Cultural Value or Food Culture: Critiquing the Importance of Vocabulary, Context and Meaning in Food Studies

Lingham-Tsiaparas et al. Gastronomy 2026, 4(2), 12

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Throughout history, communities have experienced changes in their food culture and their cultural interactions and relationships with food. Weak relationships with food, and more widely with people through food, reduce the perceived cultural value of food and its role in a healthy lifestyle, which can lead to poor food-related health outcomes. This exploratory narrative review seeks to explore the extant literature as a grounding for empirical research focused on differentiating between food culture and the relational and cultural values associated with food, i.e., articulating the difference between value-based and values-based food networks. Terms emergent from the academic and grey literature were familial and cultural grounding of respect for food, through food and via food environments to develop relationships with food, trust and identity. The concepts of ‘food culture’ and an individual perceiving a ‘cultural value of food’ were found to be distinct, but not mutually exclusive. Alternative food networks (AFNs) were positioned as more able to facilitate the development of values-based food networks than conventional food systems. This work contributes to improving clarity of language when considering non-financial value and values associated with food.

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