Food and Eating in the Culture of Immigrants

American food reflects the diversity of its population, and is continually evolving as its demographics change, too. Globalization has also allowed American eaters to acquire specialty items from around the world, from fresh produce to prepared and packaged goods, enabling immigrants to continue eating the foods from their native or ancestral lands. Many American families come from a Mediterranean background, and it is relatively easy to locate Mediterranean foods and consume products like olive oil. The health benefits of olive oil have also made the product popular among the general public. Furthermore, foods that originated in the Mediterranean like pizza have become part of the American diet.
Food is an important emblem of culture and ethnicity, which is one of the reasons why immigrants perpetuate their food and eating customs. Moreover, food brings together family and friends within immigrant communities and thereby strengthens social ties. Superstitions and religious beliefs may create specific dietary prohibitions or food-related taboos, which distinguish one culture from another. Personal preferences like taste may affect the choices one makes, but often taste is influenced by parental or cultural influences.
Immigrant health can therefore be related to culture of origin, as the dietary and lifestyle choices peculiar to each region or society has impacts on health. Economic factors can be indirectly related to one’s culture of origin, affecting food choices and health, too. Immigration can have either a positive or a negative impact on health. For example, newly arrived immigrants that had been practicing some unhealthy eating habits such as cooking with refined oils or eating a lot of processed foods might move to a community with a large contingency of vegans and people who favor a diet consisting of whole and organic foods. The norms of the new culture would then change how the new generation of immigrants eats, as they fuse their parents’ eating habits with those of the United States. Culture impacts not just what people eat, but how: some cultures preferring larger family meals, versus several smaller meals consumed at leisure. Family and upbringing have a tremendous impact on eating and dietary habits.
Finally, culture is not the only determinant of what one eats. Even though ethnicity, religion, and culture can be influential factors, as Dindval & Dindval (2003) point out, there are a range of other intervening variables like occupation, age, presence of allergies, health status, and ethics or values. Marketing also has a strong bearing on food choices (“The Determinants of Food Choice,” n.d.).  If a person is a recent immigrant, there are several challenges that may be encountered when bringing food habits to the United States. For one, the food from the culture of origin may not be available in the United States. Unless the person moves to New York City, Los Angeles, or other major international hubs, finding exotic food items can be difficult, if not impossible. Even in big cities, finding highly specialized or perishable goods may prove impossible. This would change the family’s dietary choices overall, preventing them from being able to cook their favorite meals or the meals served at holidays and festivals.
Another challenge immigrants may face is stigma or ridicule. Although less common than it would have been several generations ago, looking down on different food and eating styles may still occur in some parts of the United States. Norms are changing, though, as many Americans are becoming more open minded and interested in eating different types of food. Finally, financial strain can challenge immigrants to find the foods they want. Even if something they want is available, they might not be able to afford it. Unfortunately in the United States, the unhealthiest food options like fast food and processed food are often the cheapest, driving many immigrant communities towards unhealthy eating habits and leading to health problems like diabetes and obesity (“The Determinants of Food Choice,” n.d.).







References

“The Determinants of Food Choice.” http://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/the-determinants-of-food-choice
Dindyal, S. & Dindyal, S. (2003). How Personal Factors, Including Culture And Ethnicity, Affect The Choices And Selection Of Food We Make. The Internet Journal of Third World Medicine 1(2): http://ispub.com/IJTWM/1/2/11779