The Sandwich Swap
Teaching Diversity, Empathy, and Cultural Understanding
Bringing The Sandwich Swap into your classroom is an excellent way to introduce important conversations around diversity, empathy, and cultural understanding with young students. This picture book provides a natural, age-appropriate springboard for helping children see differences not as barriers but as opportunities to learn, connect, and celebrate what makes each of us unique.
In the story, Queen Rania Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio introduce us to two best friends, Lily and Salma. They do everything together—except share the same lunch. Lily enjoys peanut butter and jelly, while Salma prefers hummus in pita. Each girl secretly believes the other’s sandwich is strange, and eventually their unspoken judgments lead to hurt feelings and even a school-wide food fight. With courage, the girls finally decide to swap sandwiches, discovering new tastes and, more importantly, a renewed friendship rooted in understanding and acceptance.
As an instructional tool, this book opens the door to meaningful discussions about respecting differences, exploring cultural traditions, and practicing empathy. After reading, consider inviting students to share about favorite family foods, traditions, or experiences that make them unique. Activities such as food-themed writing, drawing, or even a “classroom cultural cookbook” can extend the learning, reinforcing lessons in kindness, open-mindedness, and the joy of celebrating diversity together (Al Abdullah & DiPucchio, 2010).