Liberian refugee families: What are they eating and where are they shopping after 10 years of resettlement in the U.S.

The objectives of the study were to: 1) Deter mine the feasibility of using the 24‐hour recall method, 2) Describe food habits, shopping, budgeting practices & examine what pre & post resettlement factors influence these behaviors, among Liberian refugees resettled in the U.S. A trained community interviewer conducted in‐home, semi‐quantitative interviews with Liberian mothers/caregivers (n = 33). The mean age of the participants was 39 years. Approximately, 42% of participants received SNAP & average monthly household income was $903. In using the 24‐hour recall method, it was found that estimation of portion size, measurement of ingredients & use of standardized recipes were uncommon concepts among this group. For instance, participants often reported making ‘Soup & Fufu’ but ingredients in soup were not fixed & dependent upon several factors including what was left in the refrigerator, and where they went for food shopping that week. In food habits, intake of meat & green leafy vegetables was common while dairy & fruits were uncommon food groups. Majority (90%) of the participants visited ethnic food stores to buy traditional food items such as cassava leaves, palm butter, and smoked fish. On average, monthly grocery expenditure was $109/person. Those without a driver's license (p=0.03), and those who visited mainly ethnic stores (p=0.10) had a higher food budget. Grant Funding Source : University of North Carolina at Greensboro New Faculty Grant