Global Eats: A Resource for Educators and Families
In partnership with the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship at the University of Houston, the Asia Society Texas Center Education and Outreach team is pleased to offer a new curriculum program for educators and community members, Global Eats!
Global Eats aims to educate students about global cultures and nutrition by incorporating knowledge about food science, healthy eating and cooking habits, and world cuisines. Created by Albert Schweitzer Fellows and in consultation with the Education and Outreach team at Asia Society, the goal of the program is to teach kids how to use affordable, simple ingredients from supermarkets to make delicious, healthy foods and to promote a healthier lifestyle to lower risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
This project will include asynchronous global immersion nutrition workshops to increase the cultural competence of students in Houston. Students will take a culinary tour around Asia, learning about a new country each month through videos, recipes, art projects, games, and group activities. Students will also learn about cultural connections to Houston, highlighting local restaurants, grocery stores, and community centers. Resources will also include an educator guide and additional resources through our At-Home Adventures through Asia series.
Check back each month for new updates and lessons!
May 2021: We're traveling to Pakistan!
The 5th most populous country, Pakistan is located in South Asia, resulting in heavy Indian, Iranian, Afghani, and Persian influences on Pakistani cuisine. Learn about typical Pakistani dishes served for various meals, plus street food culture, in this presentation.
April 2021: We're traveling to Cambodia!
Located in southeast Asia, Cambodia features many plains and rivers that contribute to the abundance of rice and fresh fish in Cambodian cuisine. In this presentation, we look at some of the staples of Cambodian agriculture and food.
November 2020: We're traveling to India!
Indian cuisine consists of a variety of regional and traditional foods native to the Indian subcontinent. Given the diversity in soil, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these cuisines vary substantially and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religion (in particular Hinduism), cultural choices, and traditions.
In this presentation, we take a look at three of the 29 states of India, from North to South, including Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala. Welcome to India!
About the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship
The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Houston-Galveston (ASFHG) is a 501c3 nonprofit that offers graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to design and implement a year-long mentored community project that addresses an unmet health need for an underserved population in our area. Students are paired with mentors, field experts and community sites to enhance and extend the services of existing community organizations who serve vulnerable population, with the goal of creating immediate and lasting impact in the Houston-Galveston area.
The fellowship uses a highly collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach to foster the skills and the development of tomorrow’s healthcare leaders. Fellows are selected via our partnerships with the University of Texas Health System, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Houston, Texas A&M and South Texas College of Law, and to date, have contributed over 50,000 service hours.
About the Albert Schweitzer Fellows
Anjali James is a senior at the University of Houston majoring in Biology and Liberal Studies. As a premed student with an interest in community health and patient advocacy, she takes a solution-based approach in navigating real-world problems, such as food insecurity. Having lived in the Middle East, India, and currently the U.S, Anjali strives to learn from various cultures and understand the different ways each corner of the world thrives in in a variety of social and cultural structures. She developed the Global Eats initiative as part of her Community Health Worker training program to address the nutrition-educational disparities in and around Houston, while infusing global perspectives as a means to connect and learn about ideas around the world.
Rael Memnon is a senior at the University of Houston and a co-project coordinator with Anjali James on Global Eats. Rael started this project because she had previously taken a course where she learned about food insecurities in Houston. Furthermore, she grew up in Haiti and personally went through food insecurity. Recognizing that Houston is filled with vibrant cultures and also has food deserts, she hopes to inspire healthy eating by adding a cultural twist so participants are not only improving cultural humility, but bridge the gaps that remain within knowledge regarding food science. She is excited to see how this project will impact the neighborhoods of Houston. In her free time, Rael enjoys learning about different cultures, reading public health papers and medical papers, and watching New Girl. Someday, her hopes and dreams are that she may become a gynecological surgeon that cares for patients through a community health approach.
Education and outreach programs at Asia Society Texas Center are made possible through generous funding from the George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation. Additional support provided by the Friends of Education & Outreach at Asia Society Texas Center.
About Asia Society at Home
We are dedicated to continuing our mission of building cross-cultural understanding and uplifting human connectivity. Using digital tools, we bring you content for all ages and conversations that matter, in order to spark curiosity about Asia and to foster empathy.
About Asia Society Texas Center
With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.
