Porridge for breakfast is available in all Tunisian hotels. However, porridge in the Tunisian manner is not at all the dish that is commonly called porridge in East European countries. As a rule, hotels offer an analogue of rice porridge, in fact — rice with milk, and sorghum. The latter is the cereal of the region (local name «droo»), recommended for use by children from 8 months old, it is considered to be a safe gluten-free alternative to wheat and other cereals.
Sorghum is extremely healthy, but it has a specific taste, a little bitter. For older children, not infants, we recommend adding an amazing crumbly Tunisian halva to this porridge, which is usually served nearby in hotels, then the porridge will not only be healthy, but also delicious. And rice with milk will easily turn into the usual rice porridge if you add a piece of butter and use a blender (blenders are available in restaurants of all Novostar Hotels).
One of the most frequently asked questions is whether there is kefir in Tunisia? Yes, there is kefir in Tunisia, and kefir of different consistency – very tender in convenient plastic bottles of different volumes; ordinary, maximally corresponding to the taste to which we are all accustomed in East European countries; and also thicker, resembling curdled milk. Whatever you buy, everything is delicious.
Don’t forget to check the expiration date, and shake the bottle well before use. There is no special «children’s» kefir in Tunisia. Whether to offer a child an «adult» product or to bring from home the usual set of milk products for children – it’s always up to you. In Tunisia, all children — both local and Europeans, whose families temporarily or permanently reside in Tunisia — consume «adult» milk products from approximately eight months of age.
Also in Tunisia, there is no cottage cheese we are familiar with. Some enthusiasts prepare cottage cheese at home, the easiest and most popular way is from kefir.
At the same time, there is a wonderful alternative to cottage cheese – ricotta whey cheese. Ricotta is a traditional Italian dairy product that belongs to fresh, soft cheeses. It is a tasty product by itself, and at the same time it is wonderful with yogurt, fruits, dried fruits, jam or halva. In a word, it is an incredibly delicious, healthy and popular component of the Tunisian diet. Ricotta is a necessary ingredient of excellent casseroles and cheesecakes, but only fresh ricotta without any heat treatment is presented in hotels.
At least for the period of adaptation, we would recommend bringing a full set of meals for infants, for slightly older children – the usual snacks (cookies, juices, some of her/his favorite delicacies).
22.03.2023