What Can I Say When They Call Our Food Old-Fashioned In Public? 

Parenting Perspective 

When a child experiences the embarrassment of having their traditional food called ‘old-fashioned’ by others, this moment is not only a source of potential shame but also a critical opportunity to positively shape their self-identity. The key is to respond with genuine calm, never immediate correction. First, sincerely acknowledge the sting: ‘I know that must have hurt to hear. It can feel really uncomfortable when other people do not quite understand what is so special to us.’ By successfully validating their complex emotion, you quickly build essential trust. Then, gently help them reframe the situation: ‘”Old-fashioned” simply means it has a long, rich story—it means that our grandparents and great-grandparents also deeply loved it. That longevity is actually something many people sincerely wish they had.’ 

Building Resilience with Kind Replies 

Help your child to cultivate confident yet kind words for the next time they face such a comment. You can practise respectful responses together, such as: ‘It is just traditional—we keep making it because it constantly reminds us of home and family,’ or ‘It might look different, but I assure you it tastes truly amazing!’ Teaching them light, polite, and respectful replies builds necessary social resilience without confrontation. You can also connect it to meaningful storytelling: share exactly how certain signature dishes came into existence, or how they were historically acts of communal love, community building, or heartfelt celebration. 

Internalising Pride Through Affection 

At home, you must consistently celebrate these foods openly. Actively involve your child in cooking them, carefully plating them beautifully, and describing them proudly with affection. When family meals are consistently spoken of with genuine affection and laughter, children naturally internalise pride rather than defence. Your ultimate goal is not to convince everyone else of your culture’s worth, but to help your child stand tall and comfortable in who they are—to know deeply that something considered ‘old’ can carry lasting warmth, ancestral wisdom, and personal identity that fleeting time can never make irrelevant. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches that every provision, traditional or otherwise, is a divine blessing deserving of sincere gratitude. When a child learns through your guidance that every single bite that is made Halal and pure is inherently sacred, they begin to see their cultural meals as conscious acts of remembrance rather than sources of social embarrassment. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Nahl (16), Verse 114: 

‘So eat of what Allah has provided for you, lawful and good, and be grateful for the favour of Allah, if it is indeed Him that you worship…’ 

This verse strongly reminds us that all food, regardless of how simple or traditional, is a clear divine blessing. The real measure of its honour is genuine gratitude (shukr), never its modernity or trendiness. When a child learns through your guidance that every single bite that is made Halal and pure is inherently sacred, they begin to see their cultural meals as conscious acts of remembrance rather than sources of social embarrassment. Tell them clearly: ‘When we sincerely thank Allah Almighty for our traditional food, we are honouring Him—we are not honouring fleeting trends.’ 

The Sunnah confirms that gratitude for daily blessings is an elevated form of patient worship. 

It is recorded in Jami Tirmidhi, Hadith 2486, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:  

‘The one who eats and is grateful is like the status of the patient fasting person.’ 

This profound Hadith beautifully ties sincere gratitude directly to worship. It reminds your child that love and deep thankfulness for what Allah Almighty has consistently provided are essential acts of faith, not merely quaint habits of the past. You can explain this continuity: ‘Our traditional food instantly connects us to generations of people who thanked Allah before us—it is not outdated, it is continuous.’ When they view their heritage as a cherished part of spiritual continuity rather than a social comparison point, they stop apologising for it. Instead, they proudly carry it with quiet reverence—knowing that profound gratitude never truly goes out of fashion.