The second wave of immigration came from the mid-1980s through to the end of the 1990s. Hundreds of thousands of people came to Canada between 1975 and 1985, with more to follow. They settled predominantly in urban centres like Toronto. As Canada continued to accept Vietnamese refugees, also with them came a new immigrant class. Vietnamese-Canadians in Toronto settled across the city, predominantly in Chinatown near Spadina-Dundas as well as in Mississauga.
The third wave of Vietnamese immigration is occurring right now as we continue to see globalization and ease of transportation making it easier for immigrants to come to Canada. Ontario has the biggest collection of Vietnamese-Canadians by province and of major metropolitan areas, the GTA has 74,000 Vietnamese-Canadians – more than any other area including Montreal (39,000), Vancouver (35,000), and Calgary (21,000).
Vietnamese-Canadians in Toronto
The growth of Vietnamese culture in Toronto in the past few decades has been tremendous. Numerous Vietnamese-Canadians in Toronto have gone on to notable achievements in art, business, sports, entertainment, fashion, post-secondary education, and politics. The GTA has 4 Vietnamese newspapers – Thoi Bao, Thoi Moi, Viethomes Magazines, and Little Saigon Canada. There’s also more than 19 Vietnamese-owned supermarkets region-wide, numerous Toronto Vietnamese restaurants serving up some of the GTA’s best pho, and more. There’s been much integration of Vietnamese culture into contemporary living in the GTA.
The food preferences of Vietnamese-Canadians
There’s a lot of North American foods that Vietnamese-Canadian families eat, including everything from hamburgers to French fries, pizza, and more. These foods we don’t have in Vietnam. There’s also a lot of Canadian-based foods which are similar to Vietnamese, such as certain salads, or the way some meats are prepared, soups, and even with the spices or herbs used. These are wonderful additions to the kitchens of Vietnamese families in Canada, some of which don’t necessarily indulge in traditional Vietnamese eating as much as one may assume.
Why we don’t eat ‘traditional’ in Canada
Even with Vietnamese supermarkets and corporate chains in Canada carrying ingredients similar to what’s available in Vietnam, you don’t necessarily have the same access or the same spices, herbs, vegetables, or fish. Therefore, food habits have to change and this means traditional recipes having been adapted to a Canadianized variant. In fact, Vietnamese who came on in the first or second wave of immigration experienced even more of a restriction in accessing traditional ingredients which meant a modified version of the classic Vietnamese diet.
These days, many Vietnamese-Canadian families still stick with Vietnamese recipes but those which are closest to Canadian versions. For example, spring rolls and bread rolls are simple to make in comparison with other recipes. This makes them more likely to be created and shared. Things like rice, noodles, fresh vegetables, and healthy herbs are also very trendy in Canadian eating right now, in addition to being figureheads in the average Vietnamese diet. These are relatively easy to find and the recipes can be made in very simple ways.
The modification of pho and other dishes
As an immigrant to Canada, you work with the available resources to give yourself the best experience whether that’s in food, lifestyle, or in your home. When it comes to making pho and Vietnamese cooking using coconut milk, black pepper, lemongrass, tamarind, limes, fish sauce, and other ingredients, there’s a lot of modifications one can make to satisfy a hearty, balanced meal.
Like Canada does with stews and soups, many Vietnamese-Canadian households make large batches of pho to not only feed them during that day but also to keep the pho for leftovers assigned to the days ahead. Pho is a nutritious, healthy meal with a lot of health benefits and makes for a perfect leftover meal that’s easy to heat up in a few minutes or less. Although the time investment in creating the perfect broth is an art, once there, you can possibly have a traditional Vietnamese meal to take with you all week long and sometimes longer.
What is the typical Vietnamese-Canadian meal?
There isn’t one. Just like other cultures that have come here, we are all individuals. Sure, we have our Vietnamese background that unifies us however as individuals, we subscribe to different lifestyles just like any other Canadian group. Some of us are vegan and vegetarian Vietnamese eaters which means a lot of these recipes get adapted to no-meat or meat-substitute meals. Naturally, some families become more integrated into Canadian eating than they perhaps realize, pulling from non-Vietnamese meals for the majority of their meals.
There’s also so many diets out there that some of us subscribe to. While Vietnamese eating is extremely, extremely healthy, it’s on a dish by dish basis really. Some diets recommend modifications to what one’s eating, encouraging some to restrict carbs, fats, sugars, or salt. The keto diet is another very trendy diet, alongside the Whole30, a Paleolithic diet, and others. Ultimately, when trying to assign certain characteristics to the food habits and preferences of a Vietnamese-Canadian, it’s important to note that these individual differences still exist.
Are you looking for healthy Vietnamese eating in Toronto? Visit TorontoPHO today. We have vegetable and vegan options, low-carb meals, low-fat meals, and more. Of course, we’re known for having Toronto’s best pho but there’s so much more to us. Please, drop by any time!
