FOOD AND CULTURE REPORT
The population of the United States is becoming increasingly more heterogeneous, and each of these ethnic or racial minority groups has traditional food habits that may differ significantly from the so-called typical American majority diet. Food habits are best understood within the context of culture, and a cultural understanding will help to avoid ethnocentric assumptions.
The purpose of this report is to review the published literature and write about an ethnic minority group of your choice living in the United States. Your report should address, but is not limited, to the following:
1. Introduction
- Reason for choosing this ethnic minority group
- Approximate number of people belonging to this group living in the U.S.
2. Traditional food habits
- Core or staple foods
- Food preparation methods and seasonings
- Meal composition and cycle
- Foods associated with superstitions
- Foods used for therapeutic purposes
- Foods for traditional celebrations
- Dietary practices associated with religion
3. Adaptation of food habits in the United States
- How easy/difficult has it been for the ethnic minority group to acculturate in the US?
- Do you think the ethnic minority group has or will eventually assimilate with the US culture?
4. Food and health relationships
- Identify diseases which may be associated with the culture's food intake
- List 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of the diet the culture consumes and suggest acceptable alternatives.
Please use subtitles for organizing your report (minimum 1000 words; no points will be taken off if it is longer). You should have at least 6 references. Cite references in the text where appropriate (AMA or APA format) and provide a Reference List. It is expected that your paper is grammatically correct. The book on reserve in the library may be helpful in this project.