Foodies at Heart

Food culture pervades many parts of our lives, from our history to our knowledge to our development as a society. When the industrial food industry matured, past food importance dwindled. Americans began devoting more time in the work environment and less time at home, stripping future generations of the benefits of culture exploration and knowledge. A subculture of enthusiasts still exists within the increasing workload and demand of the modern times. Being a foodie is certainly possible in today’s age without the need of generous wealth and status. It is shown in this culture that changing times have distanced individuals from a connection admired by previous generations.

Since its conception in 1695, the definition of a bon vivant has changed. Its etymology, deeply rooted in the fluid and effortless tongues of the French, reveals a development of refined taste, expertise, and cultivation. The evolution of food culture soon blurred the creation of new words, each with its slight abstract use of similar definitions: gourmets, epicures, aficionados. Conventionally, gourmet is no longer a standard, having been replaced by the children of connoisseur. Its connotations of condescending figures and philosophical arguments have drifted vaguely from the modern English language definition of a person with taste. It is in this breath of subjectively that the term foodie was coined in 1981. More closely related to words like aficionado and devotee, the term foodie emphasizes a shift towards amateurism, the learning and expertise on the subject of food at leisure. Foodie culture exists, at its core, within the home, family, and heart. It does not purely exist, outside little entertainment value, on the television. A foodie loves food for its spirit, not for its advancement or classification in societal rank. They are the geeks and thinkers and hobbyists. It is in this comfort that the foodie culture and definition thrives.

The dynamics of food culture changed dramatically throughout the 1900’s with the introduction of food industrialization. Electric stoves and frozen foods appeared in 1930 and began a large influence on the eating trends in America. Though with a slow business beginning, the development of frozen foods eventually became popular in the 1950’s under the guidance of Albert and Meyer Bernstein. Swanson, a commercially recognizable brand, began its integration of the frozen dinner with the black and white television. More and more, family dinners were being pushed out of the picture in favor of convenience, both financially and time wise. As Americans devoted more hours to their employers and less to their families at home, fast, frozen dinners soon became heavily favorable. Considering this, it is not surprising that 66% percent of Americans were studied, in 2006, to regularly watch television during dinner, a strong pervasion of previous generation ethics. A family that is watching television at dinner is not having quality time together. Often in my younger years, my teachers would occasionally take a poll of the classroom to see the statistic of this phenomenon. Even more interesting than the large number of students who watched TV during dinner was the number of students who did not eat dinner with the family regularly. This social change has not gone unnoticed. Campbell’s iconic canned Tomato soup is used as a pop art reference by Andy Warhol in his painting titled Campbell's Soup Cans. With this, food culture in America was well-defined. Although less time was being spent at home and more time was being spent in front of the television, this period marked a significant development in food culture and acceptance.

The pursuit of food is clearly marked by time and money, and to that there is no argument. Often, food can be viewed as a delimiter of classes, a divider. In his article Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch, Michael Pollan remarked that food was the divider between humans and animals: out of all the animals in the animal kingdom, humans are the only ones that cook. The definition of foodie, however, is sharply contrasted with its earlier counterparts. Coined by Paul Levy and Ann Barr in The Official Foodie Handbook, a foodie, a hobbyist, is no more defined by class than a person playing baseball in a field or a person riding a skateboard on the street. An appreciator of the arts is by no means an artist or a connoisseur, yet they are still engulfed in the world of artistic expression. In the same way, a foodie is by no means a critic or a professional, yet they are still engulfed in the world of food and culture. The concept of a foodie, more broadly, is an interest.

Socioeconomic status, in this context, is more confined to the average American household, where the categories of Education, Income, Occupation, and Wealth are directly related. It should be no surprise that educational costs have been increasing over the years, and a family with low income would have difficulty affording proper education for their children. In 2008, the average household income was estimated at $50,233 by the U.S. Census Bureau. However, compared to other countries, the United States spends much less of their disposable income on food: averaging roughly 9.9%. When compared with other high-income countries, the United States is one of the lowest: Japan, South Korea, and France families spend more than 13% of their disposable incomes on food. Thanks to the productivity and methods of local farmers, in partnership with external resources, the food prices in America are, statistically, taken for granted. Interestingly enough, only 48.5% of the income spent on food is used for foods away from the home. This trend has been steadily increasing where, in the 1950’s, only 25% of disposable income on food was spent away from the home. Statistics regarding American television habits explore a deeper situation about dwindling time habits. According to A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than four hours of television every day. Annually, 250 billion hours of television are watched, as 99% of households possess at least one television and the average number of televisions in a household is 2.24.

With television entertainment at its prime, food cultures on television networks have found their home within household viewings. In these ratings, we can see the way contemporary America views food in society: as something to be watched, not practiced. Celebrity chefs such as Rachel Ray, Bobby Flay, and Anthony Bourdain demonstrate the abstract and seemingly easy nature of food preparation in thirty minute segments of euphoria, but many individuals do not take the time outside of the segments to reproduce what they watched. However, many of these celebrity chefs are built up around their talent as restaurant owners or successful business models, so their information is relevant. Other shows, such as Hell’s Kitchen, are pure entertainment: an unrealistic mess. The problem lies within the choices of watching these food entertainment shows. As the number of TV show viewings increase, the numbers of family dinners decrease. If Americans are able to devote thirty minutes of their time to watching a television show about cooking food or about yelling at people, why are they unable to devote thirty minutes to cooking a meal?

Foodie status, not classism, can be obtained in modern times without the need of generous money or time by returning to simpler roots. In a time when Americans are spending their hours in front of a television when not at work, whether to relax or for other reasons, the time to devote to a hobby is present. Rather than spending hours in front of the television, or letting children be taught by an object, families can spend that time in the kitchen. Instead of simply watching a television show on how to bake a turkey or prepare a coconut cake, Americans can spend that time actually baking a turkey or preparing a cake. Taking an active role in time management is vitally important to this success. Being a college student, I understand the importance of time management in my schedule. Rather than spending money on processed items, junk foods, or commercial restaurants, return to the roots: purchase fruits, vegetables, and other simpler foods. Doing so will also give you a greater range of flexibility in the kitchen, as a tomato can serve more purchases than a bottle of ketchup. Rather than casually spending money at restaurants and commercial outlets, spend the money on the basics. It is clear through the spending habits of Americans that, for the average American, the money is present. It is just not being used as effectively as it could.

Being a foodie is possible without the need of wealth or status. Socially, foodies are hobbyists that embody a truer sense of food culture in America. It is the appreciation of food in our lives that drives a foodie. Their understanding of food value, not monetary value, trickles through the values of a family and down a generation. In our lives, we are dynamic: constantly moving and adjusting to face the obstacles and journeys of life. Adjusting to this dynamic nature is healthier for food culture and development in America, and it does not come with a heavy price. It comes with a simpler price: management and responsibility. It is in this that everyone is a foodie at heart.

Works Cited

"How to be a Foodie." De Long, Steve, 29 Aug. 2006. Web. 24 Oct. 2009. 
 

"Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007." U.S. Census 
 Bureau, 2008. P60-235. Consumer Income. U.S. Department of Commerce, Aug. 2008. Web.
 24 Oct. 2009. .

"Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch." New York Times, 29 July 2009. Web. 24 Oct. 2009. 
 .

"US Food Facts & History." Swafford, Jamie, 22 Oct. 2004. Web. 24 Oct. 2009. 
 .