Multicultural Influences
Effects of Immigration on Lifestyle and Food Habits
Since the early years of European settlement, Australia has developed as a diverse multicultural society. For example, in the 1840's many Germans settled in the Barossa Valley in South Australia, and established vineyards for wine making. The first Chinese arrived in 1848 and many more followed to work as farmhands on the waterfronts. By 1880, there were 100 000 Chinese in Australia. Mass immigration was introduced after the second world war, in an attempt to bring thousands of people to Australia very quickly, which was necessary for the expansion of the country.
Today, 23 percent of Australians were born in another country and just over 25 percent of the population have at least one parent who was born overseas. Over 20 percent of the current Australian population now come from non-English speaking background. All these people have brought their food habits to Australia, which has resulted in the expansion of the diet of all Australians.
Today, 23 percent of Australians were born in another country and just over 25 percent of the population have at least one parent who was born overseas. Over 20 percent of the current Australian population now come from non-English speaking background. All these people have brought their food habits to Australia, which has resulted in the expansion of the diet of all Australians.
Types of Food and Flavourings
As people migrated here, they brought their traditional food habits, preparation techniques and cooking methods with them. They then had to adapt these to the foods available within Australia. Many foods with different ingredients and flavours have been introduced to Australia. Cuisines borrow traditional ingredients from other cultures and incorporate them into dishes. For example, a chef may use some Thai ingredients, such as lemongrass, in a meal that is of Italian origin.
Food habits differ from person to person and culture to culture. Your present food habits have developed throughout your life and will possibly change as you find yourself in new and interesting environments. Our food habits usually develop around the cultural group to which we belong, the lifestyle choices that we make and the personal needs that we have at different times of our life.
Food habits are affected by:
Food habits differ from person to person and culture to culture. Your present food habits have developed throughout your life and will possibly change as you find yourself in new and interesting environments. Our food habits usually develop around the cultural group to which we belong, the lifestyle choices that we make and the personal needs that we have at different times of our life.
Food habits are affected by:
- religious taboos and requirements
- cultural customs
- knowledge and understanding of food and nutrition
- availability of food
- availability of cooking utensils and appliances
- food distribution methods
- social and peer pressure
- advertising
- travel
- climate and geography
- availability of technology
- food preparation techniques and cooking methods
Preparation Techniques and Cooking Methods
Migrants from every country have brought different styles of preparation, cooking and eating. Over time, other groups have integrated these styles into their patterns of meal preparation and consumption. Until the 1050's, most European Australians ate a traditional British-style diet, which rarely varied from from the following pattern.
Breakfast: porridge, bacon and eggs or grilled chops; toast and jam served with tea.
Lunch: a hot cooked meal of meat and vegetables; soup and bread if you were home from the farm. If you were at work or school you had sandwiches, fruit and home baked cake.
Dinner: Soup; meat (beef, mutton, lamb, rabbit, fish) with vegetables (potatoes, peas, cabbage, beans, carrots); sweets would usually consist of pudding and stewed fruit.
Now we are able to eat a variety of food products that can be prepared to suit our individual needs and lifestyles. We are able to purchase pre-prepared foods from all over the globe at local delicatessens and grocery stores or dine out at restaurants and cafes that prepare international cuisine. We can prepare our own meals using traditional methods with guidance from cookbooks, magazines and television lifestyle programs. Cooking classes are also available to cater for every nationality as people continue to travel and bring their food experiences with them.
Our diet has changed from traditional and rather uninteresting to one of the most varied in the world. We now readily combine ingredients and cooking styles from different cultures in one meal. This is known as fusion cooking. We owe this mix to the various cultural groups who now reside in Australia.
Breakfast: porridge, bacon and eggs or grilled chops; toast and jam served with tea.
Lunch: a hot cooked meal of meat and vegetables; soup and bread if you were home from the farm. If you were at work or school you had sandwiches, fruit and home baked cake.
Dinner: Soup; meat (beef, mutton, lamb, rabbit, fish) with vegetables (potatoes, peas, cabbage, beans, carrots); sweets would usually consist of pudding and stewed fruit.
Now we are able to eat a variety of food products that can be prepared to suit our individual needs and lifestyles. We are able to purchase pre-prepared foods from all over the globe at local delicatessens and grocery stores or dine out at restaurants and cafes that prepare international cuisine. We can prepare our own meals using traditional methods with guidance from cookbooks, magazines and television lifestyle programs. Cooking classes are also available to cater for every nationality as people continue to travel and bring their food experiences with them.
Our diet has changed from traditional and rather uninteresting to one of the most varied in the world. We now readily combine ingredients and cooking styles from different cultures in one meal. This is known as fusion cooking. We owe this mix to the various cultural groups who now reside in Australia.
Task
1. List the foods or dishes that you would regard as traditional Australian foods. Explain why.
2. Identify the popular foods that are available today because of migration. Where have these foods come from?
3. Outline how the different cultures in Australia have influenced the types of food we eat.
4. Outline the positive effects of multiculturalism on our Australian lifestyle and food habits.
5. Collect a variety of visual images and evaluate the way in which some of the dishes are advertised and presented.
6. Design your own multicultural recipe that could be published in a magazine.
2. Identify the popular foods that are available today because of migration. Where have these foods come from?
3. Outline how the different cultures in Australia have influenced the types of food we eat.
4. Outline the positive effects of multiculturalism on our Australian lifestyle and food habits.
5. Collect a variety of visual images and evaluate the way in which some of the dishes are advertised and presented.
6. Design your own multicultural recipe that could be published in a magazine.