Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}

By Aleney & Raffles from Boy Eats World

A reflection on the significance of global food adventures for kids

When my five-year old son, Raffles, asked me, โ€œMama, do you know what my favourite thing in the world is?โ€ I naturally assumed that it would involve a guitar playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle with a spare Wii controller. But his amazing answer was, and I quote,ย โ€œTraveling to new places and seeing how other people live!โ€

While some people have questioned the usefulness of me โ€œdragging my poor kids around the worldโ€ I believe that exposing them to other places, faces and things is a gift that will reward them well into their futures. I see the world as my childrenโ€™s classroom and the people we meet on our travels, their teachers. And it would seem that my son, who has been โ€œdraggedโ€ to seventeen different countries, would agree.

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}

Raffles eating snails in New Caledonia

Having just started first grade his surprised teachers often comment on his inability to sit still but also on his imagination, worldliness, communication skills and his empathy. Our friends? Well, theyโ€™re more surprised by his unquenchable appetite and his fearlessness when it comes to food.

But to me itโ€™s no surprise. My son has been exposed to the best and worst of humanity. He has seen poverty, poor health and the aftereffects of natural and man-made disasters. He has witnessed bizarre rituals, been exposed to different belief structures and heard wild tales and fables that have captured his imagination. Heโ€™s shared simple meals with strangers and eaten in Michelin starred restaurants. And heโ€™s experienced incredible beauty, kindness and generosity. And he wants to see, taste and experience more. I wholeheartedly believe it is our travels that are at the root of the person he is becoming โ€ฆ including the inability to sit still bit. But, rather than me telling you what I think, Iโ€™m going to go ask the wee man himselfโ€ฆ

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}Raffles has learned to respect all peoples in our travels

What is your favourite thing about traveling?

Raffles: โ€œI love meeting new people and learning about the way they live, especially the food they eat. How they eat helps me understand people better.โ€

How does food help you understand people?

Raffles: โ€œWell, in some countries people donโ€™t eat much meat because they think itโ€™s not kind, which makes me think they must be nice. Some people eat weird things like bugs and animal guts and that makes me think they are brave. In some places people eat in big groups and share their food which makes me think they love their families. And in some places they eat runny cheese and raw fish and soupy dumplings, which makes me think they are really, really smart.โ€

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}

BBQ garlic snails on the beach in New Caledonia

Which countries have you liked the best?

โ€œI liked everywhere weโ€™ve been but especially Oman because itโ€™s beautiful and they had camels I could ride and also China, because they had awesome food and awesome buildings and awesome lights.โ€

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}Raffles in Muscat, Oman

Thatโ€™s a lot of awesome. What have been best your countries to eat in?

โ€œAll of them. I like to try new things, even if I donโ€™t always love the taste.โ€

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}Xiao Long Bao in Shanghai

Tell me about some of your best food adventures?

โ€œWell, my very, very favourite would have to be the Xiao Long Bao (pork soup dumplings) in Shanghai because they are my favourite thing ever and I can eat a million of them. Going to the fish markets in Bali and learning to make Nasi Goreng (Indonesian fried rice) was fun. Ummm, those giant barbecued snails we had on the beach in New Caledonia were awesome. And that truffle hunt we did with the dogโ€ฆ that was super fun. Oh, and eating pizza and ice-cream in Venice. Actually, eating ice-cream anywhere.โ€

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}

Cooking lessons in Bali

Whatโ€™s the most unusual thing youโ€™ve eaten?

โ€œThose Mexican crickets, mum. I didnโ€™t like them, but I still want to try to eat a tarantula one day.โ€

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}Raffles in Shanghai

Which people do you remember best?

โ€œThe people in Shanghai. They all wanted photos of me and my baby sister and they kept pinching our cheeks and hugging and kissing us. I remember those boys who swam and played with me at the beach in New Caledonia, and my friend at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra because he taught me that everyone should be treated the same – no matter what.โ€

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}Raffles and friends – Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Canberra

Where do you want to travel next?

โ€œJapan, Japan and Japan.โ€

Are you sure?

โ€œYeeeeessss! I really want to go, mummy. I want to meet real ninjas. And robots. And I want to eat all day long because I love Japanese food best of all.โ€

What is the most important thing youโ€™ve learned from traveling?

โ€œThat everyone and everywhere is awesome no matter what they look like, what they believe in, what they eat, how they speak or who they love. That, and that I can eat more than anyone in the world.โ€

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}

Raffles and friends – Isle of Pines, New Caledonia

BOYEATSWORLDย is all about sharing our experiences as we introduce our son and daughter to a world of customs, culture and cuisine (with a side order of family fun). Whether that be on an international adventure, a local break, or simply by stepping into another culture through food and community right here at home, weโ€™re venturing on a food safari for the pre-school set, to teach our kids one bite at a time, that it really is a small world, after all!

Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays on Multicultural Kid BlogsYou can also read other multicultural meal plans in this series and follow our Multicultural Cooking board on Pinterest.

Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}

Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop

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12 thoughts on “Small World, Big Belly! Global Food Adventures for Kids {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}”

  1. What a beautiful post and what a cool kid!! It sounds like an amazing (sorry Raffles I mean awesome) childhood!

  2. Louise Shergold-Baker

    What a wonderful article. Neat life Raffles – what cool parents you have. Give your Mum and Dad a big hug. They are incredible – just like you!

  3. Awesome post! So excited to read more about the Adventures of Boy Eats World. He and my daughter would make great travelling partners one day!

  4. PS — the link at the top to the Boy Eats World site is sadly broken. Please let me know when it’s fixed — would love to check out your site!

  5. Love it! For one so young travelling has given him a fantastic outlook of places and people around the world. His answers are inspiring!

  6. Pingback: Want the Best Education for Your Kids? Travel!

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