The Importance Of Soul Food

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Once the enslaved individuals reached North America rations were often time used as powerful form of regulation and control on many plantations. By controlling food slave-owners, often referred to as masters, could regularly establish their grounds of authority over the enslaved. When doing so, they often saw this as their attempt of being “generous” toward their slaves. Frequently a primary point of debate, rations and slaves were typically considered as a good deed from the master to his slaves and was seen as a good quality of life African-Americans had under slavery (Poe, 1999). African-Americans cooks were forced by enslavement to adapt new ingredients into their diet. Frequently, the African-Americans would have to use unfamiliar ingredients to cook what was requested by the masters. Natural intuition about food gave the enslaved the ability to improvise with what was given and to prepare it the best way they could. It was said that they cook so well that they put their “soul” in the food, hence the name “soul food.” Cooking soul food is a quality only bestowed upon African-Americans by virtue of their painful experiences and journeys. Being that Africans came from diverse regions and communities, they were able to adapt their cultures to the influences, resources, and severe …show more content…

Fresh foods grown from the ground, lean meat and fish are not as promptly accessible at low cost. It is important to discuss the factors of this lifestyle within the African-American community. The presenter of such information might need to discuss methods for acquiring quality food despite monetary deficit, for example, developing little gardens in the community; shopping at roadside garden markets; shopping at supermarkets instead of convenient stores; developing financial budgeting organization and food co-ops; and participating in food bank programs (Belle,

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