Food Choice—Symbolism and Identity.

Been reading a paper written by Michael Owen Jones (2007) for the American Folklore Society, published by University of Illinois Press.

Few points (verbatim).

On general individual identity:

• individuals may define themselves by the food they prepare, serve and consumer.identity and alimentary symbolism, not just taste or availability or cost, significantly affect food choice. (p.130)
• individuals draw upon many sources of self-image that influence their "personal food system" (Smart and Bisogni 2001), such as gender, age, family, occupation, class, body types, personality traits, recreational activities and state of health—any or all of which may take precedence over ethnic or regional associations (Bisogni et al. 2002). (p.131)
• in social interaction involving food, individuals often make decisions about who they want to appear to be, who they do not want to appear to be, and what the best way to behave inorder to be perceived as they wish. (p.135)

On gender identity:

  

• many food stuffs bear the mark of gender, which in turn greatly influences the behavior of people.
• to explain: Marshall Sahlins (1976) suggests that societies seize natural facts, apply them socially, and reapply them naturally

• Men who assume the role of cooking... masculinize their assumption of "women's" work by using profanity profusely during food preparation (Deautsch 2005) p.141