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Part 1 The Importance of Food
Holidays
People of all cultures have special days set
aside each year for celebration. Cultural infl u-
ences on food choices may be most apparent
on these days. Holiday celebrations abound with
food traditions. Some holiday foods have special
symbolism. For instance, heart-shaped choco-
lates are given on Valentine’s Day as a symbol
of love. Other holiday foods have simply become
part of the customs connected with the celebra-
tion. As an example, many people eat corn on
the cob and hot dogs on Independence Day.
1-2 Foods typical of each region of the United States refl ect the traditional ingredients
and food customs of the people who settled there.
Region Infl uences on Regional Cuisine Typical Foods
New England English Baked beans, clam chowder,
succotash
Mid-Atlantic Dutch, English, Germans, Italians, Swedes Cheesecake, coleslaw, scrapple
South African slaves, English, French, Irish,
Native Americans, Scots, Spaniards
Andouille, chitterlings,
jambalaya
Midwest French, Germans, Greeks, Irish, Italians,
Poles, Scandinavians, Spaniards
Apple pie, Cornish pasties,
paczki
West and
Southwest
Cowboys, Mexicans, Native Americans,
Spaniards
Barbecued beef short ribs,
sopapillas, tamales
Pacifi c Coast Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Mexicans,
Polynesians
Caribou sausage, salmon
steaks, sourdough bread
Hawaiian
Islands
Chinese, Europeans, Japanese,
Polynesians
Coconut, macadamia nuts, poi
Fasting to Cleanse
the Body
Some people believe
fasting should be used
as a health practice to
periodically cleanse the
body from the inside out.
Health and nutrition experts do not advise depriving your body
of nutrients, which is what fasting does. Your liver and digestive
system work to remove waste material from your body. Your body
does not require any other form of internal cleansing.
H
Health and Wellness Health and Wellness