soul food

English

(food): Originated in the mid-1960s, when soul was commonly used to describe African-American culture.

soul food (countable and uncountable, plural soul foods)

Nourishment for the soul; spiritual sustenance. [from 10th c.]
Coordinate term: food for thought
(US) A style of food originating in the rural southern US, traditionally associated with African Americans. [from 20th c.]
- 1965, Malcolm X, Alex Haley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, published 2015, →ISBN, page 70:
  I couldn't wait for eight o'clock to get home to eat out of those soul-food pots of Ella's, then get dressed in my zoot and head for some of my friends' places in town, to lindy-hop and get high, […]
- 1972, Lou Reed (lyrics and music), “Walk on the Wild Side”, in Transformer:
  Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets / Looking for soul food and a place to eat
- 2023 July 6, Maria C. Hunt, “Could an ancient, climate-friendly crop be the future of beer?”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:
  Generations of African Americans in the US were told soul food was simple and unhealthy, Oliver says.

Nourishment for the soul