Decolonizing Snack Time

11/08/2023

Food is more than a commodity. It is also a community. What you eat literally becomes you. Every bite connects you to the world.
Ocean Robbins, Co-founder of the Food Revolution Network

"If you have ever had the experience of immediately knowing something you will never unknow, you will understand how we felt in that moment. How had we not seen this?" write Nicky Byres and Tianna Morris, as they describe what happened when a staff member asked, “Why is our snack menu so western and unreflective of the cultures the children represented?”

What unfolded for Byers, Morris and their twelve centers was a journey to redefine snack time as a time for sharing, stories and connection:

"What has delighted us with joy is the reaction of the children and the educators. When we added a broad category of bread to the snack rotation our educators stepped up to make bread that reflected their culture. We had bannock, naan, roti, flatbread, garlic bread. And each one came with a story, a rich story, of the educator’s history and culture, of their families and cooking with beloved parents and grandparents. The children delighted in familiar and new smells and tastes."

This article by Byers and Morris is available to the public on the Exchange Hub and is one of eight articles in our "Focus on Food" in the newest issue of Exchange magazine. Our Exchange Press staff will be celebrating the many facets of food in early childhood in Booth #1517 at NAEYC in Nashville next week. We'll be collecting recipes and stories, and sharing snacks!

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.