Q- How did the idea Global Gastronauts begin?
A- I’ve always been passionate about healthy cooking & world travel and wanted to create a business of my own. When my son started eating solid foods, I wanted to make sure he was trying different flavors to develop a diverse palate and to avoid picky eating habits, which sometimes seems IMPOSSIBLE! As a stay at home mom, cooking global dishes became my creative outlet which turned into the idea of sharing it with other families.
Q- What is Global Gastronauts' mission?
A- Our mission is to offer families the tools to teach kids about different cultures and spark imagination in the kitchen. Learning about the world helps us understand, empathize and include others who look different than us, which holds great importance in our world today. We want to make cooking global foods easy and accessible for every family who perhaps don't live in the most diverse area.
Q; My family is so busy and we don't have time to cook from scratch, won't these dishes take up too much time?
A- I adapt recipes that I find to make them easy for everyday busy life. We provide carefully crafted (mostly organic) spice blends and make sure that the fresh ingredients can be found at a local supermarket We always offer different options in case you can't find something in your area. You'd be surprised of how many ingredients are already in your fridge and pantry!
Q-What if my kid is a picky eater and doesn't like trying new foods?
A- First of all, you're not alone! All kids go through stages of liking and disliking new foods and flavors. These stages aren’t permanent and new foods need to be continuously offered. Trying new foods can be difficult for everyone, but you can't give up. It can take 10 or more tries before a kid actually likes something!
Q- Why is cooking with children so important?
A- When kids cook, they take responsibility of what they create, therefore are more likely to try new dishes they make. Even if kids don't like the finished product, trying something new is a win in itself! Kids that cook get to put their math, science and communication skills to use too. Learning about both the world and how to cook promotes independence and confidence when it comes to trying something new.
Q- What’s inside a Global Gastronauts cooking box? How do you choose what countries to feature?
A- Each month, I feature a country that I either traveled to or want to learn more about. I specifically choose countries that aren’t your average international destination. For instance, Iran was the first featured country because my dad & my husband’s family are Iranian, so we eat a lot of Persian food!
Each box includes 2 simple recipes with spice packs for each dish, activities and stickers, an apron with a destination badge, fun facts about the country, cooking terms, and a new kitchen utensil.
Be sure to follow us @globalgastronauts on Instagram & Facebook to see what countries we’ve featured and what’s on deck. Check out our online shop www.globalgastronauts.com
