Island Foods are Healthy: Guide for Nutritious Diets

Abstract

In Pacific Island cultures sharing food is an important part of tradition. Food is shared to welcome new members to our family, celebrate events like birthdays, promotions, anniversaries and or retirement and to say the final farewell to loved ones. We try to balance the fact that we have plenty of food, our desire to fully share in the generosity of our host and our growing awareness of the relationship between diet and health. Sometimes it seems that the messages we hear are saying we must choose either good food or good health. This publication is designed to show how to enjoy good food, good times and good health. This publication is divided into sections that follow the way a party table is often arranged. Each section will include recommendations for which foods contribute the most to good health. You will also find suggestions for making substitutions or changes in the way foods are prepared so they can contribute more to good health and still taste “good”.