Travel Via Taste: 4 Global Foods that Bring Culture to the Menu

Exploring the world through food is an interest that’s only grown over the years. But menuing international flavors isn’t only an opportunity for kids to try new tastes. It’s also a chance to bring inclusivity, diversity and global representation into the cafeteria.

Help your students discover global flavors and cultures with our spins on these international foods.

Did you know

School meals are often the first time a child will get to taste and learn about foods beyond their family's recipes or traditional cultural dishes.1

Argentina & South America

Empanadas

Empanadas are popular, hand-held food made of dough that can be filled with your choice of ingredients, then baked or fried.

Our simple, savory empanada is filled with JENNIE-O® Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey, onions, red pepper and black olives.

The Fare:

Argentines love their meat. Many restaurants have large, open grills, and home BBQ meals are frequent.

The People:

They’re proud of their talents, having produced five Nobel Laureates and countless athletes.

Fun Fact:

The landscape has everything – snowy mountains, long beaches, cold deserts and lush forests.

India

Curried Turkey Potato Bake

There are countless ways to define a curry, but it most commonly refers to a rich variety of spices – like turmeric, cumin and ginger – blended to form a powder or paste.

We were inspired to use a mixture of JENNIE-O® Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey, boiled potatoes, sweet green peas, diced tomatoes and a pre-made curry sauce to create this bake.

The Fare:

Common accompaniments include mango lassi (a thick yogurt-based drink) and baked flatbreads.

The People:

India is very diverse: over 1.3 billion people speak 1,652 dialects and study every major religion.

Fun Fact:

India is the birthplace of shampoo, originally using herbs and natural ingredients.

Did you know

Globally inspired flavors have been some of the fastest growing on kids' menus in recent years.1

Morocco & North Africa

Grilled Moroccan Turkey Meatballs

Moroccan food is known for being full of flavor and diversity, but at the base of most dishes you’ll find couscous – a traditional staple of Moroccan cuisine.

Try our take: JENNIE-O® Turkey Meatballs served over couscous with a lemon-yogurt sauce. No couscous? No problem. Rice is a simple substitute.

The Fare:

Many Moroccan dishes have a base of couscous, known as the national dish of Morocco.

The People:

It’s not uncommon to receive friendly offers of hospitality and mint tea from locals.

Fun Fact:

Outside of Hollywood, Morocco is one of the most popular places to film movies.

Did you know

From curry masala chicken wings to a Middle Eastern breakfast scramble, students are finding school lunch menus represent a world of flavors.1

Thailand & Southeast Asia

Turkey Pad Thai

Pad Thai is one of the most well-known street foods in Thailand, incorporating stir-fried rice noodles and your choice of protein, veggie and sauce.

For our Pad Thai, we combined JENNIE-O® Browned Turkey Breast Steak with rice noodles, bean sprouts, carrots and scallions, and finally topped with peanuts.

The Fare:

Thai culinary tradition uses all five tastes: salty, sour, sweet, spicy and bitter.

The People:

Because of the friendly and cheerful demeanor of its people, Thailand is known as The Land of Smiles.

Fun Fact:

The elephant is the national animal of Thailand.

Want even more? Try these recipes:

1 Chartwells, 2021

Enjoy your global discovery! And be sure to use these social images to promote your international food menu across Facebook and Instagram.

For any more inspiration on international flavors, reach out to your rep.

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