Food for Today ©2010

Chapter 2: Diversity at the Table

Chapter Summary

Food is as diverse as the people who produce, prepare, and eat it. Cultures have their own distinct cuisines and food customs. These are influenced by geography, economics, foreign contacts, religious beliefs, and technology. Many cultures share similarities in their food preparation methods and in their beliefs about the social meanings of food. Today, people work hard to maintain their food customs. They also change their food customs and merge them with those of other cultures. In fusion cuisine, different food traditions are combined. The U.S. is an example of a place where many diverse food customs coexist and merge. The world of food is truly multicultural.