Food and religion question & answer interview

Hey guys, I’m a second year student with religious studies as my minor. Anyways, I have an upcoming interview assignment where I have to ask people about their religious traditions and practices. For this interview, it must be someone from either Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, or any other religion, not related to Christianity/Catholicism. It also must be an adult who has authoritative knowledge through study, long term practice and also has great devotion to their religion. Answering in a bit more detail would be super helpful as I have to analyse everything after.

What is your name and how old are you?

Do you consider yourself a religious person?

What religious group do you identify with?

For how many years have you belonged to this religion?

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “religion and food”?

Do you remember the first childhood memory that connects food and religion, (perhaps at a special occasion)?

Does your religion guide what you eat? (If so, how?)

Do you sometimes fast? If so, when?
What do you mean by “fasting”? (e.g., No food and drink from sunrise to sunset? No food after noon? No meat?)?
Can you provide some examples?

Do certain foods have qualities that make them special, sacred or holy to you?

Do you have dietary restrictions based on your religion? Are there certain foods that you don’t eat at all, or that you avoid at certain times, for religious reasons?

Does your diet (whether it be what you eat/can’t eat) make you feel more connected to your religion? (how so?)

Does it matter to you, on religious grounds, who prepares your food and how it is prepared?

Are there any foods in your religion that are sacrificed/offered to a god/deity?

Are there foods that you prepare or eat for special religious occasions? Could you give some examples?

Are you, or your religious group, involved in acts of charity that involve food?
What are some examples?
To what extent does religion play a role in these acts of charity?

Do you pray before or after a meal? If so, what do you typically say, and how important is that prayer for you? (Could you give me an example of a prayer?)

Is food served at your place of worship? (If so, for what occasions?
Does that food have special significance for you when it is part of a worship context?)

Think back to your childhood. Are there any religious events that comes to mind where you remember having special food?

What do you think I should learn about the role that food plays in your religious life?

Is there anything else you’d like for anyone to know about your religion?


THANK YOU SO MUCH IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO ANSWER ALL OF THESE!!!