Rural Appalachian Foodways from Then to Now: Using Traditional Foods to Enhance Dietetic Practice

As a result of the harsh climate of the Appalachian region, traditional dietary patterns are largely based on Native American and European immigrant influences. Historical eating patterns of rural Appalachia reflect a unique relationship between consumers and the land from which they relied on for most of their sustenance. Unfortunately, as fast food restaurants and convenience stores have crept into the mountain communities of rural Appalachia, mountaineers have virtually lost connection with their culinary roots. The current health crisis prevalent in rural Appalachia reflects high rates of obesity coupled with chronic nutrition-related diseases. Historical cookbooks and oral histories are telling in their accounts of traditional Appalachian food practices. Reconnecting Appalachian populations with historical, nutrient-dense dietary patterns may potentially halt and reverse the growing trend of obesity and food-related ailments. This research used qualitative inquiry and analysis with 10 cookbooks and 26 interviews (W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection at Belk Library, Appalachian State University; Southern Foodways Alliance Oral History Initiative) to glean information focused on two primary goals: 1) to analyze primary and secondary sources examining the rural southern Appalachian diet over the last century to verify the Traditional Southern Appalachian Diet Pyramid (TSADP), and 2) to increase cultural competency of future health professionals to effectively understand rural patients’ self-efficacy in reviving their traditional food culture. By improving self-efficacy of rural patients, those seeking diet therapy for chronic conditions may familiarize themselves with historical, nutrient dense dietary patterns, potentially improving their eating habits. Keywords: traditional Appalachian die