Nutrition and food culture

Nutrition and food culture:

Food culture is an important part of everyday life. Regular meal times and easy availability of food may increase well being and feeling of safety

Meal times and cooking facilities may be different from earlier, familiar routines that feel safe. Still, ingredients and ready meals from all over the world are more easily available, and this might help in maintaining traditional food culture.

It is important to make plans for regular meals that suit your own family

Traditions:

Food and food culture are cultures bound

Every nation and ethnic groups have their own traditional food and meals with ingredients that are easily available.

Traditional meals often vary according to the seasons.

There are lots of local customs related to cooking, meal times and eating. The customs are learned from early childhood on, in families, schools, celebrations and when visiting.

Traditional meals are important for maintaining the culture and traditions, and also for everyday life.

Food culture in the new country

Northern climate and four different seasons have affected Finnish food culture

Diet has been relatively heavy in Finland because most people used to work in agriculture which was physically heavy work.

Potato, bread, and milk are still the foundation of meals in many Finnish families. The bread is often traditional rye or wheat, oat and multigrain. Porridge is used a lot, especially for breakfast. Many people drink milk with the food, children usually drink milk with every meal.

Meat and fish are also common in Finnish diet, but consumption of vegetables is increasing. Many vegetables and fruits are imported from warmer countries in the south.

Climate affects the produce and availability of vegetables and fruits in Finland. in Summer and early autumn, there are lots of vegetables and berries available at the shops and marketplaces.

Berries are used a lot in Finland. Berries can be freely picked from the forests. Many people pick their own berries from the forests and freeze them for winter.

Meal times

Meal times are relatively early in Finland compared to many other countries. Lunch is often at around 11-12 at school days, sometimes even earlier. Traditional dinnertime has been around 17 when parents get back home from work. A small snack is often eaten before going to bed.

Families have their own meal times and they vary. Irregular work schedules and new, free, regulation for restaurants’ closing times have changed the meal times for many people. For healthy sleeping later dinner, at around 19, might be better than early dinner and late snack.

Regular meal times:

Regular meal times are important for health and wellbeing

Long times between meals cause blood sugar jumping up and down, which is not good for health. It may cause mood changes and sleep disturbances as well as increase the risk for many illnesses.

On the other hand, meals following too quickly and constant snacks increase the risk of obesity and dental problems.