Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 4

What's for Dinner?

January 27, 2026 - As a young mother, this was the one question that would drive me insane. Was this my life's lot - to figure out what to make for dinner for the next several decades?

But as a lover of all things family history related, being able to eat food from the countries of my ancestors brings a whole new meaning to this question.

When I visited Scotland for the first time, I was determined to try haggis and blood pudding, staples of a full Scottish breakfast. And I did eat both - once! I decided that was enough to pay tribute to that Scottish culinary experience. But I fell in love with and had my fill of porridge (nothing like American oatmeal!), scones, clootie dumplings, and fish and chips (with vinegar, thank you very much.)

If you don't know where to find what your ancestors ate, here are a few suggestions.

Google it! Any quick Internet search will yield a list of the most common and typical foods from any country.
Sign into FamilySearch and go to Activities. From there, go to Where am I from? then My Heritage, then choose the region you want to explore, and then click on Recipes. I know that's a long bread crumb to follow, but you will be rewarded with a number of recipes for you to try.
Check with living relatives who might have memories of a favorite dish.
Don't want to cook? Here are a couple of options. First, find local restaurants that serve your ancestor's cuisine. It may not be exactly what they ate, but it will give you a tasty experience.
Search for local festivals from the country of your ancestor. There will be plenty of booths selling tempting delicacies.

Pondering on the question, "What's for dinner?" need not bring on anxious feelings. Instead, it can lead you to a delicious journey into the lives of your ancestors.