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Food and Culture

Cajun & Creole

By: Alyssa Fleming, MSU Dietetic Intern

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What is Culture?

Culture can be defined as the accumulation of a group’s learned and shared behaviors in everyday life.

It includes people’s beliefs, values, behaviors, customs, and knowledge.

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Impacts of Culture on Health

It is important to recognize that culture shapes how a person

Defines health

Perceives illness

Seeks treatment.

Culture influences attitudes, beliefs, practices, and values about good health and disease prevention.

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Acquiring Cultural Competence

Cultural Awareness 

    • Understanding that there are people different than you and developing an understanding and sensitivity to another ethnic group's values, beliefs, practices, lifestyles, and problem-solving strategies.

Cultural Knowledge 

    • Identifying what makes people different and understanding how cultures are similar and different. Read about the language, customs, and health beliefs.

Cultural

Skill 

    • Being able to identify what those specific groups need from you as a practitioner. 

Cultural

Encounter    

    • Involves integrating all the cultural competency components in nutrition, health promotion, and intervention.

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Cajun/Creole Culture

https://www.archives.com/genealogy/family-heritage-cajun-creole.html

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Language & Religion

Language:

Cajun French & Creole French are both different and differ from standard French

Not as common as it used to be – more among older generations in families

Religion:

Roman Catholic is the primary religion

Practice Catholic traditions of avoiding meat on Fridays during Lent, on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras), Ash Wednesday, Good Friday

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Health Beliefs & Practices1

  • Illness, aging, and death are accepted as inevitable and natural life events
  • Many believe whatever happens to one’s health is “one’s lot in life.”
  • Living life for the moment and enjoying it was more important than being healthy.
  • Faith was cited as the deciding factor as to how long one would live
  • Folk healers called traiteurs (treaters)
    • Faith healers who sometimes use herbal medicine as well as prayers and rituals to heal

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Important Considerations1

Beliefs associated with weight and health or status

    • Some believe a “thin” person is in poor health or unattractive, when they are at or near a healthy BMI

May receive health information from friends or family members that is inaccurate, incomplete, and/or outdated.

    • Ask open-ended questions to help identify and respectfully correct misconceptions.

Higher incidences of heart disease

    • Cajuns are reluctant to give up the foods that they love despite the high incidence of diseases associated with excessive fat intake

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Cajun2

  • Influenced by French Acadians from Nova Scotia, Canada - settled in the southern part of Louisiana
  • Food tends to be more rustic and rely more on game meats
  • Animal fat more likely to be used in food preparation
  • Oil-based roux
  • Known for using any ingredients that are available, to minimize food waste
  • Use variety of spices and very slow cooking methods

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Creole2

  • Influenced mostly by Spanish and French culture
    • As well as by practices from Africa, South America, other areas of Europe, and the Caribbean
  • Blend of the various cultures of New Orleans
  • Creole food tends to be more refined
  • Rely heavily on butter and cream as main sources of fat in recipes
  • Modes of cooking are more complex because of the wide variety of ethnic influences

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What’s the difference?2,3

Creole

    • “City food”
    • Fancy or classical cuisine
      • Access to imported spices, produce, and animal products
    • Influenced by a variety of cultures
      • Had access to more ingredients and supplies
    • Roux made with butter and flour
    • Uses tomatoes

Cajun

    • “Country food”
      • Rural people with close family ties and hospitality
    • Rustic and made to serve many people
      • More native plants and animals like rabbit, squirrel, and alligator
    • Roux made with oil and flour
    • Does not use tomatoes

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CREOLE CUISINE & CAJUN COOKING

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The Holy Trinity of Cajun Cooking4

Bell Pepper

Celery

Onion

https://www.onions-usa.org/onionista/cajun-holy-trinity/

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Cajun Dishes

  • Cajun Jambalaya – vegetable rice dish
  • Gumbo – stew/soup made with file, okra, chicken, sausage, and sometimes shrimp.
  • Crawfish Etouffee – crawfish stew served over rice
  • Turtle Sauce Piquante
  • Boudin – pork and rice sausage
  • Crawfish Bisque

https://www.neworleans.com/restaurants/where-to-eat/cajun-or-creole/

https://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/cajun

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Creole Dishes

  • Creole Gumbo - tomato, onion, bell pepper, okra, and rice
  • Creole Jambalaya – includes tomato
  • Grillades – beef stew and grits
  • Red beans and rice

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https://www.shutterstock.com/search/creole+food

https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/creole-shrimp-creamed-corn

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Counseling Tips

Encourage clients to make gradual dietary changes whenever possible. A gradual approach will increase compliance

Emphasize the importance of portion control

Adopt a nonjudgmental attitude

Demonstrate knowledge of cultural food habits and health beliefs. With respect for and acceptance of the validity of these habits and beliefs

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Summary

  • The Cajun and Creole cultures value food and family
  • Living life for the moment and enjoying it is more important than being healthy.
  • Believe that life and their health is predetermined by God
  • As healthcare professionals remember to be considerate of other cultures and their beliefs and values

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References

  1. Goody CM, Drago L. Cultural Food Practices. American Dietetic Association; 2010:155-164.
  2. Ducote JD. Cajun vs. creole food- what is the difference? Louisiana Travel website. https://www.louisianatravel.com/articles/cajun-vs-creole-food-what-difference. Accessed October 20, 2021.
  3. Bultman BE. A true delectable history of creole cooking. American Heritage website. https://www.americanheritage.com/true-and-delectable-history-creole-cooking. Published December 1986. Accessed October 20, 2021.
  4. The holy trinity of cajun cooking. Louisiana Travel website. https://www.louisianatravel.com/culinary/recipes/behold-holy-trinity-cajun-cooking. Accessed October 20, 2021.

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