Food Is All We Have Left

We are what we eat. Isn't it?

For centuries food has always been a primary element of culture, tradition and community; but what if something has changed along the way, what if food is turning into a social factor that tells much more about you than ever before.

It is also well known that food choices can depend on religious and ethical beliefs. In saying that, have we been feeding ourselves properly, or do we want to satisfy our fake appetite? Or in the worst case, because we feel bored? I could mention the words of a famous chef who used to say that—The main accomplishment of our job is to make people hungry when actually they are not. Food is an expression of curiosity, it's a way to get to know a different culture and tradition. Food could also be a way to bring people together, and food is a consistent part of the cultural map of each country in the world.

It's been said that food, at large, turns into a mere worthless commodity to be bought and cooked for human survival, and to fill up our kitchen pantries. So, why food is becoming a key element in analysing our society, and how our life is changing according to our food choices, what are we eating in these days? And how the food industry keeps us on the hook with myriads of trendy, and sometimes iffy, new food ventures.

Is our Society influencing our diet?

According to several surveys about food and society, the social and cultural environment has a significant impact on our diet. In my opinion, food is more than just a package to open and be consumed; nowadays we should focus more on where the food comes from, rather than how quickly we can get it. As far as I know, food is also a matter of education in terms of health and relational aspects: most of the mums may have rushed schedules, and been unable to care enough in making a balanced lunch-box, or snacks for their kids.

Most of the time it happens that we have to catch the first meal we can get. That might not involve every single family or person, but I could guesstimate that quite a few of you have found themselves stuck into "what should we get" mode. The kid's eating habits are shaped and dispensed by their parents who give out the example, because kids pick up the food choices, looking and copying the other's behaviour. Frankly, that seems to be a big responsibility, and a sort of common sense too.

Several types of research confirmed that social status, environment, and educational level could affect the diet choices, and furthermore, the Journal of American Medicine has depicted a concerning percentage of obesity in adults and children in the US, which are respectively they are 34.9 percent, and 17 percent. Unfortunately, some other research shows that culture and society play a drastic role in shaping any person's diet, considering that we are regularly surrounded with a thousand food advertisements every single day.

Following this line, parents and adults have to take their part in bringing a correct model role for their kids, and other children; we should drop the idea that fast food is the ultimate choice. Thus, once our kids get past the grumpy faces, they will thank us for saving their overall health and wellbeing. At least, when they have grown up, we can be assured that they were given the right nutritional balance. It is hard, indeed, because of the contradictory thought that triggers inside a kid's head when their parents prohibit them from eating a particular type of food, making it more desirable.

The bottom line is, the more we expose our children to varied, and healthy eating, the more awareness they will get; they might not become the perfect eater, but we can still see them grow up healthy and happy.

Healthy food, happy people.