It has nothing to do with the noodles you use or something as simple as saying "Kids are starving so we don't use food as art".
It's not about the actual food.

It's about sensitivity and understanding in regards to how others feel and think about food. There are plenty of non-edible materials that we can use verses food items.

Using food items can lend to the idea that food is abundant and not really valuable. Imagine how young Timmy feels when he is instructed to glue noodles on his art project when he would love nothing more than to have something so filling as noodles tonight for dinner.

Unless you've had a truly hungry child/family in care it's hard to explain how they feel/act/behave in regards to food. Unless you've actually experienced what it's like to not have an adequate food supply it IS difficult to understand why using food is so insensitive.

Playing with food in general in my honest opinion is disrespectful and disregarding the fact that many cultures value food in many different ways is ignorant and shows that we are privileged enough to not have a full understanding of this topic.

It's not about the actual food.

Best practice means being respectful and not just according to the make up of your group at the time.

I don't think providers that use food are bad.
I just think that there is probably not a full understanding of the topic in general and that our culture lends to this just as other cultures lend to their beliefs.

There are so many other alternatives that are so readily available that it shouldn't even be a debatable topic at all.

Just my two cents....

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