Around the world, and throughout human history, food and death rituals have intersected. I’m sure you’ve heard of ancient cultures burying their dead with plenty to eat on the other side- bread, honey, herbs, and even meat.
In the American South, it is a long-entrenched tradition to eat certain foods when people die.
I recently heard a pastor describe the meal ritual of funerals at his church; a typical meal consisted of fried chicken and mac n cheese, washed down with beverages like fruit punch.
Listening to the pastor talk, I couldn’t help but think about how such meals would inevitably lead to the next funeral.
A History of Funeral Food
In colonial America, particularly among German and British settlers, a tradition emerged where individuals would consume molasses cookies or funeral biscuits and imbibe alcoholic beverages while proceeding from the church to the gravesite. This practice resembled a form of communion. These cookies, similar in size and shape to modern-day cookies, bore stamped symbols like crosses, hearts, death’s heads, or cherubs on their surfaces.
During the Victorian Age in Britain, funeral biscuits gained prominence. Local bakeries advertised their ability to swiftly produce cookies when a sudden death occurred. These cookies were often intricately wrapped, featuring printed Bible verses. These wrappings, akin to church holy cards, served as mementos for remembering the deceased. They eventually evolved into death notices, distributed among friends and family members as announcements and sources of comfort.
- In the Hindu faith, it is customary to offer baskets of fruits or vegetables to grieving families.
- New Orleans sees jambalaya as the preferred funeral food.
- Among the Amish, a raisin-filled funeral pie is a traditional offering.
- In the American South, comforting classics like fried chicken and macaroni and cheese are commonly provided.
- In Sweden, Funeral Glogg is used for toasting the departed.
- The Midwest is renowned for its classic funeral hot dishes and casseroles.
But what about the tradition of Black funerals? What does that kind of funeral food do to you?
The Disturbing Connection Between Funerals + Fried Chicken
Research now clearly demonstrates that eating certain foods substantially contributes to obesity, disease and premature death. Sadly, the diseases that kill the most African Americans (heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes) are very often preventable, simply through a proper diet and lifestyle. There are many delicious healthful recipe variations on traditional soul food (which is typically very high in saturated fats and sugar, clogging our arteries and raising our blood sugar).
So why aren’t we adopting healthier eating habits, despite all this research, despite all the statistics, and despite all the preventable deaths? Many people, including myself, feel that we need to look to church leaders, and other trusted leaders, to help lead the way to better health.
Are Spiritual & Social Leaders to Blame?
For more than one hundred years, African Americans have embraced religious, civic and social organizations, including fraternities and sororities, as sources of support and friendship. To this day, church pastors and heads of such organizations are often viewed as revered community leaders.
The decisions of these leaders very often impact the lives of their members in a multitude of ways – spiritually, emotionally, and very likely, physically.
Smoking is a great example of the positive effects that leaders can have in the community: It is well known that cigarettes are harmful to our health. They contribute to early death, just like unhealthy eating habits. It was not long ago that cigarette smoking was socially acceptable at both meetings and social events sponsored by such organizations…but not anymore. Anyone would be scorned if he or she lit up a cigarette at a church, NAACP, or fraternity meeting these days.
Why? True, this is due, in part, to the fact that smoking is illegal at most indoor venues. But, this is not the only reason – organizational leaders also chose to impart knowledge to their members about the dangers of smoking, and many members chose to accept this information and stop smoking.
So, What Can Churches Do?
Spiritual and social groups, including churches, have played a critical role in providing infrastructure and impetus for many advances, from civil rights to smoking. In my opinion, the time has come to actively utilize our churches and other organizations as vehicles to impart knowledge about healthier eating habits, thereby helping to prevent further unnecessary suffering and premature death.
The first step is to serve healthier food at organizational meetings. The next step is to arrange information sessions on dietary and lifestyle changes.
A funeral meal should the next funeral.
What Can We Do Personally?
1. Plan your weekend meals – even if the weekend is your time for a “cheat” meal, plan it so that you don’t go overboard.
2. Form a group – accountability is key when it comes to staying healthy. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for the people who love you. Find folks in church who also want to live healthy and lose weight and you all will have a better chance of doing it.
3. Do the little, it means a lot – it’s the little things that mean the biggest difference. Even if you walk around the church after services will help. Bring healthy snacks to eat on the way to eating lunch so you’ll be more full with good foods.
For more healthy lifestyle tips and news, visit Dr. Ed at Heal 2B Free!
