Complete List of Foods under Food Group

The American Indian food group represents a diverse collection of traditional and culturally significant foods consumed by various Native American communities across North America. These foods reflect centuries of regional foraging, hunting, fishing, and agricultural practices, offering a rich variety of flavors and nutritional benefits.

Meat and Game Foods

Traditional game meats have long been central to Native American diets. This includes species like buffalo, caribou, elk, moose, venison (deer), bear, squirrel, and various species of waterfowl such as duck and sea birds. These meats are often consumed fresh, dried, roasted, or in stews.

Buffalo (Bison) – Used for steaks, roasts, and ground meat preparations.
Caribou – Consumed in various forms including raw, cooked, dried, or half-dried meats and organs like liver, tongue, and marrow.
Moose, Elk, and Deer – Popular sources of lean protein.
Bear and Squirrel – Regionally important for subsistence hunters.

Seafood and Marine Foods

For Alaska Natives and coastal communities, seafood is a vital food source. This includes various fish, marine mammals, and shellfish.

Salmon – Consumed raw, dried, smoked, canned, or fermented.
Halibut, Lingcod, Pike, Sheefish, and Whitefish – Prepared fresh, dried, or canned.
Seal, Walrus, and Whale – Consumed for both meat and fat (blubber), often eaten raw or dried.
Shellfish – Including cockles and smelt.
Fish Roe – Such as herring eggs prepared in various ways.

Plants, Fruits, and Vegetables

Wild plants, berries, and vegetables are integral to American Indian cuisine, providing essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Wild Berries – Including blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries, cloudberries, cranberries, chokecherries, and salmonberries.
Edible Plants – Such as fireweed, lambsquarters, prairie turnips, stinging nettles, cattail shoots, and willow leaves.
Roots and Tubers – Like mashu roots and mouse nuts.
Other Wild Plants – Including ascidians and sea cucumbers in coastal areas.

Grains, Breads, and Traditional Preparations

Native American food traditions include various grain-based dishes made from corn and other local ingredients.

Blue Corn and White Corn Products – Used for mush, piki bread, tortillas, and steamed corn dishes.
Frybread – A popular dish made using lard and flour.
Hominy and Stews – Often cooked with mutton, beans, or squash.
Tamales and Dumplings – Featuring ingredients like masa and pork or mutton fillings.

Oils, Fats, and Specialty Foods

Oils and fats from marine and land animals are traditionally valued for both calories and nutrition.

Seal Oil, Whale Oil, and Walrus Fat – Often used as cooking fats or consumed with other foods.
Bearded Seal and Whale Muktuk – Consisting of skin and fat layers.

Beverages and Other Traditional Items

Native American diets also include unique beverages and herbal teas prepared from regional plants.

Chilchen (Red Berry Beverage) – A traditional Navajo drink.
Herbal Teas – Such as tundra herb teas or hohoysi brewed teas from Hopi traditions.

Dietary Significance

American Indian foods offer a nutrient-dense diet rich in protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These traditional foods are deeply tied to cultural heritage, seasonal availability, and environmental stewardship. Many modern Native American communities are working to preserve and revitalize these food practices.

Complete Nutritional Values for American Indian Foods

Below is the complete nutritional data for each food item in this group. Explore calories, protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals for every listed food: