Yes, it's true - I may be an addict. I've actually grown up quite a bit from the girl who a few years ago didn't know that the lettuce on her plate was actually spinach. But I don't want to talk about me... Let's talk about my students. In the last few weeks, I've been teaching my youngest classes the phrases "j'ai faim" and j'ai soif." I mean, "I'm hungry" and "I'm thirsty", and by last few weeks, I only see these little guys once a week. I found some flash-cards for some main staples in food vocabulary (chocolate, fruits, vegetables, bread, eggs, milk... even fries) and so I've begun teaching them to say "I want fruit. I love vegetables." Once I exhausted the flash-cards I had access to, I still wanted to move forward with teaching them les fruits et les légumes.
I started off this week's lesson with the question "Qui aime les légumes?" Seriously, hands shot up and les gosses were so excited to tell me their favorite vegetables! This would never happen in America... You want to know what they said? No really, this would never happen in America...
Les épinards! Spinach
Les courgettes! Zucchini
Les choux bruxelles! Brussel sprouts
Les betteraves! Beets
Les choux rouges! Red cabbage
Les endives! Endives
Les poireaux! Leeks
Les pois chiches! Chickpeas
So I drew little pictures of each of these vegetables on the board and proceeded to teach the English translations. When I got to Brussel sprouts, spinach and beets, several students declared "c'est trop bon! j'adore les choux bruxelles/épinards/betteraves!!" This is no joke! Every class had the same list and not a single student said they didn't like vegetables. I explained to them that American kids and even many adults don't like Brussel sprouts or beets, they were literally shocked. I then told them that beets are one of my favorite vegetables and that I really like Brussel sprouts but hadn't tried them until I got to France. I'll be honest, I may be living in a country renowned for it's pastries and deliciously rich food but give me beets with goat cheese or cabbage and I'm much happier.
I only wish that I had eaten like these kids did when I was their age! At least I do now, well, minus the fries, nutella, and so much bread...
Bisous,
-kelse
J'ai faim. - I'm hungry.
J'ai soif. - I'm thirsty.
Les fruits et les légumes - fruits and vegetables
Qui aime les légumes? - Who likes vegetables?
Les gosses - the kids
C'est trop bon! - It's so good!
J'adore les ___! - I love ___!
The difference, I think, is the preparation. Brussels sprouts when mushy = GROSS. Brussels sprouts when prepared with good olive oil and spices = amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely right - and that goes for everything! Peas, broccoli, carrots... even the most basic veggies can be destroyed!
ReplyDeleteWell Kelsey, you grew up MUCH differently than i did, or my kids, for that matter. You'll have to compare notes with them. I think that American kids DO like vegetables & Fruit. . .but then i suppose it's a societal thing. I grew up eating LOTS of veges & fruits . . . maybe because they were so abundant in S CA or because we were vegetarians. It's a perspective thing, ultimately. :)
ReplyDeleteAh, I envy you! I wish I loved vegetables (I love how the kids say veg-a-tables... I don't even know how to write it). I do like them in my food, I love when they are prepared, but I am a horrible cook and so I don't really know how to do it myself (and I don't like them raw and I'm not a big salad fan). But yeah, I used to hate vegetables and even when I would eat healthily during my breaks at my retail job (back when I was dabbling in veganism), people were like, "Ewww... what are you eating?!!?!" So... I think it's fair to say a large amount of American kids (and adults) don't like veggies.
ReplyDeleteOr rather... think they don't like them.
ReplyDeleteLoved this post! The kids I know back in the states don't like veg either. I love that we live in a country now with so much accessible and well-grown fruit and veg. Trop fort!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks so much for all the definitions after each post, I mentally tuck away my new french words after each one!