Food plays an important role in our daily lives. Without it, we cannot survive or have the energy to live, work, or play. But food is more than just a survival tool. The foods we eat can tell a story about who we are, where we live, and what we believe.

Many factors influence our food choices, including history, geography, economics, and cultural traditions. In various parts of the world, food choices can depend on factors such as:

• Food availability/natural resources
• Climate
• Religious/cultural beliefs
• Movement of people
• Economics

The availability of food is a key factor in the diets of many places around the world. For example, many areas in Asia developed a cuisine that was centered on rice, because it grows well there. Tropical cultures developed family food patterns based around fruits and vegetables that grew in abundance. Here in the U.S., seafood is part of many dishes that hail from New England and Seattle, where fish are plentiful.

Climate is another influential factor in shaping dishes around the world. For example, Greek people use many fruits and vegetables and olive oil in their cooking. That is because Greece has a Mediterranean climate, meaning hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Crops like wheat, olives, nuts, grapes, fruits, and vegetables grow well in this type of climate. Most Indian dishes are spicy because “spicy” plants grow well in the hot and humid climate of India. In addition, eating spicy foods can actually make us feel cooler. Australia and New Zealand are famous for their delicious lamb. That is because sheep need lots of fresh grass for food. Grasses grow well in cooler areas that have plenty of rainfall throughout the year.

Religious and cultural beliefs also influence food choices. Foods that are common for one country or culture may not be acceptable in other areas. The Japanese, for example, prefer eating their fish raw, while the English prefer it in a "fish ’n’ chips" combination. Some religions have laws stating which food can be eaten at which times of the year or foods that are forbidden to be eaten altogether. For example, different segments of the Jewish community observe the kosher practice of avoiding pork and many types of seafood. Some Europeans do not eat ears of corn, because they consider it food for hogs and other animals. In the United States, we don’t normally eat insects, but many other cultures regard them as preferred foods. Culture can also dictate the times to eat and what to eat at certain meals.

1. Divide the students into two groups. Randomly distribute the food cards from the Where in the World? printout to one group, and distribute the country cards to the other group.
2. Explain that the food cards represent different recipes made with eggs and the country cards represent the countries where those dishes originate. The students’ task is to try to find the person/card from the opposite group that matches their card. If they have a food card, they must find their food’s country of origin. If they have a country card, they must find the food from their country.
3. Give the students five minutes to try to find their partners. If the students are having trouble, they can research online to find their food’s origin.
4. When all students have found a partner, review the answers (found in Background Agricultural Connections section) to determine if the matches are correct. Then, ask the students what strategies they used to find their partners. Ask them what they know about the ingredients or preparation methods of the egg dishes on the cards. What story can these foods tell us about the countries from which they originate?
5. Write the following questions on the board: What factors determine the recipes/dishes that originate in a particular country? Guide students to think about geographic, economic, cultural, and human factors. Ask each pair to list as many answers as they can.
6. List answers on the board or a flip chart. Possible answers include:
   • Geographic- natural resources, food availability, climate
   • Economic- ingredients people can afford, trade, need for preservation
   • Human- passed down from a previous generation, likes vs. dislikes, movement
   • Cultural- religious traditions or restrictions, ethnic traditions and customs
7. Have the students brainstorm examples for each factor. See examples from the background information to help spur thinking.

1. Challenge each student pair to analyze the research they have collected and the recipe they have selected to identify possible reasons why their dish is native to their country of choice. Have them list their reasons, evidence, and sources on their Country Research Log.