Food is no longer just a source of energy for people to get through the day, but rather a way to express various aspects of our personalities and the intricacies of our life choices. This post from Nation’s Restaurant News explains how the way we think about food has shifted, and how it’s become an increasingly important aspect of society and many people’s personal lives. For example, whether people actually have food allergies like gluten intolerance or not, the preference for avoiding certain types of foods or sticking to particularly rigorous diets has become a popular way for people to identify themselves. Additionally, being an adventurous eater and knowing about formerly obscure ingredients, dishes or cuisines is now seen among many as a form of social currency and a way to one-up peers. Rather than just eating food for fuel, it’s become trendy to know about all the intricacies of flavors and ingredients. Furthermore, there is an aspect of social responsibility present in food and dining culture that was not a priority before. Diners are beginning to demand transparency about where their ingredients come from more and more, and place a higher importance on locally sourced, organic ingredients. For more on this shifting mindset about food, continue reading.

Read the full article here: Beyond Fuel: Modern Eating Linked to Identity, Community