06/19/2026
Teaching Our Children Not to Criticize Food
One of the beautiful manners of our beloved Prophet ﷺ was that he never criticized food.
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated:
“The Prophet ﷺ never criticized any food. If he liked it, he ate it, and if he disliked it, he left it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5409)
There is also a narration where the Prophet ﷺ was offered roasted lizard. Although he chose not to eat it, he did not criticize it or forbid others from eating it. (Sunan Abi Dawud 3795)
SubhanAllah, what a powerful lesson for us and our children.
In a world where it’s easy to say:
❌ “That’s disgusting.”
❌ “Eww, I don’t like that.”
❌ “How can people eat this?”
We can choose our words carefully.
Instead of criticizing, we can teach our children to say:
➡️ No thank you.
➡️ It’s not my favorite.
➡️ I’m not hungry right now.
Food is a blessing from Allah, and every culture has foods that reflect its history, traditions, and values. Teaching children to respect different foods helps nurture gratitude, good manners, and respect for others.
May Allah help us revive the beautiful etiquette of the Prophet ﷺ at our dining tables. Ameen.