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Food as Communication
Food is what provides human beings with the essential nutrients required in order to survive. It has been studied by thousands of anthropologists, sociologists and even cultural historians but it is only just starting to be studied by communication scholars. With the amount of food that is produced and consumed each year, it is important that we understand what meanings are associated with these food items and how food might play a role in shaping our perception of not only the culture we live in but also the way we see the world. Scholars have claimed that we can view food as “adhering to the same practices as languages because food is a code that can be seen to express patterns about social relationships”. The food that we eat does much more than simply provide our bodies with nutrients. It is an expression of our culture, our background and even our own personalities. Often individuals define who they are through an expression of what they eat. For example, one individual may identify as a vegan while another may identify as a pescatarian. Some people consider themselves to be foodies while others prefer to be called vegetarian. Of course, we can’t forget to mention those individuals who identify as carnivores and love eating meat. We use food to express our identities to a variety of different people in different ways. For example, an individual at a family gathering may eat multiple plates of food. However, the same individual may only eat one plate of food on a date to communicate to their partner that she/ he is health conscious and doesn’t want to be perceived as eating too much. The type of food we purchase also plays a role in shaping our identity. While going out to eat is perceived as a luxury and determines a certain level of class, the quality of food we purchase also reveals a little bit about who we are. Foodies may be the type of people who only buy high quality meat paired with organic fruits and vegetables while somebody who has less money may purchase food on sale. In this example, the foodie may be perceived to be of higher class than the individual looking to save money. Food & Our Connection with Others While food may play a crucial role in determining who we are as individuals it also connects us to others. The public talks about food constantly, our television networks are overwhelmed with food programming and magazines have food recipes pasted all over their front pages. Food allows us to connect with others in a variety of ways. It connects us to others through social interactions, through entertainment purposes and through fine arts. It allows us to make conscious choices about what we are consuming while creating memories and sharing the joy and the love of food with others. Brillat-Savarian, a gastronome, once claimed, “tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you who you are”. This statement confirms that the food choices in which we make on a daily basis provide others with a piece of information about ourselves that we may not even be aware we are sharing.

Similarities are often drawn between human body parts and certain foods. Heads are often seen as melons, breasts as pairs and male genitalia as sausages,  We use these similarities to describe how other individuals may look or even how they make act. If a person is described as a vegetable then he/she is perceived to be lazy and lethargic compared to someone who may be referred to as a fruit in which case the individual is perceived as unintelligent, silly or mindless. Food also connects us to the rest of the world by trading resources such as poultry, beef and other meats for things like citrus fruits or grains. In the 1980’s food globalization was introduced in the European markets when a wide variety of exotic foods were available for trade. Food globalization has enabled the ability for countries to offer food that is essentially foreign in comparison to their traditional food. For example, in many cities around the world a variety of different food types can be found including Chinese food, Mexican food, Afghan food, Indian food, American food, Japanese food, etc. By trying new types of food, consumers are immersed in the world of a culture in which they are not usually apart of. This opportunity provides consumers with a chance to connect and communicate with other individuals and cultures that they otherwise would not be able to.

Another important aspect to consider is how we eat. As we continue to evolve so does the technology that we use to help us cook and consume food. In a society where everybody is always on the go, fast-food restaurants have become more and more popular. Microwaveable dinners are now available in grocery stores so that we are able to eat a full meal within minutes of getting home and thousands of food products are marketed as “on the go”. It has become clear that we organize our environment around food culture so that food becomes the primary subject of verbal communication and plays a role in promoting the relationships we have with others and with ourselves. (Bellmunt, p. 316).