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Avery Brown
Ms. Davis
Composition II
3 February 2016
Food and Culture
Something as insignificant as food, has played a pivotal role in my relationship with my
family. While many view food as nothing more than a mere past-time, I view it as something
much more. For me, food symbolizes family time and all of the fun memories we have had
together.
Food is important to my family and me because my parents made it a big part of our lives
growing up. Growing up, my brothers and I were involved in so many activities. Between
musical lessons, sports games, and church activities, our lives were hectic. Nonetheless, my
parents emphasized the importance of family time by making sure we were all home to eat
dinner together. Food is important to me, because it reminds me of those nights- the nights where
it was just my family and I gathered around the kitchen table sharing the joys and sorrows of
everyday life. It reminds me of the time my mom was pregnant and made spaghetti one night.
The spaghetti was awful and she spent the rest of the night crying in her bedroom, just because
my brothers and I did not prefer her spaghetti. It reminds me of my over-dramatic brother, Drew,
sharing tidbits of his ever-changing, adventurous life. It also reminds me of the Christmas Eves
my mom and I would spend in the kitchen, preparing our annual Christmas Eve dinner and
attempting to make fun Christmas cookies with my little brother, Brady. I am thankful for all the
days I have spent around the kitchen table, enjoying my moms food and my familys company.

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Not only were family dinners a big part of my life growing up, but family vacations were
as well. My family loves everything that comes along with a vacation- the sandy beaches, warm
weather, outlet malls, and fun never-ending family time. But, I speak for all my family in saying
our favorite part of every vacation is the new restaurants we get to try. We have tried many
different cuisines over the years. From Danish pastries in Holland, to Italian Gelato in Paris, we
have loved it all. We love eating the food, but for us, it is not necessarily about the food. The
food is just a symbol that ties us together. When we eat together, it automatically ties us to one
another and unites us as one unit. Miriam Weinstein, in her book The Surprising Power of
Family Meals, describes this as a magic bullet (Forthun). No matter where I go, when I eat a
certain food, it takes me back to a particular time and place. I am thankful for the memories I
have with my family as we have tried new foods while experiencing life together.
Research proves family dinners are essential to a persons well-being. One advantage of
eating dinner together as a family is that it promotes togetherness. According to Larry Forthun,
author of Family Nutrition: The Truth About Family Meals, Having routine family meals can
provide a sense of security and a feeling of belonging in the family. When families choose to sit
down and eat together, not only are they spending quality time together, but they are also most
likely eating healthier foods. When families prepare food in their own kitchen instead of going
out to eat, they are more likely to prepare healthier foods than that found at fast-food restaurants.
This is because fast-food restaurants often have more sodium and sugar in their foods than what
is actually needed (Sifferlin). Because of this, families who eat together are at a lower risk of
obesity. Eating as a family also saves money. When families choose to have at least 5 meals
together every week, they can use Also, buying food in bulk is always cheaper than buying food

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individually at restaurants. Sitting down to eat as a family promotes togetherness and all-around
well-being.
Valuing food and the symbolism it holds within families is important; society, however,
does not always agree. Over the course of the last couple of decades, family values have shifted
and changed. Food used to be more of a social event, and it would take the whole family to
prepare. Nowadays, we are too busy with all our meaningless activities and entertainment to sit
down with one another. This is due to our ever-changing, technology-centered society.
Americans are so consumed with themselves and fitting in. Because of this, we often forget to
love and foster the relationships within our own families. Not surprisingly, America is known to
have less family values and less of an emphasis on the value of food than other cultures. This is
not a new concept. According to Amy Choi, in her Ted talk, What Americans Can Learn From
Other Food Cultures, Having never faced agricultural hardship, Americans had the luxury of
not relying on rotating crops, such as the Japanese, whose food culture now showcases
buckwheat alongside rice. Since we never experienced agricultural hardship, we do not fully
value food culture and all of its symbolism.
As culture shifts and changes, so does my view of food and the role it plays in my life.
Due to more meetings and activities scheduled after school, I have spent less time at home
enjoying food with my family. I am eating more fast-food meals now than I was when I was
younger. Although I eat out more now than in the past, my parents still make sure I prioritize my
family time into my crazy, schedule. We value food by eating homemade meals at least three
times a week, and eating out after church as a family every Sunday. In my opinion, food will
never be valued the way it should be if we do not choose to try new recipes and enjoy it together.

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Though culture continues to change, my view of food and the role it plays in my life does
not. As a family, we continue to try new recipes and eat homemade meals together, because we
recognize its importance in our lives. Food is so much more than just a favorite past-time or
needed nutrition. Food reminds us of our history, our present, and our future.

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Annotated Bibliography
Almerico, Gina M. Food and Identity: Food Studies, Cultural, and Personal Identity. Journal
of International Business and Cultural Studies. Vol 8. June 2014. Web. 10 Feb 2016.
http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/141797.pdf
This article describes the correlation between a culture and it is food. It also explains how
people associate a certain food with a certain culture. The author is a professor at the
University of Tampa. She traveled to Naples, Italy for information before she wrote this
piece. The source comes directly from the Journal of International Business and Cultural
Studies Volume 8 and it was published by AABRI. This article is not biased, and it has
multiple sources from different sources throughout it. This source is reliable and it will
benefit my paper by giving me information about the importance of food culture, and
how it affects peoples lives today.
Choi, Amy S. What Americans Can Learn From Other Food Cultures. TED Talks. 18 Dec
2014. Web. 10 Feb 2016. http://ideas.ted.com/what-americans-can-learn-from-other-foodcultures/
This article emphasizes the importance of food culture, and why Americans need to
embrace more. It also references that Americans do not value their culture as much as
other countries do. The author, Amy S. Choi, is a writer that works for The Mash-Up
Americans, a media company that describes the modern life of an American. The source
is a TED talk. This article is biased, since it only gives one persons point of view. It is

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published recently and does have a few other sources in it. This is a reliable source,
because it was published by a reliable company. It helps my paper by explaining
Americas food culture compared to other countrys food cultures.
Forthun, Larry. Family Nutrition: The Truth About Family Meals. University of Florida IFAS
Extension. 2015. Web. 10 Feb 2016. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1061
This article is a response to Miriam Weinseins book, The Surprising Power of Family
Meals. It then proceeds to explain all the benefits of families eating together. The author
is a professor at University of Florida. He teaches in the Department of Family, Youth and
Community Sciences. The source is published by The University of Florida in 2015. This
source is biased, because it only views family meals in a positive way. There are different
sources throughout the article. This source is reliable and it helps my research paper by
providing evidences as to why it is important for familys to eat dinner together.
Sifferlin, Alexandra. Why Families Who Eat Together Are Healthier. TIME Healthland. 24
April 2012. Web. 10 Feb 2016. http://healthland.time.com/2012/04/24/why-families-whoeat-together-are-healthier/
This article describes how families who eat together are often times healthier than
families who do not. It further explains the benefits the parents and children will reap
when they sit down together for dinner. The author, Alexandra Sifferlin, is a writer for
TIME Healthland. The source is credible, because it is published by TIME magazine. It is
biased, because it never includes another point of view. There are other sources within the
article. This source is reliable, and it gives me information about the health benefits of
family meals.