Question

Hi, this is Miss Wheeler over at Meals on Wheels. Here in New Town, we have a very diverse group of people for whom we provide meals every day. They represent 1) Jewish, 2) Muslim, 3) Ethiopian, 4)Chinese, 5)Native Americans, 6) Indian, and 7) Iranian cultural groups as well as our American and African American clients. We really need some help in figuring out how to plan meals for so many different cultural groups. Could you help us? Since we depend heavily on the food pantry for supplies that our volunteers prepare, we need to figure out how to use many of our common supplies but still meet the diverse needs. If we need to supplement that supply please let us know exactly what is important so we can ask for donations or for funds to purchase the items. If you could come up with ONE WEEK EVENING MEAL ONLY that meets the needs of our different cultural groups (may need to be multiple menus), it would be really great.

Answer 1

Food habits are one of the most complex aspects of human behavior, being determined by multiple motives and directed and controlled by multiple stimuli. Food acceptance is a complex reaction influenced by biochemical, physiological, psychological, social and educational factors. Metabolic conditions play an important role. Age, sex and mental state are factors of importance. People differ greatly in their sensory response to foods. The likes and dislikes of the individual with respect to food move in a framework of race, tradition, economic status and environmental conditions.For most people food is cultural, not nutritional. A plant or animal may be considered edible in one society and inedible in another. Probably one of the most important things to remember in connection with the cultural factors involved in food habits is that there are many combination of food which will give same nutritional resultsCulture consist of values, attitudes, habits and customs, acquired by learning which starts with the earliest experiences of childhood. Food habits are among the oldest and most deeply entrenched aspects of many cultures and cannot, therefore, be easily changed, or if forcibly changed, can produce a series of unexpected and unwelcome reactions. Food and food habits as a basic part of culture serve as a focus of emotional association, a channel of love, discrimination and disapproval and usually have symbolic references. The sharing of food symbolizes a high degree of social intimacy and acceptance.In many cultures food has a social or ceremonial role. Certain foods are highly prized; others are reserved for special holidays or religious feasts; still others are a mark of social position. There are cultural classifications of food such as ‘inedible’, ‘edible by animals’, ‘edible by human beings but not by one’s own kind of human being’, ‘edible by human being such as self’, ‘edible by self’. In different cultures, certain foods are considered ‘heavy’, some are ‘light’ some as ‘foods for strength’; some as ‘luxury’, etc.

The challenge to MEALS ON WHEELS  is to be culturally adaptable, to display cross-cultural communication skills, to remain aware of nonverbal cues that are culturally motives, and to move toward a trusting interpersonal relationship to people of different cultures.

First of all, Miss Wheeler you all are doing a fantastic job. Keep going like that. If you want you can launch any online portal of food sharing and food distributing . This will help more people to connect to you. You can go with a mobile kitchen that prepares hygienic food, which is packaged and can be bought for distribution at nominal prices.

While these are some of the efforts where cooked food is concerned, there is also a need to look at the wastage that happens from the shelves of the stores. Working on food grains and packaged food,Products that are taken off shelves in retail stores generally still have a shelf life of 30-45 days which is enough of time to be collected and distributed to those who can use them.Packaged food at warehouses especially, tends to be separated and discarded if they have just a month to go. A food bank acquires donated food products including grains and packaged food as well as funds for sponsored mid-day meals or snacks and makes it available to people who are hungry or lack nutritional food.What each of these organisations, private or governmental, offers citizens who want to make a difference, is the chance to be a part of it all – as volunteers, donors or even simply to spread the word on a great initiative. So, this way you can make a balance between the culture, economy and quality in one go.