This paper discusses the relevance of sociocultural characterization to an understanding of the food consumption patterns of families headed by inmigrant Negro manual workers in the central city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Field techniques employed in ethnological studies and in dietary surveys were followed in this study. The original population consisted of 63 female household heads of southern (predominantly rural) origin who resided in a specific census tract in the central city of Milwaukee. Twenty-three of the sixty-three female household heads participating in the study were intensively interviewed. Measurements were made of one week's food consumption of these 232 families, permitting comparisons of the cost, variety, and nutritive quality of the diet. National and racial indexes of socioeconomic status were not very useful in classifying the respondents. However, in terms of values, attitudes, beliefs, and practices, three sociocultural groups emerged. Findings of this study are stated to have applications to Office of Economic Opportunity policy concerns. In order to achieve the specific goals of the OEO program, it is necessary to recognize and identify the various subcultural groups residing in target areas which may appear to be homogenous communities. (Author/JM)