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Teach
tolerance with knife and fork
May 20, 04
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
A
meat, a starch, two vegetables and a salad. That’s how
we defined a balanced meal when I grew up in the Midwest in
the 1960s.
Within that framework, there wasn’t much variation.
We ate beef and chicken in various forms. Seafood? That was
fish sticks.
Corn, peas, mixed vegetables, green beans, potatoes, and iceberg
lettuce salads.
In those days, I even ate Jello.
Those were the standards. But not anymore.
Why? Because the diets of many of us have evolved to include
a far greater range of foods from other cultures. Many don’t
fit into old ideas about what makes a meal a meal. Many dishes
would have been exotic or unfamiliar years ago. Fajitas? Hummus?
Bruscetta? Miso soup? I wouldn’t have had a clue what
those were in 1968.
But that’s changed. We travel more widely now, so most
of us are exposed to new foods more often. We have greater
access to ethnic foods in supermarkets and restaurants, and
we have more TV shows and cookbooks showing us how to prepare
them.
And as our national demographics continue to change and racial
and ethnic diversity increases, so will our food choices.
That’s good for us all. Why? Because eating foods from
other cultures:
* Increases the variety of healthful food choices. In contrast
to the American meat and potatoes tradition, foods characteristic
of many other cultures are plant-based. Indian curried vegetables,
Chinese stir-fry, Italian pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans),
African peanut soup and Middle-Eastern fatoush – a wonderful
chopped salad – are rich in fiber and nutrients often
deficient in American-style meals.
* Teaches tolerance and appreciation. Kids – and people
of all ages – can learn about geography, world history,
and the art, music and folklore of other cultures by exploring
their foods. Greater familiarity can lessen fear and misunderstandings
about people outside – as well as within – our
own borders.
* Increases the pleasure of food. More choices, more flavors
and colors and aromas. These can increase the joy of cooking
and at the same time improve nutrition.
So where do you stand with your own diet?
If you’re still stuck in the rut of a meat-and-potatoes
habit, here are some ways to break with tradition and integrate
some new ones:
* If you have kids, serve unfamiliar ethnic foods often. In
our home, we often serve a new food alongside something familiar,
with little fanfare. Just set it out and let them try it if
they want to. Let them see you eating and enjoying it.
* Try ethnic foods at restaurants. It’s a good way to
find out what you like and can serve as a model for a dish
you’d like to try making at home. Ditto for prepared
foods from the supermarket. Natural foods stores often have
good prices on Indian and Asian frozen entrees.
* Start with foods you know you like. If you like baked beans
or pinto beans, try Indian dal (lentil soup), Cuban black
beans and rice, or hummus (garbanzo bean dip). Do you like
pasta? If so, then you might like Middle Eastern couscous
or pasta tossed with cooked greens, garlic and olive oil,
chopped walnuts or sundried tomatoes.
* Take a chance on a something new. You won’t like everything
you try, but you’ll find some new favorites. Spend extra
time in the produce aisle at the supermarket, and try fruits
and vegetables that are new to you. Kohlrabi, a root vegetable,
is familiar to many Europeans; plantains – like starchy
bananas – are sliced or mashed and cooked in the Caribbean.
Like speaking a foreign language, integrating cuisine from
cultures outside our own is a way to enrich your life, expand
your knowledge and understanding of the world, and maybe even
improve your health.
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