Little diners at meal times can certainly test your patience, so strive to make mealtimes a fun and relaxing experience for your family. One way you can keep young children at the table is to engage them in conversation about the food they are eating. Introducing a few Spanish words is simple and can help keep your kids sitting still and practicing the healthy habit of mindful eating.
You can start with the names for different meals. In addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, afternoon snacks and mid-morning brunches are as common in Latin cultures as they are in North America.
You can also name favorite (or new!) foods as they come to table.
Introducing your kids to a few words of Spanish here and there during your daily routine can help expand their bilingual vocabularies with only a bit of effort. Test out your newfound skills at a restaurant or grocery that serves Latin foods…your kids might find a new favorite food or snack, or learn that people in different parts of the world eat many similar foods as well as unfamiliar ones. As they say in Spanish, “Vamos a comer!” (Let’s Eat!)
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