Learn Geography in the Kitchen!

In “Learn Geography in the Kitchen!” Episode, #140, Meredith Curtis introduces you to global cuisine that your children can cook, bake, and eat. Learning is more fun in the kitchen and that’s true of geography, too. You can travel from continent to continent learning about popular foods and places to visit. A springboard to a unit study or delight-directed rabbit trail is always a possibility!

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Show Notes

Your children can cook, bake, and eat their way across the world. Learning is more fun in the kitchen and that’s true of geography, too. You can travel from continent to continent learning about popular foods and places to visit.

Start by looking at a map of the continent and talking about some of the foods that are native to the region.

I also like to explore places that are beautiful and interesting. You can do all of this with Travel God’s World Cookbook: maps, flags, info about each continent, places to visit list, foods to try list, and recipes!

North America

Canada and the USA are huge countries that take up all the space in the third largest continent. Though Central America is considered part of North America, I’m going to talk about Central America separately.

Places to Visit

Niagara Falls
Rockies (in US and Canada)
Nortre-Dame Basilica
Grand Canyon
Pike’s Peak
Yellowstone National Park
Mount Rushmore
Kennedy Space Center

Foods to Try:

Maple Syrup
Tourtiere (beef and meat pie)
Poutine (fries covered in gravey and cheese curds)
Grits
Hamburgers
Fried Chicken
Apple Pie

Central America

Mexico, El Salvadore, Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, Honduras, Guatamala, and Nicaragua make up Central America.

Beautiful beaches, hot deserts, and majestic mountains make it a lovely place to explore.

Places to Visit:

Totihuacan (pyramids)
Guanajuato
Acapulco
Ruta de las Flores
Lake Ilopango (lake in a volcano crater)
Tazumal (Mayan ruins)
Snorkle off Caye Caulker Island
Rio Celeste Waterfall

Foods to Try:

Tamales
Tostados
Enchiladas
Pupasas
Yuca Frita
Tres Leches Cake

Caribbean

The Caribbean is filled with tropical islands like St. Lucia, Curacao, Bahamas, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Aruba, Barbados, Grenada, Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

Places to Visit:

The Beaches
Historic Churches
Gardens
Plantation Museums

Foods to Try:

Conch
Mango Chutney
Coconut Rice
Breadfruit
Plantains
Sugar cakes
Pina Colada

South America

Twelve nations make up South America and each has its own flavor and food.

Places to Visit:

Angels Falls
Igauzu Falls
Christ the Redeemer Statue overlooking Rio De Janeiro
Amazon Rainforest
Cathedrals
Monestaries
Colonial Towns
Cachu Picchu (Inca ruins)
Galapogos Islands
Atacama Desert

Food to Try:

Black Beans
Arroz con Pollo
Cuy (Guinea Pig)
Alpaca
Cheesy Potatoes
Flan
Coffee

Europe

The second-smallest continent is jam-packed with countries! There is a so much to see and taste.

Places to Visit:

Big Ben
Westminster Cathedral
Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame
Charles Bridge/Prague Castle
Venice
Assisi
Neuschwanstein Castle
Swiss Alps
Vatican
Cologne Cathedral
Alhambra

Foods to Try:

Fish and Chips
Paella
Coq au Vin
Ratatouille
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Rye Bread
Fondue
Schnitzel
Gelato

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Travel God’s World Cookbook from Powerline Productions

Africa

Exotic Africa is home to 54 countries! Wow! From deserts to savannahs to jungles, this continent has it all including majestic mountains.

Places to Visit:

Pyramids
Victoria Falls
Mouont Kilimanjara
Safari Animals at Maasai Mara National Reserve
Gorillas & Chimpanzees at Virunga National Park
Kalahari Desert
Zanzibar
Madagascar
Mauritius

Food to Try:

Akara Balls
Kushari
Chicken Tagine
Bobotie
Curried Cabbage
Red Lentils with Yams
Tahini Dip
Puff Puff
Honey Cakes

Asia

Asia is BIG! From the Hialayan Mountains to the tropical rainforests of Vietnam to the deserts of the Middle East, Asia is unique in its cultures and peoples.

Places to Visit:

Great Wall of China
Forbidden City
Mount Fuji
Taj Mahal
The Grand Palace Bangkok
Singapore
Dead Sea
Sea of Gallilee
Temple Mount in Jerusalem
Ephesus
Cappadocia

Foods to Try:

Hummus
Spicy Edamame
Chop Suey
Mongolian Beef
Boba Tea
Pineapple Cakes

Australia & Oceania

From the glaciers of New Zealand to the tropical rainforests of the Polynesia, Oceania is full of wonder and beauty. Australia is the smallest continent with New Zealand nearby. Oceania is made up of many tropical island nations.

Places to Visit:

Lake Wakatipu
Waitomo Caves
Sydney Opera House
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Bondi Beach
Outback
Kangeroo Island
Fiji
Sopoaga Waterfall, Samoa
Faarumai Waterfalls, Tahiti
Varirate National Park, Papua New Guinea

Foods to Try:

Kiwi Dip
Cheese & Bacon Roll
Dagwood Dog (similar to corn dogs)
Chicken Fafa
Emu
Crocodile
Kangeroo
Green Chicken Curry Pie
Kokoda (raw fish with citrus and coconut milk)
Mumu (leafy greens, root vegetables, meat, fruit, coconut milk cooked in a banana leaf-lined pit)
Palusami (taro leaves & onions in coconut milk)
Fairy Bread
Lamingtons