Lebanon has a population of approximately 4 million people, with the majority living in urban areas. The presentation discusses the influences of Lebanon's location and the Muslim and Christian religions on Lebanese cuisine. Meal traditions in Lebanon involve eating together as a family, and religious traditions influence foods that are eaten and preparation methods. Common Lebanese foods include breads, vegetables, cheeses, meats, rice and couscous dishes, and sweets like baklava. The dietary traditions of Lebanese Australians incorporate elements of both Lebanese and Australian cuisine.

1. Cultural Food Presentation:
Lebanese Cuisine
Nadine Brown-Winter: 0978213
Caitlin Gepp: 8798222
Sophie Gunn: 8580324

2. Lebanon
• Location: surrounded by Syria, Israel and the
Mediterranean Sea.
• Population: Approximately 4 million (July
2012) with 87% living in urban regions.
• Official language is Arabic
• 2 main religions: Muslim-60%, Christian-39%
• 17 Religious sects recognised within the
Muslim and Christian denominations

3. Lebanese culture
• Lebanon was under Arab power from the 8th Century
until the end of World War I
• The French took control from this time until Lebanon
gained independence in 1943
• Both introduced different cultures and beliefs to
Lebanon
• ‘Eating in Lebanon is tied to family’ and ‘people
almost never eat alone’ (Arwiche 2013)
• This is common amongst both the Muslim and
Christian populations of Lebanon

4. Lebanon and Australia
• 74 thousand Lebanese-born residents in
Australia
• 350 thousand claim Lebanese ancestry
• Three main waves of Lebanese migration
between 1880 and 1975
• The Lebanese population within Australia are
most concentrated within the states of NSW
and Victoria.

5. Influences on the Lebanese
Diet: Location
• Small Mediterranean Country of only 10,452km²
• Rugged terrain with very few rivers means only
30% of land mass can support crop production.
• Typical Mediterranean climate: mild to cool, wet
winters & hot, dry summers.
• Not uncommon for Lebanese families to grow
their own fruit, vegetables and herbs.
• Location of Lebanon has meant that its diet has
been influenced by many surrounding countries
and cultures over time.

6. Influences on the Lebanese
Diet: Culture & Religion
• Eating together as a family is very important in Lebanese culture
• Religion has a major impact on how food is prepared as well as
what food can/can’t be eaten and when.
• It is vital to acknowledge these religious influences which include:
 Recognising appropriate food and beverages
 Serving a selection of meat and vegetarian foods on separate trays
 Providing a variety of non-alcoholic beverages
 If religion is Islamic then foods need to be Halal
 Islamic tradition does not allow for consumption of alcohol
 During Ramadam, Muslims do not eat or drink from break of dawn to sunset
 During Lent, Christians eat meatless dishes
 Checking individual requirements as some Muslim persons follow a vegetarian diet
• Antiochian Orthodox religion provides a fasting calendar which
details food items that are to be abstained from and when.

7. Food Laws in Lebanon
• With 60% of religious people in Lebanon being Muslim,
Halal food laws and regulations are very important in the
Lebanese culture
• The laws of Halal are revealed in the Quran from God to
Muhammad for all the people.
• Halal foods are those that are free from any component
that Muslims are prohibited from consuming.
• These laws are intended to advance wellness
• Halal means permissible and lawful. It applies not only to
meat and poultry, but also to other food products,
cosmetics, and personal care products
(Riaz, Chaundry. 2004).

8. Food Laws in Lebanon
• The following food products are not
considered to be Halal and therefore
are Haram (unlawful) and
unacceptable for Muslims to
consume:
 Carrion or dead animals
 Flowing or congealed blood
 Swine, including all by-products
 Animals slaughtered without
pronouncing the name of God on them
 Animals killed in a manner that
prevents their blood from being fully
drained from their body
 Animals slaughtered while pronouncing
a name other than God
 Intoxicants of all types, including
alcohol and drugs
 Carnivorous animals with fangs, such as
lions, dogs, wolves, or tigers
 Birds with sharp claws (birds of prey),
such as falcons, eagles, owls, or vultures
 Land animals such as frogs or snakes
• The rules of Halal food not only
applies for Muslims living in Lebanon
but is also relevant to Lebanese
people who are part of the Islamic
religion living in Australia or
anywhere else in the world.

9. Meal Traditions
• The tradition of coming
together as a family during
meal times in the Lebanese
culture is extremely
important whether the
families are part of Christian
or Islamic religion.
• This tradition remains
strong in the Lebanese
culture today in contrast to
the Australian culture
where family meals are
becoming less common.

10. Types of foods
Traditional to Lebanon

11. Breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles
• Burgal (cooked wheat)
• Dried chickpeas
• Fava beans
• Fasolia beans
• Dry yeast
• Flour
• rice

12. Fruit
• Lemon
• Melon
• Strawberry
• Pineapple
• Apple
• Pear
• Banana
• Orange
• Pomegranate

13. Vegetables, legumes
• Cauliflower
• Tomato
• Eggplant
• Potato
• Zucchini
• Onion
• Garlic
• Lebanese cucumber
• Broccoli

14. Meat, fish ,poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes
• Chicken
• Beef
• Lamb
• Pistachio
• Pecans
• Almond
• egg

15. Milk, cheese, yoghurt & alternatives
• Ackawi (white cheese)
• Tzatziki (cucumber and yoghurt)
• Shanklish (aged cheese balls)
• Plain yoghurt
• Whole milk
• Butter

16. Essences & Syrups
• Rose water
• Orange blossom water
• Pomegranate molasses

17. Fats and Oils
• Olive oil

18. Beverages
• Almaza (beer)
• Arak
• Ayran
• Jallab
• Ksara (famous wine)
• Lebanese wine
• Le caroubie ( non-alcoholic made from carob)
• White coffee
• Arabic coffee
• Turkish coffee
• Tahn

19. Condiments & Spices
• Mint
• Sumac (spice)
• Zaatar (thyme mix)
• Lebanese 7 spice
• Mistika (Arabic gum)
• Salt and pepper
• Parsley
• All spice
• Garlic paste
• Hummus
• Labneh (dip)
• Tahini paste
Labneh
Sumac
Zaatar (thyme mix)
HummusMint
Parsley

20. Typical Daily Eating
Plan

21. Breakfast
• Debes mixed with tahina with
pita bread
• Labneh (cheese made from
yoghurt), olive oil, tomatoes,
olives, mint and pita bread

22. Morning Break
• Hummus with pita bread
• Rtayer – pastry filled with
silver
beet, onion, tomatoes, sum
ac and olive oil.
• Tahina and pita bread

23. Lunch
• Kebabs
• Falafel, lamb, chicken or
beef with hummus, tabouli
or salad wrapped in
Lebanese bread, pita.

24. Afternoon Break
• Dried fruit balls
• Zaatar and cheese plate
• Fruit – jujubes (apple-like)

25. Dinner
• Tabouleh
• Dolmas-stuffed grape
leaves
• Kibbeh- fried lamb balls
• Chickpea salad
• Stuffed zucchini
• Fried cauliflower
Fried Cauliflower
Stuffed ZucchiniChickpea Salad
Tabouleh

26. Evening & Other Snacks
• Baklava-pie
• Sunflower seeds
• Puslance turnovers (fatayer
bel-bakleh)
• Zaatar kaak

27. Comparison of diets
Mediterranean Australian

28. Conclusion
• Lebanon is a county of diverse geography and religion. It is
essentially urbanized and its cuisine is Mediterranean.
• Lebanese- born Australians and their descendants have
added their own healthy, unique flavours and ingredients to
Australian cuisine whilst maintaining their individual tastes
from the homeland.
• The Lebanese attitude to food is one of “family and
togetherness”.
• Religious rituals are followed by Muslims and Christians in
relation to meal times and types.
• Australian climate and infrastructure ensures that the
majority of Lebanese food staples are available in Australia
or able to be sourced via specialty food stores.

29. Reference list
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• The Good Shepard: Australian Orthodox Mission (2013). Fasting Calendar. Retrieved from
ttp://www.australianorthodox.org.au/fasting-calendar
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