Once Upon a Mealtime

Once Upon a Mealtime

Author: BBC Radio 4 November 22, 2024 Duration: 41:53
The Food Programme
ArtsFood

Whether it's Turkish Delight, chocolate cake or ginger beer - some of our earliest food memories are shaped by the books we read. In this episode Sheila Dillon goes down the rabbit-hole of children's fiction to discover why young readers find descriptions of food so compelling.

She hears from bestselling children's author Katherine Rundell who insists on eating the food she features in her books. Katherine reveals what it's like to sample a tarantula in the name of fiction. Professor of Children's Literature Michael Rosen unpicks the themes of greed, temptation and fear that surface in both his work and that of Roald Dahl. At the Bath Children's Literature Festival Supertato author Sue Hendra and the illustrator Rob Biddulph talk about how children are drawn to the everydayness of food.

The programme concludes in the Children's Bookshop in North London as the Food Programme presenters gather to discuss their favourite food books of the year for both younger and older readers. They are assisted by the bookshop owner Sanchita Basu de Sarkar and the author of The Chronicles of Wetherwhy Anna James.

Presented by Sheila Dillon Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Robin Markwell

This episode features extracts from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis read by Katherine Rundell, The Boy Next Door by Enid Blyton read by Miriam Margolyes (for BBC Radio 4 in 2008) and The Twits by Roald Dahl read by Kathy Burke (for Jackanory, BBC TV in 1995)


The Food Programme from BBC Radio 4 digs into the stories behind what we eat. This podcast moves beyond recipes and restaurant reviews to explore the entire ecosystem of our meals. Each episode is a reported journey, examining the cultural, historical, economic, and personal forces that shape food production and consumption. You might hear about the surprising science of flavor, the future of farming in a changing climate, or the revival of a nearly forgotten culinary tradition. The series connects the dots between the field, the supply chain, and the dinner plate, offering a deeper understanding of the choices we make as consumers and citizens. Listen for insightful interviews with growers, chefs, scientists, and policymakers, all framed by thoughtful narration. It’s for anyone curious about the true cost and value of their food, providing context and conversation that changes how you think about your next bite. Tune in for a consistently engaging exploration of one of life’s fundamental pleasures and its complex global impact.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Official website RSS
The Food Programme
Podcast Episodes
Feeding Britain: Can Our Best Food Producers Deliver? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:21
Sheila Dillon and this year’s head judge of the BBC Food and Farming Awards, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, hit the road to meet the finalists in the Best Food Producer category. From sourdough pioneers Aidan Monks and Cat…
The Food Innovators: 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:35
Dan Saladino meets people behind pioneering projects rethinking the future of chocolate, seafood and food forests. Which one will win this year's BBC Best Food Innovation Award?Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.
In Search of Mustard in Norwich [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:09
Five years ago, after 160 years in Norwich, the Colman's factory shut its doors for the last time. John Osborne is a writer, a poet and a performer - he's called Norwich home for 25 years. But last year, while writing a…
Wales's Secret Ingredient: Lessons from Cymru on the Future of Food [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:38
Sheila Dillon is joined by four guests who each have a deep connection with Welsh food and farming for a panel discussion recorded at the 2025 Abergavenny Food Festival. Beca Lyne-Pirkis is a food writer and broadcaster;…
The Rise of Matcha [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:54
As sales of matcha continue to boom, Leyla Kazim traces the story of the powdered green tea from centuries-old Japanese tradition to global health trend phenomenon. We look behind the social media videos and headlines to…
Follow the Food: The Rise of Food Tourism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:46
Sheila Dillon investigates the growing number of food tours and trails in the UK as consumers show more and more interest in the provenance of what is on their plate. She heads to Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire – a tow…
Manx Made [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:07
Jaega Wise heads to the Isle of Man to find out what’s driving a growing movement to produce more of the island’s own food, and why its approach might matter beyond its shores. She hears about the challenges facing produ…
Cooking From Landscape: Rethinking Scottish Food [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:33
Historian Polly Russell and chef Pam Brunton explore Scotland's landscapes to answer the question, 'what is modern Scottish food?'. On a road trip through landscapes, old and new, they encounter deer stalkers, robot milk…
Butter Is Back [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:51
Butter superfan Felicity Cloake asks whether the movement against ultra-processed foods is linked to a recent rise in popularity of her favourite kitchen staple. Her investigations take her to the rich grasslands of the…
The Crayfish Question [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:42
It’s been nearly 50 years since invasive American Signal Crayfish were introduced to the UK, and we still haven’t figured out how to get rid of them. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall joins Sheila Dillon to meet a man who beli…

«1234567...10»