Due to isolation from external
world the local people were totally self sufficient in foods however, the
production was not enough to provide enough calories. Different local traditional foods were prepared and consumed locally.
Majority of people were producing buckwheat and barley to prepare bread.
Different dried and fresh fruits were also consumed as meal. Almost all households
were rearing considerable number of cattle so meat and other dairy products
were an important part of traditional diet. It is said that people were
waiting for the ripening of the first fruit, mulberry to eat as food. During
summer times most of families were not consuming any other foods and were
consuming fresh fruits. During summer people were storing food items so to
be consumed during winter. Most of the families were facing scarcity of food
items during springs. During 1970s wheat was also introduced which fully
replaced the traditional crops during late 1980s. On the other hand the
opening of KKH during 1978 linked the region with plains of Pakistan thus
people started to import food items from cities. KKH also led the
commercialization of agriculture and potato as cash crop replaced wheat. Now
local people are predominantly depending on food items exported from cities.
The changing food trends can be witnessed from the emerging type of new
causes of deaths such as heart attacks and CVA.
During 1990s, due to the opening
of the region to outside influences through media and road infrastructures
the local traditional dishes were almost replaced by Pakistani foods. The
local traditional foods are now prepared during special occasions and
festivals. Some of the important traditional foods are as below: