This time of year, many of us look forward to family traditions as we plan our holiday meals.  Beloved dishes, made with love from recipes handed down through generations, may fill our Thanksgiving table. While many of our modern traditional holiday foods may be laden with rich sauces or sugary ingredients, there is something valuable about exploring traditional foods, consumed by our ancestors.   

The origin of Thanksgiving is centered around the celebration of the settlers’ first harvest in the New World, which was successful due to the guidance of the indigenous people, who were familiar with the native plants, soils and seasons. This harvest provided life-sustaining foods. Most of our forefathers (and mothers) lived off the land, and enjoyed foods that were grown or raised nearby, and prepared in their own kitchens.  While current news stories debate the benefits of following one restrictive “diet” or another for health or weight-loss, current nutrition research is moving towards a food-based approach to healthy eating, in which many of the “best practices” seem to be rooted in tradition, such as the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterrranean Diet, including dietary practices of peoples living in the region surrounding the Mediterranean Seas, has been studied by scientists for more than 50 years and is currently ranked highly for its contributions to various aspects of health and disease prevention. Cultural eating patterns were established, during a time when people were less removed from the foods that consumed and relied more on their natural environment for sustenance. Most of our ancestors were more “food literate”, knowing about the origins of their food, how it was produced and its impact on their health and connection to the natural environment, than we are today.

Children involved in a home or school garden are more likely to eat the foods it produces. They contribute to growing it, they are familiar with it, and somehow more connected to it. Connecting people with food and where it comes from through the dietary practices of their ancestors, or Heritage diets, does the same thing. Oldways is a non-profit organization that created the Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid, as well as many other resources to help individuals understand their cultural heritage through food, including African, Asian and Latin American Heritage eating patterns. The Center for Disease Control commissioned the Native Diabetes Wellness Program (NDWP), to address health issues by helping indigenous peoples revisit food systems of their ancestors.

While these heritage diets differ in their geographic origin, they all have some things in common, including the emphasis on plant-based foods, herbs and spices for flavor, home prepared meals, and time together around the table. If you are interested in eating healthier and enjoying your meals more, look to heritage diet practices. Here are some simple practices to get started:

• Mediterranean Diet:  Vegetables and grains are important, with fish and dairy also playing a regular role on the plate. Healthy fats, such as olive oil, are the norm, and fruit dishes preplace rich desserts.
• African Heritage Diet: Rice and Beans are a staple as well as potato “mashes” combining cooked potatoes or yams with other vegetables and regional spices.
• Asian Heritage Diet: Vegetables take center stage w/meat more of a garnish. Hot soups are popular, and tea is a staple beverage.
• Latin American Heritage Diet: The 3 sisters, interdependent plants, corn, beans and squash are mainstays. Peppers and spices influence are big flavor influences. Fish and seafood are also important.  
• Native American Traditional Diet: Vegetables from native plants, including corn, squash, beans; lean protein sourced from local fish and game. 

Author: Jennifer Little, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Hancock County

Reviewer: Megan Taylor, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development, Union County