Food for Thought
Food is everywhere. Food shapes our lives.
Food is a basic need and is central in our society. Yet it is more than just fuel as it is attached to so many emotions. Happiness, anxiety, stress, comfort, excitement... the list goes on. It not only fuels our bodies and minds, but can also bring people together or put distance between them. For some it can create a sense of community and belonging, while for others a feeling of isolation and inadequacy. These associations with food are because it is so central in our lives.
Think of how many parts of your day revolve around food. Whether it is lunch, a birthday celebration, catching up with an old friend, or cheering someone up - the encounter is usually centered around food and drink. Many of our happiest memories are around a table with family and friends. But for those who don't have the same access to food - birthdays and lunches can create anxiety, the feeling of embarrassment or social exclusion as people cannot participate or provide in the same way.
For me food has always been a sense of comfort and a way for my family to connect (a good majority of my family memories are around a dinner table). Yet I think most of us can relate to a time where food has caused us stress. Maybe money was tight or allergies were an issue. Even just trying to stick to a strict budget is tough. Your at the store and your mind races: will this be enough for the week, what is the best deal, is this even good for me? When a dietary restriction is added into the mix food can become a huge source of anxiety. Even the enjoyable experience of someone cooking you a meal can become stressful.
In my opinion it is a basic human right to have access to safe, affordable and culturally appropriate food. Food not only fuels us, nourishes our bodies and improves our health but also shapes the way we feel and interact. These ideas have been around for sometime with Fieldhouse (1995) discussing how food is a means of showing friendship, engaging with others and expressing concern. And more recently with Choi (2014) discussing how food can be identity, pleasure, community and, humanity. This emphasizes how central and important food really is. We need to reflect this importance in our policies and actions in order to shape stronger communities.
So I challenge you to think about what food means to you and how it has shaped your life. I encourage you to share with others so we can start a conversation around food.
#fortheloveoffood #ourjourneythroughfood
Fieldhouse, P. (1995). Social functions of food. In Food and Nutrition: Customs and Culture , pp. 78–105. New York: Springer.
Choi, A. (2014). What Americans can learn from other food cultures. IDEAS.TED.COM. Retrieved from https://ideas.ted.com/what-americans-can-learn-from-other-food-cultures/
Think of how many parts of your day revolve around food. Whether it is lunch, a birthday celebration, catching up with an old friend, or cheering someone up - the encounter is usually centered around food and drink. Many of our happiest memories are around a table with family and friends. But for those who don't have the same access to food - birthdays and lunches can create anxiety, the feeling of embarrassment or social exclusion as people cannot participate or provide in the same way.
For me food has always been a sense of comfort and a way for my family to connect (a good majority of my family memories are around a dinner table). Yet I think most of us can relate to a time where food has caused us stress. Maybe money was tight or allergies were an issue. Even just trying to stick to a strict budget is tough. Your at the store and your mind races: will this be enough for the week, what is the best deal, is this even good for me? When a dietary restriction is added into the mix food can become a huge source of anxiety. Even the enjoyable experience of someone cooking you a meal can become stressful.
In my opinion it is a basic human right to have access to safe, affordable and culturally appropriate food. Food not only fuels us, nourishes our bodies and improves our health but also shapes the way we feel and interact. These ideas have been around for sometime with Fieldhouse (1995) discussing how food is a means of showing friendship, engaging with others and expressing concern. And more recently with Choi (2014) discussing how food can be identity, pleasure, community and, humanity. This emphasizes how central and important food really is. We need to reflect this importance in our policies and actions in order to shape stronger communities.
So I challenge you to think about what food means to you and how it has shaped your life. I encourage you to share with others so we can start a conversation around food.
#fortheloveoffood #ourjourneythroughfood
Fieldhouse, P. (1995). Social functions of food. In Food and Nutrition: Customs and Culture , pp. 78–105. New York: Springer.
Choi, A. (2014). What Americans can learn from other food cultures. IDEAS.TED.COM. Retrieved from https://ideas.ted.com/what-americans-can-learn-from-other-food-cultures/
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