. This year, try something new! Instead of focusing on breaking a (bad) habit, why not focus on making a positive new tradition? Do you have a neighbor or friend who has a different cultural background than you? Invite them to share a story about a traditional dish they might enjoy, and then get in the kitchen to make the recipe together!
In November, our Barb City STEAM Team celebrated different cultural foods by going on an international taste test. The team learned about various dishes from around the world as the teacher’s passion for food shined bright. We sampled Burek and Sataraš, which are Bosnian dishes we learned from graduate student Jasmina. Jollof rice was another amazing example from Funmi, another graduate student, who had the students frying chicken and making an amazing sauce. One of our own Barb City STEAM Team students, originally from Venezuela, taught the other students how to make Arepas and a delicious egg sandwich. Kerri, one of our NIU STEAM Educators, brought the tradition of Kolaczkis, a Polish cookie, that the students were eager to try. Ana, another graduate student, brought her traditions from Mexico to show students how simple Mexican dishes can be to make. We had fresh-made salsa, cheese enchiladas and tortilla soup!
The Barb City STEAM Team not only learned about different foods – they also tried dishes that were rich in vegetables and ingredients they normally wouldn’t choose. By getting in the kitchen and learning to make their own food, these students are learning invaluable life skills. Small steps in the kitchen help to build confidence right now, and may help the students maintain their health in the long term by introducing them to the building blocks of healthy and delicious food. I love that our students will walk away knowing some basic steps of cooking, how to experiment with ingredients, and why they should always try at least one bite.
If you are going to start the year with a resolution, why not add a new tradition instead of removing a habit you want to change? Take the challenge to try a new food you may not have sampled before, invite a friend or neighbor over and share recipes that are special to your family and culture, or just search for a recipe that you’ve never had before and get into the kitchen! Make your resolution this year to share your story through food with friends and neighbors and start a new tradition of savoring food instead of trying a fad diet that won’t last or work.
