Dishing Up Food and Culture

March 2012

Over the past 40 years, millions of farmers, dieticians, and community leaders have supported a revolutionary vision for food, one that better supports the health of our bodies, our communities and our ecosystems. In many parts of the country the progress is visible and truly remarkable. These successes, however, haven’t always translated well across racial and ethnic lines. The reasons are many and complex, but what is clearly underappreciated is the diversity of visions; not everyone seeks a food system of green salads and deli items from Whole Foods Market.

Just and healthy foods can be sautéed in a wok in the back of an Asian market, or wrapped in a tortilla at a street stand, or even fried with bacon grease in a grandmother’s kitchen. Just and healthy foods can emanate from one’s backyard and kitchen, or they can be purchased at locations as diverse as farmers markets and corporate cafeterias. Food is not just a vehicle for the delivery of nutrients and calories; it is a source of pleasure and family ties and community building. Food is mystifyingly intertwined with culture, family, faith and tradition.

It goes without saying that our Scandinavian brethren here in Minnesota can’t possibly be eating lutefisk because of the taste. Each fellow has provided their own perspective on the influence of culture on food. Culture has often been perceived as a barrier to better eating and best to be ignored. It’s more appropriate to consider culture – when respected and embraced – as a powerful driver for just and healthy foods. Below are brief stories of people doing just that. Enjoy!

Blueberries: An Intergenerational Gift By Cheryl Danley Posted October 31, 2011 Barbara Norman’s annual family farm day is a typical Michigan field day in almost every way except one—the majority of the farmers enjoying the day are African-American and Hispanic.	Diverse Grocery for a Diverse Food System By Nina Kahori Fallenbaum Posted October 31, 2011 In the San Francisco Bay Area where I grew up, Asian American produce and ethnic markets are sometimes the only purveyors of fresh, affordable food that remain in inner-city neighborhoods.	Revitalizing Northwest Coastal Indian Food Culture By Valerie Segrest Posted October 31, 2011 Through sharing rich stories, old-world and environmental knowledge, we have discovered new ways of approaching a modern balanced diet based on the principles of historic Northwest Coastal Indian food.	Culture clash over local food in Appalachia By Jane Black Posted October 31, 2011 In the heart of Appalachia, where there isn’t a critical mass of suppliers or customers for whom the term “locavore” rolls naturally off the tongue, Steven Hopp's Harvest Table restaurant remains something of a curiosity.
Class Wars and the Soda Tax By Raj Patel Posted October 31, 2011 With half of the sugar in US diets coming from sweetened beverages, advocates of a "soda-tax" look like they've got a strong case. But is this part of a culture war between the rich who can afford not to drink Coke, and the poor who can’t afford anything else?	Politics in my Pizza: Concientización for Kids By Kandace Vallejo Posted November 2, 2011 Kandace Vallejo's students are working-class immigrant kids who know that something isn’t right about the world—and are learning how to put their finger on exactly what it is.	To Market, To Market By Don Bustos Posted November 2, 2011 Are modern policies and practices driving out the most traditional farmers and ranchers?	What is Soul Food, and Does It Really Matter? By Kimberly Seals Allers Posted November 2, 2011 Is the typical African-American food culture a result of a poverty-driven, post-slavery survival—or built on nutrient-dense, homegrown food and a rich history of being “green?"
Unapologetically Black and Green By Malik Yakini Posted November 2, 2011 The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network was founded by members of Detroit's African-American Community interested in working together to promote greater access to healthy food, sound food policies, and community self-determination.	Oral History By Arnell Hinkle Posted November 2, 2011 At a multicultural potluck, how to choose a dish that honestly represents a cultural background?	Culture in the Grocery Aisles By Brahm Ahmadi Posted November 2, 2011 How could culture influence the goals and strategies of grocery stores? How could grocery stores influence culture?	Faith in Food Culture By Haile Johnston Posted November 2, 2011 In the way that faith formed many of our original cultural norms around food, there exists an opportunity for today’s communities of faith to lead us on a path to better physical health and wellbeing.
The African American food culture of Harris County, GA By Kelvin Graddick Posted November 2, 2011 A sense of pride in eating the fruits of our own labor and tradition is part of the reason why the Black food culture of Harris County has stood the test of time.	Field of Teens By Fred Bahnson Posted November 2, 2011 In North Carolina, a rural community garden grows into something unexpected: A cure for the unhealthy teenager.	“Please Pass the Amaranth!” – Getting Back to our Food Roots By Rebecca Wiggins-Reinhard Posted November 2, 2011 Rubi Orozco, Public Health Specialist at La Mujer Obrera combats obesity in her community by looking to the healthy practices of her ancestors.	Racism in Food Policy in New Orleans By Jenga Mwendo Posted November 2, 2011