Food Is a Cultural Connection for Hispanics – Especially When It’s Homemade
Hispanic culture is diverse, yet united through four cultural pillars: food, family, faith, and music. In our Hispanic to Latinx study, we delved into these topics through a survey of Hispanics aged 13 to 49 as well as in-depth interviews.
We looked at the roles of family and faith in earlier posts. And our research showed that that food is second only to family togetherness among the traditions Hispanics want to pass along to their children. In our interviews, participants told us that love is an essential ingredient in Latino foods. As Jorge from Miami told us, “American food is more plastic. It’s not handled with as much care and love and attention as my own cultural dishes.”
What else did we learn?
Hispanic foods are what they like best. When asked their favorite food, 59% named a Hispanic dish without prompting.
There’s nothing like homemade. While restaurants have their place, meals made at home are special. The majority of Hispanics (82%) said the most delicious food comes out of their family’s kitchen.
Cooking is an essential cultural connection. Authentic recipes and dishes are a link to their countries of origin; 75% said cooking keeps them connected to their culture.
