Familial Tradition and Food Sustainability REPLACE THIS BOX WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION’S HIGH RESOLUTION LOGO Joseph De Donato, University of South Florida, USF Research that Matters Sustainable Food Conference: People, Policy, and Practice. OBJECTIVE ABSTRACT DISCUSSION/ CONCLUSION “From an ethical standpoint, I prefer to buy organic everything…I really try to avoid packaged and processed foods.”-S. This poster presentation serves to explore the ways modern families handle traditional familial practices through food by evaluating a variety of factors including shopping behaviors, cooking styles, and individual member participation. Through qualitative interviews my poster will examine three types of categories regarding family traditions and their relationship to food practices. Bearing upon the topic of sustainability, this research explores the notion that in order for traditional family eating to become more sustainable, families must carefully evaluate not only their ongoing food practices, but to also explore new food suggestions with considerations involving the environment, equitability, culture, and health. This research aims to explore how families as social factors can interact in sustainable food practices by incorporating: How families attempt to uphold nostalgic memories of family foods and their involvement within traditional practices which may no longer be a viable option. How families manage to keep their food traditions alive within their current, expanding families. How families may invent new food traditions through various social interactions and popular culture (e.g., cookbooks, the Food Network, etc.). When it came to exploring food practices, each family had varying factors in which they participated in the concepts of sustainability. Several common themes among the families included seeking out organic products, familial negotiations, and the avoidance of a variety of processed foods. The most prevalent however, was the increased awareness and attempt to participate in obtaining various organic foods. At some point each interviewee mentions either visiting retail locations that specifically cater to organic foods, or that their shopping locations were influenced by the availability of organic produce, etc. Although individual reasoning upon why each family pursued organic groceries varies, (i.e. health, nutritional quality, avoidance of hormones, pesticides, packaging, etc.) the emphasis on involving organic options into the meals of each family was at one point stressed. Similarly, each family touch on factors which further influence their habits including a variety of negotiations within the family. Previous culture/traditions found themselves as a side factor toward sustainable food practices in Rachel’s religious restraints, Sarah’s nutrition conscious parents, whereas new tradition surfaced from Charlie’s exploration in the kitchen. Although the provided data relied less on individuals directly participating in a practice of sustainability, the impact and carry over from their tradition within family may continue to produce a conscious effort further down the line to impact individual sustainability practices similar to Rachel’s gardening. By examining the theme of avoiding processed foods as a sustainable food practice, an individual can uncover and engage in reducing the amount of waste, packaging, pesticide exposure, and animal supply farming. This involvement, although not as hands on as individual gardening/live stock raising, will continue to make an impact in the way food is developed as a sustainable practice. RESULTS The following Results section will briefly outline three interviews and highlight instances where food sustainability practices were mentioned, as well as their relationship to familial traditions/culture: Sarah, a wife and mother of four primarily describes organic eating to be the focus on the way meals are structured for the family. Conscious decisions to purchase fresh, organic fruits and vegetables within their desired seasons, the amount of packaging involved in processed products, and exploration into the types of additives included in processed foods help fuel how her family make an effort toward sustainable practices. Branching from and maintaining the personal experiences of her own family, shopping and meal preparation are evaluated through nutritional values which are reproduced through the conscious habits of her own children. Charlie, husband and father of two describes how his interest in food began with childhood cooking shows and interacting with his mother. With food conscious children, specifically a teenaged vegetarian, Charlie is motivated to experiment with meals and finds inspiration not through passed down traditions or culture, but rather cooking classes, cook books, and internet recipes. Shopping at chain grocery stores with regional specialties, the meals of the family are determined through organic associations or less-processed means. Rachel, wife and mother of two outlines how her family engages in sustainable food through methods including the gardening of a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as the raising of small live stock, i.e. chickens. With what they can’t grow being purchased as organic, Rachel aims to incorporate her family’s religious culture as well as expand upon health conscious choices. “I shop the edges of the grocery”- C. METHODS AND MATERIALS By sampling from the diverse population from the City of Tampa and the surrounding area of Temple Terrace, this research was able to gather data from a variety of ethnic backgrounds in order to explore the weight of culture and tradition on the ways families handle and approach sustainable food practices. Utilizing qualitative, semi-structured interviews, participants for this research were recruited from a multipurpose recreation facility. Eligible Participants must have identified themselves as the primary decision maker of food in their household, as well as having a child between the ages of eight and fifteen. Following numerous interviews, my sample examines several individuals who spoke of their involvement and/or understanding of food sustainability within their family. REFERENCES Cook, Daniel Thomas. 2009. “Semantic Provisioning of Children’s Food: Commerce, Care, and Material Practice.” Childhood 16(3): 317-334 Johnston, Josee; Szabo, Michelle; Rodney Alexandra. 2011. “Good Food, Good People: Understanding the Cultural Repertoire of Ethical Eating.” Journal of Consumer Culture 11(3): 293-318 Moisio, Risto; Arnould, Eric; Price, Linda. 2004 “Between Mothers and Markets: Constructing Family Identity Through Homemade Food.” Journal of Consumer Culture 4(3): 316-384 CONTACT Joseph De Donato University of South Florida “Dairy, meat products, eggs I tend to do organic.”-R.