P5: Eating on the Edge

In her article “Eating at the Edge,” Jamie Horwitz explains the concept of ‘eating on the edge’- the ever-developing phenomenon of food being consumed “as an additive to a situation…rather than definitive.” She argues that there is a movement away from eating at pre-set times or places toward convenience food, things that people can easily grab and eat on the go. Horwitz emphasizes that our changing lifestyles are what fuels this change in food and the way it’s eaten. Our society is increasingly becoming more and more fast-paced. We can get places faster, contact people faster, and with the integration of technology for almost any need, are generally more efficient. She uses the example of soup, a food that once required a stove and a pan to cook as well as a bowl and utensil to eat. Now, Campbell’s produces a microwaveable soup container, shaped so that it can be drank straight out of the container. She also emphasizes how the greater flexibility in eating is useful to international businessmen and travelers, among others. To summarize the article through the lens of what we’ve been discussing in class, I would say this: The trend of on-the-go, convenient food replacing meals in set times and places reflects the changing food values of the United States as a whole. We value convenience over anything else about food, which explains why sitting down to eat with family and friends feels like a special occasion.

This article led me to some interesting thoughts about my own life and how I can relate to ‘eating on the edge.’ As someone who balances being a full-time student with a job to pay for said schooling, I am often guilty of grabbing something easy to go rather than sitting down to eat, even if it’s the simple decision to buy something from the C-Store instead of eat in the dining hall. Many days a week, I find myself scarfing down food in my car on my way from class to work. I can also relate to what Horwitz says about how this phenomenon is primarily American. My roommate is an international student, and she has a large network of Chinese friends here. They NEVER eat alone. In fact, there’s almost a societal pressure to eat with your friends, she’s explained to me. It’s interesting that their culture places such high value on eating with people they care about- even if it is in the Sodexo dining room- and ours does not.