Food consumption among ethnic minorities: the case of British‐Pakistanis in Bradford, UK

Abstract

The paper explores food consumption experiences of an ethnic minority group ‐ the British‐Pakistanis in Bradford, UK. The paper looks at the way the British Pakistanis perceive their food, and at their perception of English food in the UK. In doing so the paper identifies some important generational and gender differences in food consumption experiences. The first generation of British‐Pakistanis perceive their own food to be traditional, tasty but oily and problematic. The English foods are perceived by the same generation as foreign, bland, but healthy. The young generation of British‐Pakistanis is increasingly consuming mainstream English foods while also consuming traditional Pakistani food. The paper draws on participant observation and in‐depth interviews with British‐Pakistanis in Bradford.