History is more than just a sequence of events. History is also about people and culture. You can learn much about Arizona’s history through food. Native peoples have lived in the Southwest United States for thousands of years. Arizona has some of the oldest foodways [eating habits and cooking methods] in the country. Let’s find out about the foods people have eaten there!
Native Americans have grown beans, squash, and corn for a long time. They call these crops [plants grown as food] the “three sisters.” Early people in Arizona noticed something special about the crops. The “three sisters” grow better when planted near one another. They help each other grow.
Did you know you can eat a cactus? Cacti grow in the deserts of Arizona. Red fruit grows on some cacti. The fruit can be used for juice or sweets. The mesquite tree is another desert plant. People use wood from the tree for cooking. The smoke from the wood helps make delicious, barbecued food.
Arizona shares a border with Mexico. Border communities have made tasty food for a long time. In Arizona, you can find tacos and tamales and more! The chimichanga was invented in Tucson. It is a fried burrito!
What Do You Think? What food from Arizona would you like to eat?
Photo Credit: North Wind Picture Archives/Alamy Stock Photo
