Tenth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

The Amish are the members of a Christian Anabaptist sect. The Amish population is growing, and Amish settlements are widespread across America. Nonetheless, broadly speaking, knowledge of the Amish lifestyle is often superficial. Amish communities are based on the tenets of their religious beliefs. Namely, humbleness, separation from the world, non-resistance, and respect for creation. Obviously, food is one of the elements of Amish culture that shows their worldview. Strikingly, in a group that lives according to many strict, anachronistic and “unusual” rules, there are virtually no food restrictions in the Amish diet. In this paper, I argue that misconceptions abound in general (mis)understandings of Amish attitudes towards food. First is the erroneous idea that Amish food is completely ecological. Despite the fact that Amish culture is based on agriculture, many Amish do not plow fields any longer. Moreover, many Amish farmers use pesticides and fertilizers to grow their crops. Another common stereotype about the Amish is that contemporary Amish eat the same food of their ancestors. Like any other aspect of Amish culture, food has also changed over the years. Third, especially among more “liberal” Amish, food is not completely homemade. Many Amish go to grocery stores on a weekly basis, and some go to restaurants. Finally, although the Amish do not usually consume sumptuous meals, their attitude towards food is not penitential. This paper is based on long-term fieldwork on the Amish. The ethnographic research has been conducted mainly in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and in Sarasota, Florida.