Hilltown Families 
Learning Through the Lens of Summer Foods
PLACE-BASED LEARNING: Summer Foods
Depending on the time of year, we often find ourselves eating specific foods related to the seasons and our cultural heritage. Holidays, agriculture, and the cycles of nature all impact the foods we slice and serve. In the hotter months, fresh fruits, frozen treats, and outdoor BBQ’s are summer staples! Let these yummy treats and meal time highlights be a catalyst for learning about history, culinary arts, and even chemistry. From popsicles, fresh fruit, and BBQ, there’s a lot to learn through the lens of summer foods!
FOOD HISTORY: Popsicle
Guess how many popsicles are sold worldwide every year! You’re going to have to watch this TED-Ed video, “How the popsicle was invented,” to find out, but what we can tell you, it’s A LOT! In this video, not only will you learn how many popsicles are sold, but also how they were “discovered.” In this episode of TED-Ed, Jessica Oreck shares the “distracted origins of the popsicle.”
CULINARY ARTS: Fresh Fruits
In this Epicurious video, “How To Slice Every Fruit,” take a comprehensive look at slicing fruits. From apples to watermelon, prickly pear to dragonfruit, mango to gooseberry, featured here is nearly 40 different fruits and techniques for cutting. A fun way to get kids interested in “new-to-them” foods and improved cutting techniques for the budding chefs in the house, young or old!
CHEMISTRY: Barbecue
There is much to learn about chemistry and food science at the grill. It’s Okay to be Smart has a great video, “The Science of BBQ,” which goes deep on the chemistry behind barbecuing meat and the art of cook with wood fire. But meat isn’t the only thing you can cook on the grill; fresh veggies are another summertime favorite for barbecuing and an excellent way to get your kids interested in tasting and devouring vegetables. The secret, like with fruits featured above, is in the knowing of how to slice and prep your veggies. In this Everyday Food video, “The Best Technique for Grilling Vegetables,” learn some culinary tips, prep veggies from your home garden, co-op, or farmers’ marketing, and fire up that grill for a delicious vegetarian summer meal!
