From this point of view the physician, the nurse, the social worker, and the dietitian must study people as well as dietetic technique. The contribution made by Miss Wood in this book is to the study of people in re- lation to diet: people, in those large groups which we call nations or races, aggregations of individuals who for historical reasons have acquired certain physical and psychological characteristics in common, and among them similar tastes and habits of diet In the melting pot of America these food habits too often conflict rather than fuse or evaporate. The changing of food habits among adults is not an easy process, as any reader will realize if he faces radical changes in the things he habitually eats and likes. To know the characteristic foods of the foreign-bom, the food flavors, food habits, of each of the chief races of immigrants found in this country, is an essential part of the knowledge which should be possessed by the physician, the public health nurse, the social worker, and the dietitian who deal with these newcomers in America. FOSEWOSD IX In the present book Miss Wood opens the door to this knowledge in an interestii^ as well as a practical way. Her initial study, undertaken in connection with the Americanization Study supported by the Carnegie Corporation, was included as a chapter in the writer's "Immigrant Health and the Community." We owe to the courtesy of Harper & Brothers, the publishers of that volume, the privilege of reprinting a considerable portion of that material in this book, amid the very considerable additions which Miss Wood's further in- vestigations have brought Michael M. Davis, Je. New York City, December 15, 1921. DIETARY BACKGROUNDS Most of our friends from other countries come to America in the very cheapest way, and are unaccustomed to travel; They leave home with many of their cooking utensils in a cloth bag and continue their housekeeping on shipboard in the steerage, feeding their children and themselves from stores brought from home. Almost their first thought on landing is of something to eat, and this fact places food in the first rank of importance in our plans for Americanization. Their first impression of America is often gained in a poorly-housed restaurant, whose proprietor is of their own nationality. From him they learn where to get some of their native foods, both raw and cooked. Usually they establish their homes in neighborhoods or colonies of their own nationality. Here there is no oppor- tunity to know about American foods, raw or in com- bination, or the kind and amount of foods needed in a day's dietary tmder the new living conditions. If they have come from countries in which the climate is very different from this, they make no change in diet; or if their occupation here is more strenuous or less taxing, they do not take this into consideration. They have always eaten certain kinds of foods, prepared in certain ways. Why change? There is no one to tell them; no one to tell them which of theirs to keep, and which of this country's to adopt, or how to prepare them. They are probably more willing on their arrival than they will be at any later time to accept American help and suggestions. 2 FOODS OF THE FOREIGN-BORN Their housing conditions are changed — their style of clothing must be changed; many of their social customs, as well as some of their religious ideals, must be given up ; the only habit and custom which can be preserved in its entirety is their diet. This is made possible because they find in America, as in no other country, all their native raw food materials.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

From this point of view the physician, the nurse, the social worker, and the dietitian must study people as well as dietetic technique. The contribution made by Miss Wood in this book is to the study of people in relation to diet: people, in those large groups which we call nations or races, aggregations of individuals who for historical reasons have acquired certain physical and psychological characteristics in common, and among them similar tastes and habits of diet In the melting pot of America these food habits too often conflict rather than fuse or evaporate. The changing of food habits among adults is not an easy process, as any reader will realize if he faces radical changes in the things he habitually eats and likes. To know the characteristic foods of the foreign-bom, the food flavors, food habits, of each of the chief races of immigrants found in this country, is an essential part of the knowledge which should be possessed by the physician, the public health nurse, the social worker, and the dietitian who deal with these newcomers in America. FOREWORD IX In the present book Miss Wood opens the door to this knowledge in an interesting as well as a practical way. Her initial study, undertaken in connection with the Americanization Study supported by the Carnegie Corporation, was included as a chapter in the writer's "Immigrant Health and the Community." We owe to the courtesy of Harper & Brothers, the publishers of that volume, the privilege of reprinting a considerable portion of that material in this book, amid the very considerable additions which Miss Wood's further investigations have brought Michael M. Davis, Je. New York City, December 15, 1921. DIETARY BACKGROUNDS Most of our friends from other countries come to America in the very cheapest way, and are unaccustomed to travel; They leave home with many of their cooking utensils in a cloth bag and continue their housekeeping on shipboard in the steerage, feeding their children and themselves from stores brought from home. Almost their first thought on landing is of something to eat, and this fact places food in the first rank of importance in our plans for Americanization. Their first impression of America is often gained in a poorly-housed restaurant, whose proprietor is of their own nationality. From him they learn where to get some of their native foods, both raw and cooked. Usually they establish their homes in neighborhoods or colonies of their own nationality. Here there is no opportunity to know about American foods, raw or in combination, or the kind and amount of foods needed in a day's dietary tmder the new living conditions. If they have come from countries in which the climate is very different from this, they make no change in diet; or if their occupation here is more strenuous or less taxing, they do not take this into consideration. They have always eaten certain kinds of foods, prepared in certain ways. Why change? There is no one to tell them; no one to tell them which of theirs to keep, and which of this country's to adopt, or how to prepare them. They are probably more willing on their arrival than they will be at any later time to accept American help and suggestions. Their housing conditions are changed — their style of clothing must be changed; many of their social customs, as well as some of their religious ideals, must be given up ; the only habit and custom which can be preserved in its entirety is their diet. This is made possible because they find in America, as in no other country, all their native raw food materials.

Foods of the foreign-born in relation to health