Speaking of kids and foodism…
I’ve been meaning to comment on this story from the New York Times a couple of weeks back about a sort of young foodies’ summer camp. Are we imparting important knowledge about food and nutrition here? Or just teaching kids to be snobs?
sadly, i think it’s the latter. mostly because you’d have to be pretty privileged in the first place to be able to afford a camp like that.
Yep, I’m pretty sure that’s the case as well. Sigh.
Thanks, Yasmin!
– Joe
I don’t think it’s making an impact, really. At least, I was not very conscious of food as a kid when surrounded by other kids and other things to do. Food was sort of a necessary evil..it meant I had to stop playing and come inside. With adults. Yawn!
Thanks Susan!
– Joe
I don’t know much about this camp, but I know something about kids and food.
My kids are teen and pre-teen. Both have been going to good restaurants since they began eatin gsolid food. Both appreciate good food and we never hesitate when they pick expensive items because they really appreciate and enjoy them. It is not uncommon for my kids to be talking about a good food experience they had a year later.
On the other hand, I have a good friend who raises their kid similarly, but their kid only wants to order the most expensive item and make a fool of the waitstaff by complaining. For them, that is a sport. What’s worse… they don’t even enjoy the food… all they wanto to do is brag about where they ate, how much it cost, and how difficult a time they gave the staff.
How kids react to food seems very individual, and depends a lot upon both inherent personality and the influence of their parents.
We sent one of our kids to a foodie summer camp last yeat (he was 8 years old) and he came back with knowledge and experience, not snobbery. Don’t know about the other kids though.
Great email, Brian. First let me say that you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat wait staff. I remember my first few experiences eating at “sit down” restaurants without my parents, just with high school friends, you know, at pizza places and such. I remember how appalled and embarrassed I was at the way an acquaintance of mine treated the girl who waited on us. I remember thinking: what must his parents be like? I never bothered to find out.
But to your main point, I think you’ve nailed it. Every kid reacts differently to a situation. If they’re disposed to being bratty, then that’s how they’ll be. If they’re disposed to being inquisitive, then that’s how they’ll behave. Very well said, Brian, and very true. Thanks.
– Joe
I wonder where the line exists where education begets snobbery. In that camp experience, I see exposure and education and better food. The processed-chicken-nugget lovers will probably go home still loving chicken nuggets – only now, they’re aware of more than they were before.
That would be nice! But you pose a good question…where exactly is the line between appreciation and snobbery? I’ll be mulling that today.
Thanks Suzanne!
– Joe
The line between appreciation and snobbery: I think it is when the child is offered McNuggets for lunch and throws a hissy-fit, demanding confit duck instead… that’s snobbery. A child politely informing Mom/Dad that confit duck would be prefered but McNuggets would be OK if that is the best available option at the time is a sign of good-food appreciation. My kids still gobble down fast food burgers but immediately lapse into fond recall of those made by Kerry Simon, Hubert Keller, etc. 🙂
I don’t know, but camp always seemed like so much more to me than just the food. I love food now that I’m an adult, but should a child be that obsessed?
Yes, I wonder that as well. Is camp the sort of place for this sort of activity? To me it was wall about hiking, then having fellow boy scouts play dastardly tricks on me. Remind me to tell you the one about the butter in the sleeping bag.
– Joe