Library and Academic Services: Nutrition and Lifestyle: Food &amp; Culture

Foods of the World

Food & Culture

Canada has a diverse population of many cultures, each with its own dietary customs. From the words of Anthony Bourdain:

"Food is everything we are. It's an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It's inseparable from those from the get-go."

image source: Pixabay.com

Library Resources

Eating Culture: An Anthropological Guide to Food, Second Edition by Crowther, Gillian
Location: ebook
Publication Date: 2018
From ingredients and recipes to meals and menus across time and space, this highly engaging overview illustrates the important roles that anthropology and anthropologists play in understanding food and its key place in the study of culture.
Encyclopedia of Food and Culture
Location: GT 2850 .E53 2003 (Located at EDC)
Publication Date: 2002
This new three-volume set presents 600 articles on food and its place in human culture and society, covering everything from agronomy to zucchini. Students, academics and general researchers will find entries on everything from food preparation, distribution and storage to holidays and festivals, nutrition and health, and cultures and cuisines.
Food and Culture Around the World by Helen C. Brittin
Location: TX 353 .B6985 2011 (Located at EDC)
This book provides specific information on the food and culture of each of the 195 countries in the world. Designed to be consistent and concise, it uses an outline format that details the cultural factors related to food ( such as geography, ethnic group, religions and education) and the food itself ( such as typical dishes, special occasion foods, meals and service and street food and snacks). Its goal is to help readers develop multicultural competence and cultural sensitivity so they are more equipped to provide adequate food service, nutrition education, and health care to an increasingly diverse population. ...

Journal of Ethnic Foods
The Journal of Ethnic Foods provides comprehensive coverage about people’s consumption of food and aims to illuminate the benefits of traditional understanding and knowledge of foods developed over a long time.

Databases

Global Road Warrior This link opens in a new window
Contains detailed profiles on 175 countries in an easy-to-use format. Includes information on culture, history, language, and more.
Find your country of interest and then look for a tab on the Country Profile page called "Food Culture."
There is a citation generator at the bottom of the page so you can properly cite your source.

Websites, Reports and Papers

Cultures, food traditions and healthy eating (Canada's Food Guide)
Cultures and food traditions can be a part of healthy eating. Choose healthy foods that reflect cultures and food traditions.
On this page:
* Benefits of including cultures and food traditions as a part of healthy eating
* How to include cultures and food traditions in healthy eating
Dietary Guidelines from Around the World
Links to various international Dietary Guideline sources.
Food Culture
This webpage gives a great introduction to what is food culture and why it's important to all of us. The author makes some great observations of the parallels across many cultures.
Part of a very well-developed blog - The World's Kitchen gives lots of interesting information on many countries' cuisine.
Global Foods for a Healthy Plate
Eating right is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. A healthy plate can include foods from all corners of the globe. In fact, the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans says, "Nutrient-dense culturally relevant foods and beverages are part of all of the food groups."
Here's what food guides around the world look like (CBC)
While waiting for the release of Canada's new guide, we checked out the nearly 100 around the world from a list compiled by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
International Food-based dietary guidelines (FAO) *INTERNATIONAL FOOD GUIDES*
FAO assists Member Countries to develop, revise and implement food-based dietary guidelines and food guides in line with current scientific evidence. FAO also carries out periodic reviews on progress made in the development and use of dietary guidelines, tracking changes in their overall focus and orientation. More than 100 countries worldwide have developed food-based dietary guidelines that are adapted to their nutrition situation, food availability, culinary cultures and eating habits. In addition countries publish food guides, often in the form of food pyramids and food plates, which are used for consumer education
Try Foods from Around the World for Breakfast (Eat Right)
A healthy morning meal doesn't just give kids the fuel they need to power through their busy day. It's also the perfect opportunity to sneak in foods they don't get enough of. While the typical American breakfast can be a great way for kids to eat more whole grains, fruit and low-fat dairy, breakfast foods inspired by cultures around the globe can help them work in vegetables and new flavors.
WorldChefs Magazine
The World Association of Chefs’ Societies, known as Worldchefs, is a dynamic global network of over 100 chef associations worldwide. A leading voice in the hospitality industry, Worldchefs carries 91 years of history since its founding at the Sorbonne by the venerable Auguste Escoffier. Representing a mobilized international membership of nearly 10 million culinary professionals, Worldchefs is committed to advancing the profession and leveraging the influence of the chef jacket for the betterment of the industry and humanity at large.

Video

Cooking Communities.The Cultural Importance of Food | Rocio del Aguilla | TEDxWichitaStateUniversity

Every time we gather around a table to eat we perform one of the most important social activities that we do as human beings. Eating is not only about nourishing our bodies, but our souls. Every bite is a bite of culture, of history, and knowledge that has passed from generations to us. For several reasons we have forgotten how important food is and all the symbolism that surrounds it.

About culture and food | Claudia Roden | TEDxHackney
An amazing journey in memory lane, showing how food and culture interact.
History through the eyes of the potato - Leo Bear-McGuinness
Baked or fried, boiled or roasted, as chips or fries; at some point in your life you’ve probably eaten a potato. But potatoes have played a much more significant role in our history than just that of the dietary staple we have come to know and love today. Leo Bear-McGuinness shares how without the potato, our modern civilization might not exist at all.
Lesson by Leo Bear-McGuinness, animation by Black Powder Design.

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