Food Culture Definition

What is food culture?

Food culture can be defined as habits, rituals, practices, belief systems, values,
lifestyle, traditions, and customs centered on growing, producing, procuring, cooking,
eating, serving, and celebrating food. Family history, lineage, heritage, and ethnicities,
geographic divides, climates, social and political situations, such as poverty and wars
majorly influence the food culture. The food culture is influenced by individuals or small
networks and institutions, such as families, or large ones, such as societies,
companies, and countries.

Different Food Cultures

Some of the more popular food cultures around the world are:
Asian food cultures: Rice is a staple in Asian food culture. Hence, it is a quintessential
part of the cuisine and can be found in all forms of food.

 Chinese - Stir-fried veggies and meat and a range of meats cooked with different
sauces and rice is a staple. Different regions in China, such as the Hunan, Fujian,
Sichuan, and Cantonese have a different take on the same dish found throughout
the country.
 Thai - the world-famous Thai green, red, and yellow curries have made their
place in the hearts of the population around the world. Their strong, spiced
flavours and generous use of basil, kefir lime, lemongrass, chilies, coconut milk,
mint, cilantro, and turmeric add a pop of flavour to their cuisine. Their rice
noodles are equally famous.
 Japanese - Sushis and Sashimis are Japan's gift to the world. Healthy, bite-sized
rice-enriched and raw fish pieces work equally well as a quick lunch or a sit-down
dinner.
 Indian - The plethora of spices and aromas and a bounty of flavours it lends to
any food makes Indian food a favourite amongst other world cuisines. Besides,
it's the only cuisine that offers so much variety and flavour when it comes to a
strict vegetarian diet. Also, because of the enormity and diversity of the country,
the food changes every 500 kilometres. There's a lot more ethnic, regional, and
street food in India.

European food cultures: the Mediterranean diet, known as the healthiest diet there is,
has been around for centuries and revels in a diet rich in nuts, olive oil, fresh meat,
cold cuts, fruits, and vegetables, not to mention the local wines of various regions and
provinces.

 Greek - known for its farm-fresh salads and cheeses, the Greek cuisine is also
Mediterranean premier cuisine. Whole grains, cured and marinated meat cooked
in spices, and soups are a regular part of Greek cuisine.
 Spanish - the Spanish tapas are nibbles that people enjoy with a glass of wine
over a get-together with their friends and family. Being a Mediterranean cuisine,
Spanish food has a generous quantity of olive oil, fruits and nuts, Iberian ham,
and fresh seafood. Be it the paella or the gazpacho, the world loves the
laidback Spanish food culture which has grown to be just an excuse to enjoy the
company of friends and family.
 French - French food has led style and elegance to its culture. After all, the
Michelin star restaurants were birthed there. Birthdays, weddings, and
 anniversaries are an excuse to prepare grand meals and get everyone together
to enjoy them.
 Italian - known for its simplicity and elegance and yet wholesomeness, the Italian
cuisine, whether pizzas or the 500 kinds of pasta, have been adopted as their
own by the entire world. There is not a region in the world, where Italian food is
not available.

Western food cultures

 American - while English and Australian food cultures have their own place, the
American food culture has been very dynamic and has changed drastically over
the years to accommodate the growing demands of the large immigrant
population in the United States. The food culture in the United States is an
eclectic mix of all the foods brought in by the immigrants settled here for
generations. While hamburgers, fries, and fizzy drinks are quite popular, one
cannot negate the presence of Chinese, Indian, Italian, Thai, Spanish, French,
Mexican, and South African cuisines.

Relationship between Food and Culture

Why is food important to culture?
Food is not just something we eat to fill our stomachs. It is consciousness. The love,
attention, and toil with which it is shopped for, prepared hours or even days before,
cooked with patience, and served with love have a huge impact on how it turns out and
how it affects us. People bond over cooking, ingredients, shopping markets, produce,
recipes, restaurants, farming, and so much more.

People do not just bond while eating and sharing a meal, they also connect when
cooking or preparing it together.

Food has been the cornerstone of any food culture around the world. In difficult times,
like poverty and war, no matter how little, food has comforted people time and again.
What was considered a poor man's food is now famous comfort food dishes around the
world. Food recipes passed down from one generation to another have become the
identity of families and their lineages. Foods cooked for celebrating rituals, traditions,
and occasions have now become a part of rich history. It shapes their identity. It
becomes important to the culture. It becomes their culture.
The American anthropologist Margaret Mead famously mentioned that food is for
gifting. It provides us the basis to connect with our friends and family. It is more than
just plain nutrition; food when shared and 'gifted' brings people, societies, and nations
closer.
The expression 'to break the bread with someone' is more symbolic than literal. It
comes from olden times when the bread was often harder than how it is now. As a
result, people had to break it rather than just 'tear' it to eat it. While it definitely
means sharing a meal with someone, it goes beyond just that. It means sharing an
emotional connection, a bond with someone over a meal. Food for centuries, after all,
has been bringing people together.
Cultural Heritage

Food that has been eaten for generations becomes a part of the rich cultural
heritage that a region, province, state, or country enjoys. When a country or land is
conquered by stronger political powers, so are its traditions, people, and foods.
Obviously, the powers bring their own food with them and try to erase or modify the
authentic dishes that have been the identity of that place.

Food Habits

Each culture, place, and country has its own food eating habits. Taking away this part
takes something away from the whole eating experience. For example, the oriental
cultures eat with a pair of chopsticks; the western world eats with cutlery, such as a
fork, knife, and spoon; while it might be absolutely fine to eat with the hands in the
Indian culture, in the Western world, it might be seen as rude, unhygienic, and
uncouth.
On the other hand, it is not seen in a very good light when the newer generations in
traditional Indian families eat the same food that has been eaten in their culture with
hands now being eaten with artificial and lifeless cutlery.
While leaving some food on the plate is considered okay in some cultures, in others, it
is taken as a dislike for the food. While licking fingers might be seen as uncivilized in
some cultures, in others it is treated as a sign that the guest loved the food.

Religion and Ritual

Religion and food also go hand in hand. What is followed as a religious ritual or practice
also influences their food and vice-versa. For example, rice, coconut, and various
spices and leaves are used in all Hindu religious ceremonies. In fact, fruits are used as
religious offerings to the Hindu deities during a religious ceremony. These are also then
distributed to people as something sacred afterward. At the same time, Hinduism is
also against killing other beings, including all kinds of animals or poultry.
While a tribe in Papua New Guinea customarily roasts pigs to have feasts, an American
child will have sweet memories of celebrating their birthdays with a frosted cake, year
after year, almost like a sacred ritual.
Anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss once observed that we save our fanciest food items
for special occasions. He proposed that we might save the fanciest, our best, and most
expensive food for later when we share it with others.

Globalization

Pizza is no longer Italy's, just like Butter Chicken Masala isn't India's anymore. Sushi is
loved by everyone all over the world, and Nasi Goreng is an absolutely loved dish,
gifted by Indonesia. Any metropolitan city around the world will now serve food from
around the world. People have started traveling more than ever before. Their food
sensibilities have evolved and they are no longer satiated by just their own cuisine or
what their own culture offers. There is an ever-present demand for food from around
the world. Fast-food chains and joints have made it easier for people to access these
foods. There's a McDonald's and a Burger King in practically every city in the world.
This is a result of Globalization.
Food Culture and Society

While food has been known to bring people and cultures together, it is also known to
divide people. Since time immemorial, food is also seen as a sort of social status. War
times and poverty are the best way this can be understood. When food supplies are
meagre, people resort to the basics, such as bread, potatoes, pickles, and soups but as
the social, economic, political, and geographic conditions get better, people buy more
expensive food, such as all kinds of meat, including seafood and caviar. Food starts
being the divide between the rich and the poor.
In a lot of places around the world, especially in the wealthier nations, it is considered
petty to ask for a doggie bag to bring back the leftovers from a restaurant meal, while
the same is seen as necessary and the right thing to do in developing or poorer
nations.
Food culture is the collective habits, rituals, beliefs, values, lifestyle, and practices
around producing, procuring, and in taking food. It shapes the way people live and
feel. It affects their identity and their culture. Food defines us and helps form
connections with our families, societies, and countries at large. Traditions followed over
a period of time form a part of our food rituals. Food memories help people take their
handed-over-the-generations family recipes with them wherever they immigrate.
While food connects, it can also create a divide between people and create a rift.
Poverty and economics surely create social classes when it comes to food. Conquests
and colonialism influence the food that we eat now. Fast-food chains mushrooming all
over the world is a result of globalization. Some of the popular food cultures around
the world are French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and American.

How culture is displayed through food around the world?

What people eat around the world is heavily influenced by their religion, rituals,
customs, traditions, and social and economic status. People's lifestyles, practices, belief
systems, values, and family history, background, and lineage also influence the food
immensely. All this segregates one culture in the world from another.
What are the different food cultures?
There are various food cultures around the world. Prominent amongst them are French,
Italian, Spanish, German, Greek, American, British, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, and
Indian.