Prahok (fermented fish paste) is a staple food for Cambodians. It is primarily produced by Cambodian women in fishing communities for both home consumption and sale. Analyzing how Cambodians produce prahok in the face of decreasing fish resources, this research found that the decisions made by women prahok producers were shaped not only by climate and economic considerations, but also by gender norms, livelihood alternatives, and family composition of respondents. Women’s perceptions regarding prahok production and consumption are closely tied to their role as caregivers in the household, as well as their sense of professionalism as entrepreneurs. While prahok is well-known as a food source, a livelihood, and a business for women, this research shows that it is also a marker of identity and pride for Cambodian women.

Insects are a potential sustainable protein source. To date, scholarship regarding insect consumption in countries without a major history of it has most often focused on consumer acceptance or critically reflected on the industrialized nature of insect farms and processing firms. This article presents the empirical findings of a pilot project that supported seven individuals with no previous experience of insect farming to safely produce mealworms for consumption at home. It explores how raising mealworms affected their confidence and willingness to eat them, their attentiveness and care toward the mealworms, as well as the potential and/or desirability for such production systems to scale up. Household-level production of insects and worms affords a unique opportunity to explore these considerations, as it is both an example of an alternative food practice, as well as an accessible opportunity for individuals to interact with a form of livestock. The research brings together literature from more-than-human geographies and sustainability transitions. It contributes to debates regarding the potential to scale up sustainability-related experiments and considers how the handling of mealworms builds relationships between producers and their mini-livestock.

This paper examines the intricate relationship between cultural practices and food waste in Greece. Drawing on multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Athens, the study explores how deeply ingrained customs contribute to food waste behaviors. These practices, while rooted in historical experiences and social norms, are increasingly at odds with contemporary concerns about food security and environmental sustainability. The research reveals that food waste in Greece is not merely an issue of resource mismanagement, but is intimately tied to cultural identity and values, also illustrating a disconnect from the global food systems. By analyzing the social life of food waste, the study underscores the need for culturally sensitive strategies that respect local practices and values, while fostering sustainable behaviors. The paper concludes that effective food waste management in Greece requires a nuanced approach that integrates cultural insights into policy-making, promoting a balance between preserving cultural heritage and achieving environmental goals.

Research on cannabis edibles has primarily concentrated on the physical and mental effects of their consumption. Yet, as laws governing both CBD and THC are relaxed across the U.S., foods containing cannabis are becoming more accessible to the public. Thus, the range of meanings associated with such foods and ingredients has likely evolved. However, little research has explored the cultural contexts of edible cannabis in American society. The purpose of this study was to deconstruct the meanings of culinary cannabis by highlighting its creativity and cultural capital. A review of 233 social media posts on the topic revealed an appreciation for cannabis’s cultural and emotional significance, its creative and esthetic value in food, and the practical challenges associated with working with it. Links to class, privilege, and culinary capital are discussed.

To better understand fathers’ unique role in socializing children we audio-recorded 25 pairs of U.S. fathers and young children (aged 1–12 years) while they were sharing food as a dyad. We analyzed the naturally occurring conversation to identify the communicative practices present in these one-on-one moments of commensality, focusing on the role of fathers as sole parent in the encounter. Our analysis revealed four main themes in father-child interaction surrounding food: Instrumental Talk, Pedagogic Talk, Social Talk, and Play Talk. Each theme consisted of several sub-themes. In our discussion of these practices we explicate the substantial instrumental and relational work that fathers do with children in brief food-related experiences.

This ethnographic study aims to clarify how popcorn became the most common snack among the ultra-Orthodox Jewish (Haredi) community in Israel. Every day, huge bags of popcorn are sold in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods and cities. Based on multi-sited fieldwork, I examine the reasons for this massive consumption and the way it sheds light on social and cultural aspects of the community. I argue that beyond serving as an inexpensive snack that facilitates bulk purchasing within the ultra-Orthodox community—characterized by socioeconomically disadvantaged families with many children—the buying and consumption of popcorn illuminate social dynamics and intra-community expressions of identity, practice, and belonging. The purchase, preparation, and eating of popcorn reveals a symbolic boundary and separation between the ultra-Orthodox community and the secular public. This creates and expresses a communal discourse around issues such as kosher laws, modesty, charity, social cohesiveness, and even Torah study in communal settings. Therefore, this microscopic ethnography scrutinizes various trajectories and intersections between food and religion, illustrating how food shapes the existence of social practices that contribute to the preservation of social and cultural values and constructions.

The term “comfort food” refers to a phenomenon in which certain foods – especially during times of loneliness or stress, and particularly favorite dishes from childhood – may provide palliative emotional benefits distinct from their nutritional sustenance. Although the concept is widely observed and acknowledged, its mechanisms are not well understood. If comfort food does indeed provide comfort, then why and how? This project employs interviews with 27 individuals who speak at length about their behaviors, memories, and attitudes on the topic. Consistent with and adding to previous literature, we find four recurring themes: (1) familiarity/nostalgia; (2) social surrogacy; (3) warmth/heartiness; and (4) convenience. By adding rich interview data to a body of research thus far dominated by survey and experimental methods, we add nuance, depth, and robustness to prior understanding.