Imagine you are placed in front of a table full of food. There are different kinds of meat, sauces, potatoes, pasta, vegetables, sweets and bread.
You are going to make a role play where you show different approaches to this table. Prepare your roles by studying relevant information before you start acting. Choose among these roles:
one is a host/hostess
one is the chef who has made the food
one is very picky and complaining
one is from a country where food is scarce
one has severe allergies
one is obese
one is vegan
one has an eating disorder
one is a dedicated Muslim
one is a dedicated Jew
one is a Hindu
Find Out
Food and culture are closely linked, and there are often certain traditions and ceremonies linked to meals.
Two nationalities that have spread their food traditions all over the world are the Italians and the Chinese.Do you see any reasons for that?
What is typical for Chinese food?
What is typical for Italian food?
In the USA you will find more Chinese restaurants than in any other country, apart from China itself. What are the reasons for that?
Italians are well known for their pasta and pizza. Find out how Pizza Margherita first appeared.
How have Italian words for different food influenced the English language? Find specific examples.
Find out which ethical aspects are at stake in one or two of these scandals involving food or production of food.
The outbreak of Creutzfeldt-Jakobs disease in the UK (1996)
The Chinese milk scandal (2008)
The outbreak of Avian influenza (2005)
Write
Your friend Lars is in Morocco. Yesterday you received a Facebook message from Lars, where he was asking for some good advice. Here is the message:
"Hi Truls, hope you are fine. I enjoy Morocco immensely. So excotic and beautiful! Tomorrow I am invited to a Berber family in a small village in the Atlas mountains. We are going to stay for dinner, and following local traditions, there will be plenty of food. But, Lars, you know me. I'm extremely picky, and don't know what to do. This family is opening up their home to us, and I don't want to hurt their feelings! How can I handle this? I'm not sure whether it is custom to bring gifts or not. And also if there are special table manners I should observe. Can you look that up for me? I am writing this message from an Internet Café, and time is running out. Thanks in advance!" Write the answer from Truls to Lars.
Make an advertisement text for a food product you choose yourself. How would you make this advertisement in order to achieve various goals like:
You have been invited to buy shares in a company called Candy Express. This is a company which has specialized in serving the customers' candy needs quickly. The customer may call a central candy base, and colorful little cars bring the candy out to customers. Before you buy your shares, however, you get second thoughts, and it becomes a kind of ethical dilemma for you. Describe your dilemma in a blog entry.
Some see an ethical dilemma in how we use food. This may concern distribution, poisonous fertilizers and exploitation of poor farmers.
Write a blog entry where you express your opinion about one of these ethical dilemmas
You are in the Philippines and are invited to a family dinner. When you arrive you are welcomed with open arms and smiles. The hostess explains that they have prepared all the best traditional food they can think of. The meal will consist of balut (look up what it is), dogmeat and frog legs. Rice is also served. Discuss how you would go about this meal? This family is poor, and they have even used some of their savings to prepare this meal for you.
The UN's World Food Programme estimates that 842 million people in the world are exposed to hunger and malnutrition. Look up statistics here
Which regions of the world are most exposed?
Which countries are most exposed?
Which groups are most exposed?
Discuss why these regions, countries and groups of people are exposed to hunger and malnutrition.
You can read the UN report about the production and distribution of food here.
What are the future objectives of the United Nations when it comes to food and water supplies?
Discuss how sustainability is linked to food and the production of it.
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