5 - The study of Nordic meals: lessons learnt

Abstract

This chapter presents a discussion on how eating as an everyday activity is structured in modern societies. Representative telephone surveys conducted in 1997 explored one day of eating in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Eating habits are quite different in the various countries, shaped by national meal conventions and practical coordination, but were at that time relatively structured in terms of what is eaten, when, where and with whom. Most people combine relatively structured, social meals, mainly at home, with less structured events alone. These patterns are first of all influenced by family structure and employment, less by socio-economic distinctions. In the final section, the theoretical and methodological impacts of the approach are discussed.