Identity and its loss/preservation for emigrants in the Western world largely depends on the state policy of the host country regarding emigrants. Finland has been accepting refugees from different countries for a long time and the policy towards them has been worked out. The strategies of the emigrants themselves are known to be varied and sometimes opposite. Maintaining identity is nevertheless important for many emigrants. Food traditions play an important role in this. Often these traditions require certain products and special forms of their processing. We studied the food preferences of emigrants in one of the districts of Helsinki. This is the area with the maximum diversity of ethnic composition of the population, shops with traditional products and restaurants serving national cuisine. We conducted a survey of residents of the area and studied the assortment of shops and restaurants. In answers to questions, emigrants talked about their diet, how it changes, and what is valuable to them during their stay in a foreign country. Preliminary findings show the extreme importance of national traditions in preserving identity. And the importance of developing an ethnic food economy to the employment economy.