Robin Fox's Food And Eating: An Anthropological Perspective

There are so many times and places in our lives where food is present that it can be hard to truly define what “food” is. When we think of what makes something “food”, we cannot solely say that food is something we eat that has calories and potentially nutritional value because there is so much more that food does for us. Food can change our culture, evolution, and relationships with the natural world and other people. We share the need for food and food itself with all living things on this planet, not just other human beings. With this in mind, I’d say food can be classified as a tool, a tool that alters us more than we know because we do not have control over it once it enters our bodies. However, food is not only a tool for use physically,
For me, my eating habits have often set me apart from other people, but I have never been self-conscious about them as some people are with the way they dress and act. For starters, I have always been someone who looks forward the next meal and wants to know what it is. At a restaurant as a kid, I would ask what dessert was or if I could have any before the main course even came out. I think one reason why I am always planning ahead is because the food I eat shapes my day in a way. Whether I have to cook or not I have, or what food groups are dominating my meals or the people I’m sharing the meal with are all important factors. Another major component of my eating habits is that I am vegetarian. The world is becoming more and more acquainted with people who are vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo, etc., though it can still be hard to find satisfying food when there are restrictions on what you can eat. Being in a family where we all eat the same way makes it easier, and buying all of our food from a natural foods co-op is certainly like a fashion for us. As Robin Fox says, “To set yourself apart from others by what you will and will not eat is a social barrier,” (p.2) and I definitely find this true. It is weird just to be around my relatives who drink soda daily and just don’t understand the motivation my