Refugees of Former Union Slowly Adopt

ter of 1994. The two provider focus groups included 16 employees from Sacramento agencies that provide services to individuals from the FSU. The six refugee focus groups included 35 adult refugees (mostly female) selected by six local agencies. We wanted people who had come to the United States after the fall of the Com- munist regime and who were knowl- edgeable of other people in the refugee community. In addition, a panel of key members of the FSU refugee community, selected by the researchers, pro- vided more than 20 consultations during the study. A matrix of consistent responses obtained among the focus groups was used to assess the validity of the data. Additional information was acquired during visits to homes of refugees, visits to newly established Food preparation can be a celebration for many women from the former Soviet Union, Russian grocery stores and participa- who enjoy their role as gatekeepers of dietary traditions. tion in religious celebrations (Romero- Gwynn et al. 1994). FSU refugees in Sacramento Refugees of former Soviet Most refugees from the FSU who settled in Sacramento prior to 1994 came from farming communities or small Union slowly adopt US. diet towns in the Slavic states or from the former Russian Central Asia region. The Eunice Romero-Gwynn o Yvonne Nicholson a Douglas Gwynn migration pattern to other sites in Cali- Holly Raynard o Nancy Kors a Peggy Agron o Jan Fleming fornia appears to be different. Lakshmi Sreenivasan The typical refugee family in Sacra- mento is large and often extended. It consists of a husband, wife, children The diet of refugees from the In the past decade, California has ex- (as many as 12 reported) and, very of- former Soviet Union living in perienced a post-Cold War influx of ten, parents of one or both spouses. Sacramento is characterized by a refugees from the former Soviet Union The husband and wife have at least an high reliance on grains, meats (FSU).Their increasing participation elementary education, and many of and dairy foods. While consump- in local health and nutrition services them hold advanced university de- tion of vegetables and fruits is in- has created the need for a greater un- grees. Some of the refugees participat- creasing in Sacramento, it still derstanding of their culture, particu- ing in our focus group were physicians, appears to be very low. High-fat larly their dietary patterns. As a first dentists, pharmacists and engineers. foods and salt-preserved foods step toward meeting this need, we Employment of the participants, at the are major components of the diet. conducted an exploratory study in time of this study, was very low. Poor Sacramento. Our primary objectives Families from the former Soviet English language skills appeared to be were to learn about traditional dietary the main limiting factor. Union living in Sacramento have practices in this group of refugees and not yet made major changes in about new practices they have Food preferences their food preparations and meal adopted in the United States. This in- The diet of people in the FSU has patterns. However, they are adopt- formation can be used as a basis for been influenced by geographic loca- ing a variety of new foods into providing nutrition counseling to new tion and numerous political and his- their traditional meals. While di- refugees from the FSU, and also serves torical events (Blanksteen 1974, etary acculturation among adults as a foundation for further quantita- Deutsch 1986, Gould-Marks 1963, Lih appears to be low, school-age tive studies. 1990). Invaders and traders from Asia children are rapidly becoming ac- We gathered data from focus and the Middle East introduced a vari- culturated and are consuming groups, two with service providers ety of foods, as well as different food American fast foods and snacks. and six with FSU refugees, in the win- preparation and preservation tech- 24 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE, VOLUME 51, NUMBER 6 niques. Neighboring countries, par- include beets, carrots and potatoes. (1993) illustrates the Russian predilec- ticularly Sweden, Germany, Poland, Vegetables are primarily consumed in tion for cheese. Common Russian France and Greece, have influenced soups, stews and rice pilafs; they can cheeses include one similar to cottage the diet in the FSU at different times also be fried and used as stuffing for cheese and a semisoft cheese similar to and to different degrees. The French pirog, piroshki and other pastries feta cheese. While some families in influence on the Russian diet was sig- (Uvezian 1976, Sacharow 1989). Sacramento continue to prepare some nificant in the 18th century, when Pickling vegetables is a common of their traditional cheeses at home, Catherine I1 encouraged the hiring of practice among refugees in Sacra- many are buying American cheeses French cooks (Toomore 1992). Fasting mento. Broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, such as jack, mozzarella and some advocated by the Orthodox Church red cabbage and zucchini are veg- Mexican cheeses. (which calls for dietary restrictions to etables that refugees rarely consumed According to respondents, refugees be practiced on more than 100 days before immigration but consume in have greatly increased their consump- per year) appears to have also helped California. Frozen vegetables are gain- tion of all types of dairy foods in Sac- shape the dietary traditions in the FSU ing acceptance. ramento. Most of them prefer whole (Smith and Christian 1984, Toomore Fruits. Many of the focus-group milk, although some are buying low- 1992). participants praised the availability of fat milk. Although most people had Grains. The major food staples of fruits in American markets. Buying eaten commercially produced yogurt the FSU are grains, especially wheat, fresh fruits in winter was an amazing and ice cream in the FSU, they often originally introduced from the Middle experience for them. A participant expressed amazement at the variety East, and rice, introduced from Asia. from Tajikistan told the group, “I available in the United States. A new Barley, buckwheat, millet, oats and bought 6 kilos of oranges yesterday way of consuming cheese is in pizza, groats are also consumed. while it was close to freezing outside which is popular among both adults Chamberlain’s comment that the market.” Another participant and children. people from the FSU ”can live by said, “I have eaten more fruits in 6 Meats and fish. Most participants bread alone” (1982) underscores the months in Sacramento than in 28 expressed a strong preference for fish key role of bread in their diet. Tradi- years in Russia.” and a variety of fresh and preserved tional bread is the food most missed Strawberries, berries, apples, pears, meats. Fish is consumed fresh, salted by refugees in the markets in Sacra- watermelons and peaches were the and smoked or salted and dried. The mento. Many women prepare their most common fruits consumed in the participants’ consumption of fish has breads at home and often sell them to FSU. Fresh fruits were eaten during declined since they arrived in Sacra- other families. They are fond of freshly the growing season and fruit preserves mento, however, owing to the lack of baked, heavy, coarse bread, often (jam, jelly and cooked fruit) were con- Russian fish species and the high price made from whole grain flour. In addi- sumed throughout the year. Cooked of American fish. tion to bread, wheat flour is used to fruit-based drinks (compote and kisel) Goose (fresh and canned) was prepare a variety of foods made with were also common ways to use fruits widely consumed in the FSU, whereas batter or dough. Dumplings, different through the year. They continue to chicken is the most popular poultry types of pancakes, and ravioli-like consume traditional fruits and fruit consumed in Sacramento. It is pre- foods are very important in the diet. preserves in Sacramento. ”New” pared in many ways, including fried, Traditional foods based on wheat flour fruits, or fruits rarely consumed before cooked in soups or stews, and baked. include blini, pelmeni, pirog, piroshki, immigration, include pineapple, banana, Beef is usually minced and used in the and vareniki (see Glossary, p. 26). kiwifruit, mangoes and citrus fruits. Fro- stuffing for vegetables and pastries, Kasha is often prepared with whole zen fruit juice is also being used. and in a hamburgerlike dish (katleta). grains (buckwheat, wheat or oats) and Dairy foods. “Russians have a milk Beef is also used in stews, cooked in milk. While refugees in Sacramento complex...; they drink all the milk they rice pilaf (plov), fried or creamed with appear to be preserving many of their can get and they like it rich,” says sour cream. Pork and lamb are also traditional grain-based dishes, Ameri- Kropotkin (1993). People from the FSU well liked. can breakfast cereals are consumed in consume large amounts of fresh milk, Several participants expressed a place of traditional kasha. homemade soured milk, kefir, butter- great fondness for salami. In addition Vegetables. The long winters in milk, soft cheese, sour cream and but- to salami, other cold cuts and sausages the FSU limit the availability of fresh ter. Yogurt and ice cream are also con- are frequently enjoyed. Hot dogs, pas- vegetables and fruits. Pickling, a prac- sumed often. Fresh milk is usually trami, bologna, salami and ham are tice introduced to Russia by Asian in- boiled, then cooled and consumed eaten frequently in potato salad and vaders and traders, has been crucial in plain as a beverage or prepared with other dishes. maintaining a supply of basic veg- grains in kasha. Soured milk is con- Eggs are widely consumed. These etables yearround (Norman 1967). sumed plain or it is used in preparing are fried, prepared in omelets, hard- Pickled vegetables - including cab- a cold soup during the summer.

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