Week 9: More than Just Energy?

 Since when did food become more than anything but survival? When did humans decide to have sit-down meals, restaurants, and use food to comfort others, or show affection? Humans are social creatures, needing feelings of love and belongingness, and food plays a huge role in keeping humans social.

If a man loves a woman, he gives her a box of chocolate, takes her out to a fancy restaurant, or cooks her an expensive meal. Depending on the quality of the food he gives his woman may result in what kinds of feelings she returns to him. A husband must take his wife out for a nice meal for Valentine’s day or for an anniversary, otherwise he is in trouble. In high school, a boy is more likely to get favorable results if he takes his prom date to a five star restaurant, as opposed to a McDonald’s. Food has a tremendous role in being romantic, and courting the opposite sex.

           

The whole idea of Thanksgiving is based upon getting together with loved ones and sharing a nice turkey meal. The origins of the holiday go back to the Native Americans and European Colonists who set aside their differences and shared a meal, making peace. In essence, a meal was able to unite people of different ethnicities, with different views, with many differences between them, and make peace if only for a little while. Now Thanksgiving brings relatives from all around the country together again to eat a big turkey and watch football, even if not all relatives get along. My mom and Aunt despise each other, but every thanksgiving they are able to suck it up and share a meal to show that despite any differences they have, they are still family. Food has the power to bring enemies together and make peace, if only for the holidays. Fascinating, considering biologically food’s purpose is to provide energy.

Food also plays a tremendous role in showing gratitude, and sympathy. It is customary in human culture to give food as a gift, to repay a favor, or to just show someone they are loved. My aunt baked me cookies to thank me for babysitting my cousin. My mom will typically send some fresh brownies to a new neighbor, and cookies to all the neighbors during Christmas. When someone we know dies, we will send food to the relatives to show how sympathetic we are. Food can mean so much more than calories, depending on the context of how it is used.

In a world where so many people are starving, lacking the basic nutrition and means to live a healthy life, it is very interesting to see how some cultures use food for social purposes. From what point did humans go from being hunter-gatherers, to using food as gifts and rituals to show: love, appreciation, and sympathy? As humans evolved and became more social, food became more important, as it gave people the chance to get together. As social beings, humans will continue to use food for other than survival, until the end of life as we know it.