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Food customs of the United States
began with the Native Americans
› They were great farmers
They cultivated fruits and vegetables
 Beans, corn, and squash were the basis
of their diets
 They hunted wild game, gathered nuts
and berries, and fished
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British and Spanish were the first
permanent colonists in the United States
 French were next and after that the
Dutch arrived
 The Native Americans taught the
colonists how to hunt, fish, and plant
crops
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Seafood and wild game supplemented
the food the New Englanders could
grow at home
 The waters provided lobsters, crabs,
clams, and other specialties
 The forests provided wild turkeys, geese,
ducks, and pheasants
 They made a lot of baked goods which
included Indian bread, Sally Lunn, and
johnnycakes
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To survive the long cold winters they
learned to dry and salt foods to preserve
them
 They commonly dried beans, corn, and
apples
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› Later they would soak them in water and
cook them until tender
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Native Americans taught them to soak
the dried beans overnight
New Jersey is a major center of fresh fruit
and vegetable production
 They ship apples, peaches, beans,
cranberries, tomatoes, onions,
asparagus, cucumbers, peas, and
melons to any part of the country
 This region was settled by Swedish,
German, Dutch, and British immigrants
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The Dutch were excellent bakers
› They baked cookies, doughnuts, molasses
cake, gingerbread figures
The introduced waffles, coleslaw,
cottage cheese, and griddle cakes
 Soup was a popular dish for the Dutch
 German foods included sauerbraten,
sauerkraut, liverwurst, and pork
 Noodles, dumplings , potato pancakes,
and other filling foods were served

Immigrants from France, England, Ireland,
Scotland, and Spain all settled in the South
 Sugarcane, rice, and peanuts were most
economically important food crops
 Farmers grew fruits and vegetables
 Waters and forests were important sources
of food

› They could catch fish, turtles, crabs, etc…
› Wild game was abundant

Corn is a main dish of the South
Soul food combines the food customs of
African slaves with the food customs of
Native Americans and European
sharecroppers
 Okra is a green, pod shaped vegetable
that was brought to the United States from
Africa
 Yams are sweet potatoes that have moist
orange flesh

› Slaves added them to stews, fried them as
fritters, and made them into a pudding called
“pone”
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Beef, pork, lamb, and poultry are produced
in large quantities in the Midwest
Farmers grew fruits and vegetables
Lakes and streams provided a variety of fish
Midwest cooking as a whole is hearty and
uncomplicated
Broiled steak, roast beef, baked and has
brown potatoes, and corn on the cob were
staples of the Midwest diet
Immigrants who settled here brought
their own kinds of food
 Fruit, hot cereal, cornmeal mush,
pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast, and
coffee was a filling breakfast
 Swedish meatballs, Greek moussaka,
German bratwurst, Polish sausage, and
Italian lasagna have become almost as
common as steak and potatoes

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Beef plays an important part in western
cooking
› They grill and barbeque
Lamb is also important because they
roasted and stewed it
 Foods were brought from Native
American and Hispanic immigrants

› This included corn, squash, beans, cattle,
sheep, saffron, olive oil, anise, and red and
green peppers

The Mexicans always cooked tamales,
tostadas, tacos, tortillas, beans, corn,
and sopapillas

They grow all kinds of fruit and
vegetables
› Avocados, papayas, pomegranates, dates,
Chinese cabbage, kale, and okra
› Oranges, grapefruit, lettuce, and tomatoes
are most common

They get fish, shellfish, lobsters, crabs,
shrimp from the ocean
Steaks, chops, and other standard fare
of the United States make up much of
the diet of the Pacific Northwest
 Tacos, tamales, enchiladas, guacamole,
chili, and refried beans came from
Mexico to the Pacific
 Sourdough is a dough containing active
yeast plants
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Most Hawaiians eat 3 meals a day
› Breakfast- fruit, cereal, eggs, coffee
› Lunch and dinner- poi, fish, and seaweed,
along with vegetables and desserts
They have sugar plantations because
the Chinese brought it
 The Chinese also brought rice, bean
sprouts, Chinese cabbage, soy beans,
snow peas, and bamboo shoots
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They developed the new dietary intakes
› The recommended levels of nutrient intake
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The variety of foods include
› Fruits, vegetables, and grain products
They harvest strawberries, smelts, apples,
and maple sugar
 British, Scottish, Irish, French, and German
settlers all had an effect on the
development of Canadian cuisine
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Pork is one of the most commonly eaten
meat in some parts of Canada
Poultry and chicken are a common main
dish
Meat, like, bear, caribou, and moose are
what they eat
Peas, leaf lettuce, radishes, tomatoes,
cucumbers, and corn are common
vegetables
A variety of flavorful cheeses are produced
throughout the country as well
Page 474
 Questions: 1,3,4,5,6,8,10
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