ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the various aspects of food consumption. The emphasis will shift from environmental and biological considerations to notions about the economic and social constructions of diet. There are clear correlations between peoples diet and their characteristics in terms of social class, income, age, sex, ethnicity, household composition, religion and culture. The chapter reveals the anthropo-sociological interpretation of food habits and beliefs. There are many extraordinary insights to be gained from the ethnographic approach to food studies. The chapter deals with gendered aspects of food. This is very definitely not an afterthought or an intellectual ghetto but rather a recognition that women have historically had a pivotal role in food preparation and presentation. The literature is still developing in the area but there is already a strong foundation laid through studies of womens agency in provisioning western families, and also research on household food security in LICs.
