Fantastic foods of the Football World Cup
As the world comes together for the Football World Cup this Winter, we wanted to take the opportunity to explore some of the things which make the nations competing out in Qatar so unique, and in this article, we chose to show some of their wonderful national recipes.
As we work our way around the world, we will explore a traditional recipe from one nation from each of the ‘groups’ of this year’s tournament.
Group A (Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands)
We start our culinary journey in the Netherlands with a look at the Stamppot, a Dutch take on the UK’s beloved Bangers and Mash!
Easy to make, and budget friendly, this hearty dish is equal parts flavoursome and filling. Although traditionally served with Dutch sausage, we opted to dish ours up with our Sunday roast.
Group B (England, Iran, USA, Wales)
As part of our commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of children across the UK, we decided to take a detour from the comfort foods of the Netherlands to the Cobb Salad of the USA.
Legend has it that Mr. Cobb, a restaurant owner in the 1930s, hadn’t eaten all day and struggling to find the ingredients for a known recipe in his kitchen, he ended up mixing together leftovers from the previous evening’s dinner.
To make our version of the Cobb Salad, we have reduced the varieties of ‘greens’ that are typically required and simplified the ingredients to make it child friendly! Get our Off The Cobb salad recipe below!
Group C (Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland)
From the street vendors of Krakow, Poland, comes the traditional dish, Zapiekanka.
Poland’s answer to pizza, it’s perfect for a mid-match snack or a post-game party! The zapiekanka is a toasted sliced baguette, topped with mushrooms, cheese and, quite often, ham too. Add a bit of tomato ketchup and you’re good to go!
Group D (France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia)
If it’s something a little sweeter that you fancy, but that’s not overly indulgent, why not try our Fairy Bread recipe, based on a traditional Australian party favourite
Well, we say recipe, but there’s really nothing to it. Butter some bread and sprinkle with 100’s and 1000’s and voila! A budget busting little treat for the whole family.
Group E (Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan)
What’s the first food you think of when you think of Japan? For us, it’s sushi!
We know sushi isn’t to all kids’ tastebuds, that’s why we’ve made a super easy, child friendly sushi bowl, filled with all the tastes and textures of sushi, but easier to eat!
It’s a hit the kids of Premier Education staff, so why not give it a go… You can follow along with us in our tutorial video shared on social channels and download the recipe card too.
Group F (Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia)
Another trip down the salad aisle with the Moroccan dish, Taktouka.
Typically served as a side dish, this tomato-based dish makes a great alternative to a salsa dip if you’re eating tortilla chips during a game!
If you’d rather have it hot, it’s great served on bread.
Group G (Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon)
Time for Zopf, a traditional Swiss bread typically eaten on Sunday mornings and formed in the shape of a plait or braid.
With minimal ingredients, this is a great recipe to make as a family and teach kids the fundamentals of bread making, a great life skill to know.
Group H (Portugal, Ghana, Uraguay, South Korea)
Finally, we stop in Ghana to explore the tastes of Jollof Rice. If you like Paella or Jambalaya, you’re sure to love this African alternative.
Traditional Jollof Rice recipes can require a lot of ingredients that many households may not have on hand or be able to easily find, so we have simplified a little to help you out. It’s still super delicious and wonderfully warming on a cold winter’s night.
We had so much fun exploring and recreating our own versions of these worldly culinary wonders. Let us know what you think and if you tried any for yourselves!
If you’ll be following along with the tournament this year, why not download our free tournament wall chart to keep track of all the action. We’ve also created an activity book to keep you busy on non-footie day which you can download from our freely available Stay Active resources.
