A GREEK JEWISH MAN

And His Diet

KARINA JAIME CARBAJAL, KATRINA DANG, DELANEY CUMMINGS

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Introduction:
Background Information:

It was a mid-April day when the 35 year-old Ethan Eskenazi decided to sign up for the

online dating service, Jewcier. He was looking out the window of his lonely apartment and saw

happy couple after happy couple while a sad feeling grew in his chest. For a long time he wanted

to find a nice, Jewish woman to love and share himself with, but Thessaly, Greece lacked a

Jewish population big enough to be able to find himself someone. He had found himself what he

was convinced was the love of his life when he was 25, but she was long gone. Or was she?

Ethan typed away all the answers to the online questionnaire. When he was done, he left

the computer to load up his potential partners, and he walked to the nearest fish market that sold

kosher fish. It was a mile away, but Ethan loved fresh Salmon and enjoyed long walks. When he

got home he was curious about his results, but decided to cook for himself first. Once the fish

and some veggies were in the oven, he checked his computer. That’s when he saw that he

matched with an Alyson Berkowitz.

Alyson was the love of his life he had met ten years ago. She, at the time, was 21, fresh

out of college, and traveling abroad. Her plan had been to start in Greece and travel to Italy,

France, Spain and wherever more her heart desired, but that plan died when she met Ethan. They

met on one of Ethan’s long walks. She had just arrived to Greece two days prior so she didn’t

know how to get around well. After going out to dinner, she had trouble navigating her way back

to the hotel. Considering she had never traveled before and was now lost, her reaction of

breaking down in tears seemed appropriate. Ethan, however, did not know what was wrong; he

just knew he had to help. He approached her, helped her find her way home, and, after learning

that she had a Jewish last name, courageously asked her to meet him for dinner the following
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day. She agreed. The next day, he walked to her hotel to meet her so she wouldn’t get lost. From

there, they went to dinner and talked the night away. It was love at first sight. A week later she

abandoned her plans to travel any further and moved her few belongings into his place. This was

technically against Jewish belief, but was a rule they were both okay with not following.

This love story had seemly come to an end when the date for her Visa expiration

approached. They had avoided thinking about her departure and thus couldn’t discuss options of

how to continue their relationship. The week before she had to go though, she asked him to go

with her. She wanted nothing more than for him to move to Seattle with her. The decision was

too grand to make so fast and they were both still so young. In the end, they agreed to talk about

it later and maintain a long-distance relationship until then, but that never happened. She was

hurt he didn’t say yes right away, and he was scared. When he dropped her off at the airport, they

said their final goodbye. They had promised to both write, but neither ever did. Until now.

Without even looking at anyone else’s profile, Ethan clicked on Alyson’s and looked

through all her pictures. His heart raced. He debated messaging her. Part of him was still mad she

never wrote to him, but knew he had done the same. Part of him was happy to see she had never

found someone to love either. That part of him convinced him it was because they were truly the

loves of each other’s lives. He decided to write to her. Unfortunately he couldn’t think of the

right words to say; he sat in front of his screen typing and erasing so long that his salmon and

veggies burned away. Eventually, he sent the message.

How Ethan Came to the United States:

After a month of reconnecting, Ethan decided to move to Seattle. He was 35 and didn’t

have much hope for finding anyone in Greece. He proposed the idea to her, and though she was

more hesitant now than when she was 21, she agreed! He searched the internet to find out how to
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move from Greece to the United States. Eventually he found out how to apply for his visa and

did it. On the US Embassy page he saw that it would take three to six weeks to receive the

documents necessary1. Fortunately for him, it only took three weeks to get everything set up and

he packed up his stuff within the following week and flew from Thessaly to Washington to

reunite with Alyson, the love of his life.

Ethan’s Parameters:

Soon after moving to Seattle, Ethan and Alyson got married and worked on starting a

family. With both of them being very nutritionally healthy, pregnancy came fast and with twins!

Still after 10 years, Alyson and Ethan chose to still only have their twins, so he’s in a simple

family of four. For a man at age 46, Ethan stayed extremely physically fit. He’s 6’2” and 205

pounds. His BMI is 26.32 and is considered overweight, but it is because he has a lot of muscle

mass. His ideal body weight is 171 lbs. -209 lbs. so he fits within that range. Based off of this

and his BMR of 1970.15, his kilocalories (kcals) he needs is 3053.7325 a day. From those, 1374-

1985 kcals should come from carbohydrates, 305-1069 kcals from protein, and 611-1069 kcals

from lipids. In other words, Ethan should have 343.5-496.25 grams of carbohydrates, 76.25-

267.25 grams of protein, and 67.88- 118.77 grams of lipids. Because he is a male between the

ages of 31-50, the DRI says he should have 900 micrograms of Vitamin A, 90 milligrams of

Vitamin C, 600 IU of Vitamin D, 400 micrograms of folacin, 11 milligrams of zinc, 8 milligrams

of iron, 100 milligrams of calcium, 38 grams of fiber, and 1.5 grams of sodium each day. Like

half of Americans, Ethan occasionally takes a supplement to ensure he gets enough of all the

vitamins and minerals he needs2.

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Income:

Fortunately for Ethan, Alyson’s father owns a kosher fish market and gave Ethan a job

there! Ethan was very grateful, but didn’t know it was mainly because it was hard to find people

in Seattle that wanted to work with heavy and smelly fish all day. Ethan was used to the smell,

however, and loved physical activity; this explains why he’s still so fit at 46. There’s a decent

amount of Jewish people in Seattle needing kosher fish which keeps the business alive, but not

enough for Alyson’s dad to be able to pay Ethan much more than minimum wage3. According to

the Official USDA Food Plans, Ethan would be in the low-cost category and would thus have

$55.10 to spend on food each week 4.

Environment:

During the month of July, Seattle reaches mid 70 degree Fahrenheit weather, but is

typically closer to mid-60 degrees. Through the whole month, and most the year, it is also very

cloudy. Soon after Ethan’s arrival, Alyson told him to start taking Vitamin D supplements since

he wouldn’t be getting nearly as much sun as he did in Greece. He questioned if his body would

really use supplements as efficiently as getting Vitamin D from food. He found an article that

satisfied his curiosity and got him to start taking the supplements. This article compared people

who took Vitamin D supplements and people who got Vitamin D from food; they found people’s

vitamin D levels were similar regardless of how they ingested the vitamin5. Besides that, he has

perfectly good access to any food he needs in order to maintain his diet nutritious.

Culture:

Since Ethan grew up in Greece, Greek culture is a big part of his identity. He loves all

Greek food and wine. He specifically enjoys the Greek specialties of: spanakopita, tzatziki,
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psarosoupa, and fakies. Since he is very nutritiously conscious, he loved having easy access to all

the Mediterranean diet foods while living in Greece. He knew it was one of the healthiest diets

and could help him avoid getting cardiovascular related diseases6. While living in Seattle he has

been able to continue that diet and spread it onto his family, and it has only proven to be slightly

more difficult.

Religion:

Ethan and his family are all practicing Jewish people. Because of this, their meals all

have to be kosher. There are many rules that need to be followed to make food kosher and they

are centralized around eating only allowed animals, eating only the allowed parts, not consuming

blood, and not mixing milk and meat7. Ethan and his family also follow the Sabbat ritual of

having three big meals on their holy day. However, Ethan, who cooks the meals, is very aware of

how increasing calories substantially, for even just one day, could lead to obesity8. This is why he

cooks Shabbat meals very carefully and tries to keep them healthy; he doesn’t want his twins to

end up with obesity or other health problems because of their religion.

Education:

Ethan did not receive much of an education. His family never pushed him to learn too

much, so he didn’t. Fortunately, he studied all the way to the gymnasio stage of secondary

education in Greece. His wife, on the other hand, went to American college and graduated with a

teaching degree. She works now as a principle in an elementary school. With Ethan’s education

not being too extensive, working at the fish market is perfect for him. There, he gets to continue

practicing English and enough math to work efficiently.

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Physical Capabilities:

While Ethan’s education wasn’t the highest, his physical capabilities have always been

among his priorities. Running has been a passion of Ethan’s since he was a young teenager. After

a few years, Ethan started to focus on building muscle mass. He went to the gym most days of

the week for around two hours. Much of his free time was also spent learning about exercise

physiology online. This interest was also what made him so dedicated to eating enough of all his

nutrients too; he knew exercise and nutrition went hand in hand. Now, with his job that requires

him to lift and toss huge fish, he gets to put his strength and years of training to use.

Cooking Time and Skills:

Ethan’s job is full time, but conveniently timed in a way that he still has time in the day to

cook all the meals for his household. His shift normally goes from six in the morning to two in

the afternoon. After work, he takes an hour nap before walking to pick up the kids from school

and making them their afternoon snack. Soon after that, he begins cooking that day’s dinner so it

is ready for when his wife gets home. He was very good in the kitchen since he had been cooking

for himself for many years.

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Menu Plan:

On Monday, Ethan started his day with 10 ounces of yogurt topped with ½ cup of blueberries, ⅓

cup granola. In addition he had two boiled eggs and 1 ½ cups of orange juice. For a mid-morning

snack he made a smoothie that had two scoops of protein powder, 1 banana, 1 cup of

strawberries, and ⅓ cup of almond milk. When lunch came around, Ethan had a whole wheat pita

sandwich stuffed with 1 cup of spinach, 6 ounces of salmon that was shredded and mixed with

100 grams of plain Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp. of dill, and salt and pepper. Along with his sandwich he

had one apple. For his afternoon snack, he had 1 ½ cup of almonds, 5 ounces of grapes, and 2.5

ounces of cheddar jack cheese. At dinner he prepared a Mediterranean puff pastry chicken dish

paired with a Greek salad. For the puff pastry dish, he made it by laying out half of the puff

pastry on a baking sheet, then filling the middle with 2 cups of chopped spinach, 2 boneless

chicken breast that were marinated overnight in a garlic and egg mixture, then topped with pesto,

sundried tomatoes. He covered it with the second half of the puff pastry and baked it. The Greek

salad that he made included 3 chopped tomatoes, 2 chopped cucumbers, 1 small red onion

chopped, 6 black olives, seasoned with ¼ cup olive oil, 4 tbsp. of lemon juice, and salt and

pepper. A few hours after dinner Ethan felt like he needed to eat another snack so he had 2

bananas. On Tuesday, Ethan made a spinach omelet for breakfast. He used three eggs mixed with

1 cup of spinach, and ¼ cup of diced tomatoes. With the omelet, he had a peach on the side. His

morning snack was a shake that had 1 scoop of protein powder, 2 cups of milk, 2 tablespoons of

peanut butter, 1 tbsp. of chia seeds, and 2-3 ice cubes all blended together. For lunch Ethan ate a

Salmon burger with a side of French fries. The burger was a whole wheat bun, with a salmon

patty, 1 large lettuce leaf, 2 slices of tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of tzatziki sauce, 3 slices of

cucumbers, and 2 slices of onion. In the afternoon Ethan prepared a PB and J sandwich. He used
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two slices of whole wheat bread, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1 tablespoon of jelly and added

1 sliced up banana. For dinner Ethan prepared a pasta dish. He boiled 150 g of pasta then mixed

it with 5 ounces of marinara sauce he bought from the store. He also grilled 6 ounces of chicken

breast that had been seasoned with salt and pepper. In order to include some vegetables in his

meal, Ethan boiled 4 ounces of broccoli and had that on the side. On Wednesday, Ethan had two

filling burritos for breakfast. He chopped up 148 grams of a russet potato and put half a

tablespoon of oil it and baked it in the oven. Then, he cut up 100 grams of cherry tomatoes (that

he grows at home) and a cup of spinach. He threw the veggies on a skillet followed by two eggs

and cooked them up scrambled. Then, Ethan chopped up half an avocado. Ethan split the colorful

egg scramble, potatoes, and perfectly green avocado into two sections and placed it over the

whole wheat tortillas (he bought from a lady at church that made homemade Kosher ones) in

order to assemble his burritos. For Ethan’s he’d have mid-shift, he had 10.5 ounces of low-fat

yogurt with two bananas and a cup of crunchy granola mixed in. For lunch that Ethan would

have after work, Ethan cut up two apples and spread two tablespoons worth of peanut butter on

the slices. Then, he made a steaming grilled cheese out of two slices of whole wheat bread, two

slices of melted provolone cheese, and two tablespoons of homemade pesto (he also had bought

from another member of his church). For dinner, Ethan had a steaming plate of two cups of

whole wheat pasta topped with six ounces of salmon he had brought home from work. Mixed in

with the pasta, there was half a chopped onion, a clove of minced garlic, half a tablespoon of oil,

and the juice of a very juicy lemon. After eating, Ethan drank a refreshing 12 ounce can of Coke.

On Thursday, Ethan made 3 golden brown pieces of toast and smothered them with a tablespoon

of hummus each. He then topped that off with a cup of sundried tomatoes, a third of an onion,

and an avocado. On the side, he had an 8 ounce cup of orange juice. For Ethan’s mid-shift snack,
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he had six golf ball sized pieces of perfectly fried falafel that he dipped in a third of a cup’s

worth of cucumber-rich tzatziki sauce. For lunch, Ethan had a 12 ounce bowl of hot psarosoupa

he had left cooking in a slow-cooker since he had left for work. Finally, for dinner Ethan made 8

ounce spanakopitas with pita chips and an artichoke dip. He ate 2 spanakopitas, 10 chips, and a

fourth of a cup of the dip. On Friday morning, Ethan enjoyed a warm bowl of oatmeal and

berries. He used 1 cup of oatmeal and added a half cup of halved strawberries, a half cup of

blueberries and a half tablespoon of agave syrup to flavor. He also blended a power green

smoothie on Friday to help give him a boost to his morning. In his smoothie he used 1 ¼ cup

spinach, ½ cup kale, ¼ cup cucumber, ½ cup pineapple, ½ cup water, and 1 cup of soy milk to

thicken the smoothie. For Ethan’s snack at work, he packed himself a peanut butter and jelly

sandwich along with a baggy of 8 baby carrots and 3 mini 5” stalks of celery. His sandwich had 2

tablespoons of peanut butter, and one tablespoon of reduced sugar jelly on toasted whole wheat

bread. Once he returned home from work to make lunch, he opted for 2 cups of a pasta salad

made with macaroni, veggies, and Italian dressing. He enjoyed a garden salad alongside his pasta

that had ripe avocado, fresh tomato, carrots and 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and balsamic

vinaigrette. As his beverage he enjoyed a large glass of water and an 8 oz. cup of 2% milk. For

dinner he enjoyed a baked 8 oz. fillet of mahi mahi seasoned with pepper and parmesan cheese

with a side of cooked zucchini and a warmed slice of pita bread. For Ethan’s mid-day Shabbat

meal he enjoyed a chicken and spinach dish. This recipe called for ½ an onion, 3 cloves of garlic,

2 tomatoes, 0.5 oz. sun dried tomatoes, 15 low sodium black olives, 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1

tsp oregano, 2 tbsp. basil, 0.75 lbs., of chicken and 2 cups of spinach. To accompany this chicken

dish, Ethan ate 100 g of cooked zucchini and had two slices of his favorite challah bread with a

total of 4 tbsp. of hummus. For his final Shabbat meal, he enjoyed a 7 oz. glass of red wine with
10 | P a g e

his wife and helped cook the tuna. He had 1 cup of quinoa, ¼ cup walnuts, 10 oz. low sodium

tuna, ⅕ cup cilantro, ¼ cup dried cranberries. On the side he had 1 cup of low sodium beans and

2 cups of arugula. For dessert he ate 2 slices of savory chocolate mousse cake. At the end of the

day he added a vitamin D supplement. Sunday morning he enjoyed cooking a large pancake

breakfast for his family. He ate 2 pancakes with a banana and ½ cup of strawberries on top with

2 tablespoons of syrup. He also enjoyed an 8 oz. glass of orange juice. He ate an apple with 1

tablespoon of peanut butter and had 4 slices of reduced sodium cheddar with the serving size of

15 whole grain Kashi crackers as his snack. For lunch he prepared a lunch consisting of canned

and drained low sodium tuna on a Greek salad using his fresh onion, tomatoes, cucumbers and

feta cheese with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Alongside his salad he had a piece of avocado toast on

whole wheat bread. His Sunday supper consisted of ¾ cup of cooked brown rice seasoned with

fresh lime and cilantro. Atop his rice he enjoyed lettuce, a blackened seasoned chicken breast,

tomato, onion, and the other half of his avocado from lunch. This colorful plate was

accompanied by grilled yellow and red peppers and a tall glass of water.
 Wednesday Meal Calories Carbohydrates Protein Lipids Fiber Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin D
(kcal) (g) (g) (g) (g) (mcg) (mg) (IU)
Breakfast
2 eggs 140 0 12 9 0 108 0 0
1 cup spinach 7 1 1 0 1 504 8.4 0
100 g cherry tomatoes 18 4 1 0 1 153 12.6 0
1/2 russet potato 110 26 3 0 2 0 27 0
1/2 avocado 117 6 1 11 5 18 7.2 0
2 whole wheat tortillas 200 44 8 0 0 0 0 0
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 60 0 0 7 0 0 0 0
Lunch
2 whole wheat bread slices 140 26 5 2 0 0 0 0
2 low fat provolone slices 100 0 10 6 0 8 0 12
2 tbsp peanut butter 203 7 8 16 2 0 0 0
2 tbsp low sodium pesto 134 0 0 16 0 0 0 0
2 apples 160 44 0 0 10 36 9.6 0
Dinner
1/2 onion 30 8 1 0 2 0 0 0
1 clove garlic 5 1 0 0 0 0 0.6 0
2 cup whole wheat pasta 420 82 14 2 2 0 0 0
6 oz salmon 150 3 32 2 2 0 1.8 894
1 lemon 17 5 1 0 2 0 30.6 0
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 60 0 0 7 0 0 0 0
Nutrient Analysis

12 oz Coke 140 39 0 0 0 0 0 0
Snack:
2 bananas 210 54 2 0 6 36 20.4 0
10.5 oz low fat yogurt 180 21 15 4 0 0 3.6 0
1 cup granola 420 67 13 16 8 45 1.2 0
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Totals 3021 438 127 98 43 908 123 906

Recommended 3054 343.5-496.25 76.25-267.25 67.88- 118.77 38 900 60 600
Percentage DRI Met 99% withing range withing range withing range 113% 101% 205% 151%
 Folate Zinc Iron Calcium Sodium
(mcg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg)
35 1 1.44 40 130
58 1.32 0.9 30 24
11 0.5 0.18 10 4
8 0.6 1.08 20 0
61 0.7 0.36 10 5
68 0 0 0 4
0 0 0 0 0
24 4.3 1.08 0 300
6 1.7 0 300 280
24 3.3 0.54 10 65
6 0 0 0 54
8 0 0.72 160 0
1 0.2 0 20 3
0 0.5 0 10 1
16 0.8 3.6 90 2
8 5.3 1.08 0 360
6 0.06 0.18 10 1
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 45
47 0.4 0.72 20 2
31 0.2 0 530 225
100 2.4 3.96 50 8
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518 23.28 15.84 1310 1513

400 11 18 1000 1500
130% 212% 88% 131% 101%

(
 Saturday (Shabbat)Meal Plan Calories Carbohydrates Protein Lipids Fiber Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin D
(kcal) (g) (g) (g) (g) (mcg) (mg) (IU)
Mid-day Meal
1/2 onion 30 8 1 0 2 0 1 0
3 cloves garlic 15 3 1 0 0 0 1.8 0
2 medium tomatoes 50 10 2 0 2 360 48 0
1/2 oz sun dried tomato 40 8 2 0 2 54 1.2 0
15 black olives 75 3 0 8 0 0 0 0
3/4 lbs chicken 330 3 66 9 0 0 0 0
2 cups spinach 20 3 2 0 2 0 24 0
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 tsp oregano 3 1 0 0 0 9 0 0
2 tbsp basil 1 0 0 0 0 54 1.2 0
100 g zucchini 17 3 1 0 1 36 17.4 0
2 challah bread slices 160 30 0 4 0 0 0 0
4 tbsp hummus 215 26 9 10 7 9 4.8 0
Third Meal
7 ounces red wine 148 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 cup qinuoa 340 60 10 6 6 0 0 0
1/4 cup walnuts 200 4 5 20 2 0 0.6 0
1/4 cup dried cranberries 130 33 0 0 2 0 6 0
10 ounces low sodium tuna 350 0 80 5 0 0 0 4
1/5 cup cilantro 1 0 0 0 0 36 0 0
1 cup low sodium black beans 220 46 14 1 10 0 0 0
2 cups arugala 8 6 0 0 2 180 4.8 0
2 slices chocolate mousse cake 640 90 6 30 0 0 0 2
Vitamin D supplement 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 600
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Total Intake 2998 343 199 93 38 738 110.8 606

Recommended 3054 343-496.25 76.25-267.25 67.88- 118.77 38 900 60 600
Percent DRI Met 98% within range within range within range 100% 82% 185% 101%
 Folate Zinc Iron Calcium Sodium
(mcg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg)
1 0 0 20 3
0 0 0 30 3
37 0.4 1.44 40 40
0 0 1.08 0 15
0 0.1 0 0 120
24 4 2.16 0 690
116 0 2.11 80 65
0 0 0 0 0
2 0 0.36 10 0
14 0 0.18 10 0
103 1 0.36 10 8
60 0.4 0 0 0
95 1 3.42 0 120
2 0.3 0.9 20 10
78 2 3.6 0 0
118 4 0.72 20 1
0 0 3.6 0 10
12 2 0 0 175
20 0 0 20 2
129 2 3.6 120 480
39 0 0.72 80 12
26 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
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876 18.2 24.25 460 1754

400 11 18 1000 1500
219% 165% 135% 46% 117%
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Menu Costing for Wednesday

Male; Age: 46; Lives with 4 people
USDA Food Cost Plan Chosen: Low Cost Plan for July .
Budgeted amount for one week: $55.10 .
Budgeted amount for one day: $55.10/7= $7.87 .

Food Item Brand Purchase Purchase Serving Size Cost per

Name Size Price serving
Spinach Taylor 9 ounces $1.32 1 cup (1.7 $0.25
Farms ounces)
Cherry Tomato Home- N/A Free 100 g Free
grown
Avocado Avocados Single $0.99 ½ of one $0.50
from one
Mexico
Tortillas Homemade Dozen $3.00 2 tortillas $0.50

Olive Oil Pompeian 24 fl. oz. $7.99 2 different ½ $0.16

or 48 tbls servings
tbsp.
Eggs Davidson’s Dozen $2.49 2 eggs $0.41
Kosher
Russet Potato Betty 5 pounds $1.99 1 potato $0.20
Crocker (10
potatoes)
Peanut Butter Adam’s 16 $2.80 2 tbsp. $0.18
ounces or
32 tbsp.
Pesto Homemade 6 ounces $2.50 2 tbsp. $0.41
or 12
tbsp.
Apples Jonagold 3 lbs. or $3.29 2 apples $0.73
9 apples
Cheese Sargento 12 slices $3.49 2 slices $0.58

Bread Montreal 16 slices $3.15 2 slices $0.39

Kosher
Onion Trader Joe’s 3 pounds $2.49 ½ an onion $0.31
or 4
onions
Garlic Trader Joe’s 1 bulb or $0.49 1 clove $0.04
14 cloves
Pasta Barilla 16 $1.43 2 cups $0.36
16 | P a g e

ounces or
8 cups
Salmon From Work N/A Free N/A Free

Lemon Trader Joe’s 1 lemon $0.50 1 lemon $0.50

Coke Coca-Cola 12 pack $4.68 1 can or 12 fl. $0.39

ounces
Low Fat Yogurt J&J Kosher 24 pack $9.60 1½ $0.60
Dairy containers
Granola Outtakes 72 $15.54 4.3 ounces or $0.92
ounces 1 cup
(in 4
packets)
Banana Trader Joe’s 2 $0.19 each 2 bananas $0.38
bananas

Total for one day: $7.81

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Discussion

How Ethan Came to the United States

Ethan had reconnected with a long lost love from his past through a dating website,

Jewcier.com, which connected Jewish people with one another. Her name was Alyson Berkowitz

and they had met when they were both in their 20s and she had been studying abroad in Greece.

Unfortunately it ended because she had to go back to the United States and he had to stay in

Greece. Now though, he was at a point in his life where he was ready for change and so that’s

when he decided he wanted to move to the United States to give him and Alyson a real chance of

building a relationship.

Ethan’s Parameters

Ethan and Alyson got married shortly after he came to the United States and started their

family. They had two healthy twin babies, a boy and a girl. Ten years later they are still a family

of four and Ethan is now 46 years old. He is 6’2, physically fit, and 205 pounds. His BMI

number is 26.32, categorizing him as overweight, because he has a lot of muscle mass. He is

within his ideal body weight of 171 lbs. - 209 lbs. Through this information and his BMR of

1970.15, his kilocalories needs are 3,053.7325 per day. For the different food groups, he needs

1374-1985 kcals of carbohydrates, 305-1069 kcals of protein, and 611-1069 kcals from lipids. In

terms of grams this is, 343.5- 496.25 grams of carbohydrates, 76.25-267.25 grams of protein, and

67.88-118.77 grams of lipids. Based off his age, his DRI vitamins and minerals are 900

micrograms of vitamin A, 90 milligrams of vitamin C, 600 IU of Vitamin D, 400 micrograms of

folacin, 11 milligrams of zinc, 8 milligrams of iron, 100 milligrams of calcium, 38 grams of

fiber, and 1.5 grams of sodium each day (see appendix 1 for all calculations). Ethan occasionally
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takes supplements of vitamins and minerals. When he doesn’t meet his adequate intake of

vitamins and minerals he’ll take supplements2.

Income

Ethan works at Alyson’s father’s kosher fish market. With this job Ethan didn’t make a

lot of money but with Alyson’s income they have enough to support their family. Based off the

official USDA Food Plans4, Ethan would be considered in the low-cost category and would have

$55.10 for a weekly budget for food. Ethan enjoys cooking for his family so sometimes this

would make it more difficult when purchasing ingredients. For example, he wanted to buy

asparagus for his Wednesday dinners but it would have been over his budget and so he was

unable to buy it.

Environment

Living in Seattle, the average temperature range during the month of July is mid 60- mid

70 degrees Fahrenheit. Although it is summertime, it is still mostly cloudy, like the rest of the

year. Due to this lack of sunlight, Ethan thought that he might be lacking vitamin D since his

body was used to a lot of sunlight living in Greece. He found an article that discussed the

difference of taking vitamin D supplements versus eating foods with vitamin D and found that

both ways of ingestion were adequate5. Ethan found that he was getting enough vitamin D on

some days through his meals so on days when he didn’t he would take a vitamin D supplement.

Culture

Living in Greece most of his life, being Greek is a big part of who Ethan is. He especially

loves the food and wine of the culture and takes great interest in implementing Mediterranean

food into his family’s diet. Being very into his fitness, his nutrition is also an important aspect of

staying physically fit. The Mediterranean diet has a lot of health benefits, one in particular is the
19 | P a g e

prevention of cardiovascular disease6. Since moving to Seattle, Ethan hasn’t found it hard to

incorporate Greek meals into his diet. He still has easy access to fresh seafood like he did in

Greece. He truly enjoys cooking traditional meals for his family and teaching them about his

Greek heritage.

Religion

Ethan stays very true to his Jewish roots when it comes to his cooking as well. All of his

meals are prepared kosher. Jewish law requires kindness to animals, and that is something the

whole family cares about7. They also must abide to the laws stating that no meat should be

consumed alongside milk, the avoidance of certain animals, and celebrating the holy days

through fasting are some of the ways in which Ethan must change his diet for his religion.

Besides his holy days where he must fast, each Friday night begins the start of Jewish Sabbath.

During Shabbat there will be a primary meal on Friday night and then is followed by two more

holy meals before sundown on Sunday. This day of Sabbath is great for family time, but due to

the smaller quantity of meals during the Sabbath, Ethan has some difficulty reaching his full

caloric and nutrient intake for the day on Saturday. He tends to indulge well during the two

spaced out meals, but it is difficult to reach his necessary requirement through 2 meals without

completely over indulging. This explains why on the nutrient analysis for Saturday he had some

difficulty reaching his DRI limits, specifically he only reached 46% of his calcium intake

requirement for the day. By adding valuable meat and protein for energy during Shabbat, he may

have missed out on some of his typical calcium intake through lack of dairy. He knows his diet is

not always perfect on the Sabbath day, so he tries very hard to have well balanced nutrition

throughout the week to compensate for some of the nutrients that might be a little low on
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Saturday. With the social and family support, the kosher Jewish diet is one that Ethan is very

accustomed to and gladly follows to help maintain both his religion and healthful lifestyle8.

Education

Ethan’s education includes solely his high school education as well as his work

experience. He has gained quite a bit of knowledge in the fish industry and everything that he has

learned has helped him improve as a worker, husband, and father. His real life experiences

working in the fish shop are very valuable and help to balance out his lower level education.

Physical Capabilities

Ethan is a large, fit, Greek man who has been working in the fish shop for many years.

He is physically capable of quite a lot of heavy lifting and gets in quite a bit of his fitness at

work. He strongly values physical fitness, so he makes an effort to remain capable of many

strenuous demanding labor. He takes care of his body with good sleep, water, and nutrition so

that he can remain at his best at work and for his family. He also enjoys getting outside with his

kids and keeping fit.

Cooking time and Skills

Ethan’s style of cooking revolves mainly around the Greek and Mediterranean diet. His

passion stems from his memories of Greece and he strives to keep that a focal point in his daily

life. He learned how to cook in Greece and has brought his skills with him to the U.S. Ethan has

a great passion for providing healthy meals for his family and works hard on trying new recipes

so he and his family never get too tired of the same types of food. Luckily their whole family

enjoys fish and fish comes at a low price because of their ties to the fish market. He has learned

to get creative with their fish meals so that they’re always satisfied with their food.
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Summary

Ethan’s meal planning included a balanced variety of foods from the different types of

food groups. He always made sure to follow Jewish food guidelines along with incorporating

Greek food into his meals. Some of his ingredients would be used for different meals for

example: salmon, tzatziki sauce, pesto, or sundried tomatoes. Ethan’s work schedule is very

consistent during the weekdays, so his meal times are very regular. Since he needs to be at work

by 6am he wakes up early and eats his breakfast around 5am. Then by mid-morning he is hungry

again so he eats a snack around 10. Around 2 he gets off work so that’s usually when Ethan will

eat his lunch. On some days if he eats his lunch early, or is hungry midafternoon, he eats a

second snack. Since Ethan is off work earlier than Alyson, he prepares dinner for his family, so

he usually starts cooking around 5 to eat dinner by 6:30. On Saturdays, he practices Shabbat

traditions and so his meals only consists of a midday meal and the Third Meal. On Sundays he

enjoys the extra family time and often tries to cook a nice breakfast for the family to enjoy the

end of their weekend.

In Ethan’s nutrient analysis for his Wednesday meal, he met 99% of his 3,054 total kcals

calories per day. For carbohydrates, he was within his range of 343.5 g- 496.25 g. His range for

protein was 76.25-267.25g and was within range. Ethan’s fiber DRI intake was met by 113%.

For lipids he was also within range of 67.88-118.77g. For vitamin A, C, and D the percent DRI

met was 101%, 205%, 151% respectively. The percentages for Folate, Zinc, Iron, Calcium, and

Sodium, were 130%, 212%, 88%, 131%, and 101% respectively. Vitamin A, Vitamin C,

Calcium, and Iron were given in percent of daily value on MyFitnessPal where nutrients were

found and can be seen in Appendix 2. They were converted to their respective gram amount in

Appendix 3. Folate, Vitamin D, and zinc were all found by individually searching for each food
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on a variety of internet pages. This was also the day that the meal costing was done. Ethan was

able to stay within budget with 6 cents left over to buy all his ingredients. Fortunately for him,

with his garden that his family grows in their backyard, he didn’t not have to spend money on

cherry tomatoes. He also did not have to buy any salmon because he was able to get it for free

from work. (See appendices 2 and 3 for nutrient analysis and calculations)

For Ethan’s Saturday nutrient analysis, he met 98% of his daily recommended intake for

calories. His carbohydrates, protein, and lipids were all within the same ranges as previously

listed. He had 100% of his fiber intake of 38 grams. For vitamin A, C, and D, he reached 82%

185%, and 101% respectively. He had 900 micrograms of vitamin A, 60 micrograms of vitamin

C, and 600 micrograms of vitamin D. His folate intake reached 219% with an intake of 876

micrograms. His iron, calcium, and sodium intake percentages were 135%, 46%, and 117%.

Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron were given in percent of daily value on MyFitnessPal

where nutrients were found and can be seen in Appendix 2. They were converted to their

respective gram amount in Appendix 3. Folate, Vitamin D, and zinc were all found by

individually searching for each food on a variety of internet pages. His calcium intake was very

low this day because this was the day he practices Shabbat and so he only has two meals and

with the two meals dairy and meat cannot be eaten together, so his calcium intake was lacking.

Conclusion

Overall Ethan is a very healthy, physically fit 46 year old man. He incorporates a lot of

Mediterranean and Jewish dishes into his diet because of his heritage and religion. After moving

from Greece to Seattle, he wasn’t meeting his normal vitamin D intake so he began taking a

supplement every once in a while. His job allows him to get physical activity worked into his day
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and get home early to pick his kids up from school and cook for his family. With all the variety

of nutrients and food in his life, he and his family lived a healthy and happy life.
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References

1
Embassy of the US. How long will it take to get my passport. Visas. cited 2016 Oct 1;
https://suriname.usembassy.gov/how-long-will-it-take.html
2
Fulgoni, VL., III. "Foods, fortificants, and supplements: where do Americans get their
nutrients?" The Journal of Nutrition 141.10 (2016): 1847-854. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
3
Ira M. Sheskin and Arnold Dashefsky (Editors) . "Jewish population in the United States,
2012." American Jewish Year Book (2012) (Dordrecht: Springer) p. 143-211.
4
“Official USDA food plan: July 2016.” United States Department of Agriculture (2016).
5
Rogers, Tara S. "Is bone equally responsive to calcium and vitamin D intake from food vs.
supplements? Use of 41 calcium tracer kinetic model." Bone Reports 5 (2016): 117-123.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235218721630016X
6
Estroch, Ramon, and Emilio Ros. "Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a
Mediterranean Diet." The New England Journal of Medicine (2013): n. pag.
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303#t=article
7
Tieman, Marco , Faridah Hj Hassan , "Convergence of food systems: Kosher, Christian and
Halal", British Food Journal, Vol. 117 Iss: 9, 2313 - 2327.
http://www.emeraldinsight.com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/doi/full/10.1108/BFJ-02-2015-0058
8
Mount, Amanda, and Vanessa Bogle. "The Dieting Experience: A Jewish Perspective." Journal
of Health Psychology, 21.4 (2016): 457-467. http://library.calstate.edu/sandiego/articles/record?
id=sagej10.1177_1359105314528012
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Appendices

Appendix 1: Calculations for Parameter’s and Macronutrient Needs

Ethan’s parameters: Male, 205 lbs., 6 feet 2 inches, 46 years old

Height
 (6 feet x (12 inches/ 1 foot)) + 2 inches
 = 72 inches + 2 inches
 = 74 inches
BMI- (weight in lbs. / (height in inches x height in inches)) x 703
 (205 lbs./(74 inches x 74 inches)) x 703
 (205 lbs./5476 inches) x 703
 0.037436 x 703
 = 26.3176

Ideal Body Weight- 106 lbs. + (6 lbs. x inches after 5 feet)

 6 feet 2 inches - 5 feet = 1 foot 2 inches.
 1 foot x (12 inches/ 1 foot) = 12 inches + 2 inches= 14 inches.
 106 lbs. + (6 lbs. x 14 inches)
 106 + 84 = 190 +/- 10%
 190 x .10= 19 lbs.
 190 - 19= 171 lbs.
 190 + 19= 209 lbs.
 Range: 171 lbs. -209 lbs.

BMR- 66 + (6.23 x weight in lbs.) + (12.7 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age)

 66 + (6.23 x 205) + (12.7 x 74) - (6.8 x 46)
 66 + 1277.15 + 939.8 - 312.8
 2282.95 - 312.8
 =1970.15

Harris Benedict- BMR x 1.55 for moderately active

 1970.15 x 1.55
 = 3053.7325 kcals needed a day

Carbohydrate AMDR-
 45-65 % of calories
 3054 x 0.45 = 1374.3
 3054 x 0.65 = 1985.1
 Range: 1374-1985 kcals
 Divided by 4
 = 343.5-496.25 grams
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Protein AMDR-
 10-35% of calories
 3054 x 0.1 = 305.4
 3054 x 0.35 = 1068.9
 Range: 305-1069 kcals
 Divided by 4
 = 76.25-267.25 grams

Fat AMDR-
 20-35% of calories
 3054 x 0.2 = 610.8
 3054 x 0.35 = 1068.9
 Range: 611-1069 kcals
 Divided by 9
 = 67.88- 118.77 grams

Appendix 2: Wednesday Meal Computerized Nutrient Analysis - MyFitnessPal

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Appendix 3: Wednesday meal Calculations

 Vitamin A- Took % found in food and converted it to mcg using 900 mcg as 100% DV.
o Eggs 12%: 900 x 0.12 = 108 mcg
o Spinach 56%: 900 x 0.56= 504 mcg
o Cherry tomato 17%: 900 x 0.17= 153 mcg
o Avocado 2%: 900 x 0.02= 18 mcg
o Provolone cheese 8%: 900 x 0.08= 72 mcg
o Apple 4%: 900 x 0.04= 36 mcg
o Asparagus 20%: 900 x 0.2= 180 mcg
o Banana 4%: 900 x 0.04= 36 mcg
o Granola 5%: 900 x 0.05= 45 mcg

 Vitamin C- Took % found in food and converted it to mg using 60 mg as 100% DV.

o Spinach 14%: 60 x 0.14 = 8.4 mg
o Cherry tomato 21%: 60 x 0.21 = 12.6 mg
o Potato 45% : 60 x 0.45 = 27 mg
o Avocado 12%: 60 x 0.12 = 7.2 mg
o Apples 16%: 60 x 0.16 = 9.6 mg
o Asparagus 13%: 60 x 0.13 = 7.8 mg
o Banana 34%: 60 x 0.34 = 20.4 mg
o Garlic 1%: 60 x 0.01 = 0.6 mg
o Granola 2%: 60 x 0.02 = 1.2 mg
o Lemon 51%: 60 x 0.51 = 30.6 mg
o Salmon 3%: 60 x 0.03 =1.8 mg
o Yogurt 6%: 60 x 0.06 =3.6 mg
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 Calcium- Took % found in food and converted into mg using 1,000 mg as 100% DV.
o Apples 16%: 1000 x 0.16 = 160 mg
o Asparagus 3%: 1000 x 0.03 = 30 mg
o Avocado 1%: 1000 x 0.01 = 10 mg
o Banana 2%: 1000 x 0.02 = 20 mg
o Provolone 30%: 1000 x 0.30 = 300 mg
o Cherry Tomato 1%: 1000 x 0.01 = 10 mg
o Eggs 4%: 1000 x 0.04 = 40 mg
o Garlic 1%: 1000 x 0.01 = 10 mg
o Granola 5%: 1000 x 0.05 = 50 mg
o Lemon 1%: 1000 x 0.01 = 10 mg
o Onion 2%: 1000 x 0.02 = 20 mg
o Pasta 9%: 1000 x 0.09 = 90 mg
o Peanut butter 1%: 1000 x 0.01 = 10 mg
o Potato 2%: 1000 x 0.02 = 20 mg
o Spinach 3%: 1000 x 0.03 = 30 mg
o Yogurt 53%: 1000 x 0.53 = 530 mg

 Iron- Took % found in food and converted to mg using 18 mg as 100% DV.

o Apples 4%: 18 x 0.04 = 0.72 mg
o Asparagus 16%: 18 x 0.16 = 2.88 mg
o Avocado 2%: 18 x 0.02 = 0.36 mg
o Banana 4%: 18 x 0.04 = 0.72 mg
o Bread 6%: 18 x 0.06 = 1.08 mg
o Cherry Tomato 1%: 18 x 0.01 = 0.18 mg
o Eggs 8%: 18 x 0.08 = 1.44 mg
o Granola 22%: 18 x 0.22 = 3.96 mg
o Lemon 1%: 18 x 0.01 = 0.18 mg
o Pasta 20%: 18 x 0.20 = 3.6 mg
o Peanut butter 3%: 18 x 0.03 = 0.54 mg
o Potatoes 6%: 18 x 0.06 = 1.08 mg
o Salmon 6%: 18 x 0.06 = 1.08 mg
o Spinach 5%: 18 x 0.05 = 0.9 mg
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Appendix 4: Saturday’s Computerized Nutrient Analysis- MyFitnessPal

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Appendix 5: Saturday Meal Calculations

 Vitamin A- Took % found in food and converted it to mcg using 900 mcg as 100% DV
o Arugula 20%: 900 x 0.20 = 180
o Basil 6%: 900 x 0.06 = 54
o Cilantro 4%: 900 x 0.04 = 36
o Hummus 1% 900 x 0.01 = 9
o Sun dried tomatoes 6%: 900 x 0.06 = 54
o Oregano 1%: 900 x 0.01 = 9
o Tomato 40% 900 x 0.4 = 360
o Zucchini 4% 900 x 0.04 = 36

 Vitamin C- Took % found in food and converted it to mg using 60 mg as 100% DV.

o Arugula 8% 60 x 0.08 = 4.8
o Basil 2%: 60 x 0.02 = 1.2
o Dried Cranberries 10%: 60 x 0.1 = 6
o Garlic 3%: 60 x 0.03 = 1.8
o Hummus 8% 60 x 0.08 = 4.8
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o Sun dried tomatoes 2%: 60 x 0.02 = 1.2

o Spinach 40%: 60 x 0.4 = 24
o Tomato 80% 60 x 0.8 = 48
o Walnut 1%: 60 x 0.01 = 0.6
o Zucchini 29%: 60 x 0.29 = 17.4

 Calcium- Took % found in food and converted into mg using 1,000 mg as 100% DV.
o Arugula 8% 1000 x 0.08 = 80
o Basil 1%: 1000 x 0.01 = 10
o Beans 12% 1000 x 0.12 = 120
o Cilantro 2% 1000 x 0.02 = 20
o Garlic 3% 1000 x 0.03 = 30
o Hummus 8% 1000 x 0.08 = 80
o Onion 2%: 1000 x 0.02 = 20
o Oregano 1%: 1000 x 0.01 = 10
o Spinach 8%: 1000 x 0.08 =80
o Tomato 4% 1000 x 0.04 = 40
o Walnuts 2%: 1000 x 0.02 = 20
o Wine 2%: 1000 x 0.02 = 20
o Zucchini 1%: 1000 x 0.01 = 10

 Iron- Took % found in food and converted to mg using 18 mg as 100% DV.

o Arugula 4%: 18 x 0.04 = 0.72
o Basil 1%: 18 x 0.01 = 0.18
o Beans 20%: 18 x 0.2 = 3.6
o Chicken 12%: 18 x 0.12 = 2.16
o Dried cranberries 2%: 18 x 0.02 = 3.6
o Hummus 19% 18 x 0.19 = 3.42
o Sun dried tomatoes 6%: 18 x 0.06 = 1.08
o Oregano 2%: 18 x 0.02 = 0.36
o Quinoa 20%: 18 x 0.2 = 3.6
o Spinach 15%: 18 x 0.15 = 2.7
o Tomato 8%: 18 x 0.08 = 1.44
o Walnuts 4%: 18 x 0.04 = 0.72
o Wine 5%: 18 x 0.05 = 0.9
o Zucchini 2%: 18 x 0.02 = 0.36
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Name:______________________ Points_________________
Comments

1. Introduction 25
Individual defined – description 5 4 3 2 1
Individual defined – religion, culture, ethnicity 5 4 3 2 1
Individual defined – education, skill, location 5 4 3 2 1
Individual defined – Needs, limitations, income 5 4 3 2 1
Individual defined – age, gender, body size etc 5 4 3 2 1

Total:______________

2. Meal Planning 20
Appropriate food 5 4 3 2 1
Variety 5 4 3 2 1
Appeal 5 4 3 2 1
Complete menus for 7 days 5 4 3 2 1

Total:______________

3. Nutrient Analyses 10
Two days complete 5 4 3 2 1
Meet DRIs 5 4 3 2 1

Total:______________

4. Menu Costing 10
One day complete 5 4 3 2 1
Meets Food Plan Budget 5 4 3 2 1

Total:______________

5. Discussion and Summary 30

Individual chosen 5 4 3 2 1
Culture, ethnicity, etc. 5 4 3 2 1
Menu Plan 5 4 3 2 1
Nutrient analysis 5 4 3 2 1
Menu Cost 5 4 3 2 1
Conclusion 5 4 3 2 1

Total:______________

6. Mechanics 15

Spelling and grammar 5 4 3 2 1

Organization of project 5 4 3 2 1
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Formatting/presentation 5 4 3 2 1

Total:_______________

7. References 10

Correct format 5 4 3 2 1
Recent citations 5 4 3 2 1

Total:_______________

Appendices + _________________________

- _________________________