Celebrate Latin American and Hispanic Heritage Month With These Tasty Recipes!
Latin American and Hispanic Heritage Month is officially recognized each year from September 15 to October 15, but anytime is a great time to learn about — and celebrate — the diverse cultures of Spanish-speaking nations around the world, including the U.S., Mexico, Spain, Caribbean islands, and Central and South American countries.
Try one of these recipes inspired by “Alma’s Way,” “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” “Let’s Go Luna,” and “Rosie’s Rules” to explore Puerto Rican and Mexican favorites. Then, check out events in your area or your local PBS Station for more ways to celebrate Latin American and Hispanic cultures.
Make party favorites from “Alma’s Way.”
Cook up Abuela Cecilia’s Mofongo: Mofongo is a delicious mash of fried plantains, chicharrones, olive oil, and plenty of garlic. In Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican communities around the world, mofongo is endlessly customizable — it’s served with broth or without, can be stuffed with chicken, beef, or seafood, or it can be enjoyed simply as it is! Mofongo comes together easily with few ingredients and gives your child an opportunity to play with flavor and make mofongo how they like it best.
Make Piragua to Share With a Friend: Piragua is a popular Puerto Rican treat that’s traditionally made with shaved ice and flavored syrup, similar to a snow cone. In Puerto Rican communities in New York City, like the Bronx where Alma lives, piragua is sold by vendors with custom pushcarts equipped with huge blocks of ice and a variety of syrups. Grab a blender to whip up your own piraguas with a simple, homemade fruit syrup!
Share a sweet treat from “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.”
What do you get when you blend frozen bananas? It could be Banana Swirl, or maybe Licuado de Plátano! Licuado de Plátano is a popular Mexican drink, typically enjoyed as a quick, on-the-go breakfast — like a smoothie, but with a thinner consistency. In “Daniel Visits a New Neighborhood,” Daniel Tiger realizes that Licuado de Plátano is not so different from his favorite treat, Banana Swirl. To make Licuado de Plátano with your child, simply combine frozen banana and enough milk to blend your drink into a liquid. Add a splash of vanilla extract and a dash of cinnamon over the top and you’ve got a tasty treat to share with a friend!
Build your own bowl of rice from “Let’s Go Luna.”
Make Three Kid-Friendly Rice Dishes: Rice and bean dishes are a nutritious staple across many Latin cultures. Combining rice and beans creates a complete protein, making the dish a powerful energy source! Mexican rice and beans are especially aromatic and flavorful, using spices like cumin and chili along with tomatoes and bell peppers. You and your child can create this satisfying meal-in-a-bowl in a jiffy!
In the spirit of Andy, Carmen, and Leo’s travels on “Let’s Go Luna,” create your own world tour of Latin American and Hispanic cuisine by exploring more recipes. Baked Chilean Empanadas, Dominican Mangú, and Nicaraguan Vigorón are favorites among the PBS KIDS team!
Feed the family with recipes from “Rosie’s Rules.”
Try Rosie's Tostada Recipe: Tostadas are a delicious assortment of popular Mexican ingredients over a crispy round tortilla, sort of like an open-faced taco! Endlessly customizable, tostadas are true crowd-pleasers, and, as Rosie and Iggy learn, they can be assembled in no time. To make your own tostadas, you’ll need round, flat tortillas that have been either toasted or fried. Refried beans make a great first layer, followed by crunchy lettuce and juicy diced tomatoes. Cotija cheese is traditionally used to add a nutty, salty flavor. Rosie loves adding green olives, but you and your child can add what you like best! Popular toppings include avocado, cilantro, red onion, or seasoned ground beef.
Make Crystal’s Frozen Mexican Hot Chocolate: Hot chocolate is the perfect compliment to a cold day, but there’s nothing like frozen hot chocolate — especially with a Mexican twist! Traditional Mexican hot chocolate adds spices like cinnamon and a bit of cayenne pepper, which actually cools you off on a hot day. (Eating spicy ingredients raises your internal body temperature, causing you to sweat. Your body cools off as sweat evaporates from the skin.) To make your frozen Mexican hot (as in spicy!) chocolate, prepare any hot chocolate mix according to the package, but stir in a dash of cinnamon and a smaller dash of cayenne spice. Once cool, blend your spicy chocolate mix with some ice, pour into glasses, and enjoy!
Preparing food with your child is a great way to connect with each other, and it also creates rich opportunities to explore different cultures — as well as your own! Making these recipes inspired by PBS KIDS shows is just one way to experience Latin American and Hispanic cultures at home. Explore more Latin American and Hispanic cultures by checking out a book or by playing a game!
Author: 
Have you ever wished that you could pause life long enough to figure out the answers to your problems? Well, 6-year-old Alma Rivera does that every day in Alma’s Way! Alma is a proud, confident Puerto Rican girl living a fast-paced life in the Bronx alongside her family, friends, and neighbors.