Carmen Bredeson - Weird But True Food

IT'S WEIRD BUT IT'S TRUE!

Fried crickets?! Rose petal soup?! Seaweed in ice cream?! Can it really be true? Find out as you read and learn about some WEIRD and wonderful food!

Note to Parents and Teachers

The Weird But True Science series supports the National Science Education Standards for K4 science. The Words to Know section introduces subject-specific vocabulary words, including pronunciation and definitions. Early readers may need help with these new words.

"This easy-to-read science book series will help beginning readers discover the weird, but true, world around them."

"Kids will delight in all these 'weird' facts as they learn about the fascinating (and true!) world of science."

About the Author

Author Carmen Bredeson, a former high school English teacher, has a master's degree in instructional technology. She has written more than eighty books for young people.

bacteria [bak TEER ee uh]Very tiny living things that you can only see with a microscope. Bacteria can be found in all living things.

carrageenan [kar uh GEE nihn]A type of seaweed. When it is boiled, it makes a thick juice that is used in some foods.

digest [dy JEST]To change food into smaller parts that can be used by the body.

protein [PROH teen]Food such as meat, fish, beans, eggs, and milk.

Our bodies need food to grow and to be healthy. We all know that fruits and vegetables are good to eat. But what about crickets and seaweed? How would you like to eat them for lunch with a big glass of cow blood?

Lets read about some weirdbut truefood!

The food pyramid shows you what types of food to eat every day.

What is your favorite pizza topping? How about eel or squid? Both of these are common toppings in Japan. In Brazil, some pizzas are served with green peas and boiled eggs on top. YUM!

Pizza is a grain, vegetable, and protein. This pizza has small fish on it!

Its weird, but its true!

Have you ever seen a fruit as big as a soccer ball? A durian [DOOR ee uhn] fruit is huge! The inside is filled with a creamy custard. But there is one BIG problem. This fruit smells like dead fish or dirty toilets! Hold your nose while you eat it!

Durian is a fruit.

Its weird, but its true!

Cheese is made with milk. Bacteria are added. The bacteria start to eat and digest the milk. Then the bacteria let off gas, kind of like burps. The gas bubbles get trapped in the milk. The bubbles leave holes in the cheese.

Cheese is milk, protein, and fat.

Its weird, but its true!

Roses smell sweet. They taste sweet, too. But who eats roses? A lot of people! The petals are used in soups, salads, and ice cream. They add beautiful colors to food. Sniff. Sniff.

Rose petals are a vegetable.

Its weird, but its true!

Look at a carton of ice cream. Read the list of things that were used to make it. Is carrageenan on the list? It is a kind of SEAWEED! It makes a thick, jelly-like juice when boiled. The juice is added to ice cream and other foods to make them thicker.

This woman collects seaweed. It will be used to make carrageenan.

Its weird, but its true!

American Indians ate a lot of prickly pear cactus. The fruit is sweet and tasty. Other parts of the cactus can be made into flour. People today still eat prickly pear. Be sure to cut off the thorns first! Ouch.

Prickly pear flowers turn into fruit.

Its weird, but its true!

We eat baskets of french fries in the United States. In Vietnam, you can order a basket of fried crickets with dipping sauce. They come with the heads and legs attached! What a CRUNCHY treat!

Fried crickets are protein and fat.