Ethnic pride, national identity, and regional pride are expressed through food’s symbolic power. For example, hot dogs, ham, and kimchi unite Americans, Spaniards, and Koreans. On the other hand, specific foods can be used to highlight the inferiority of one group over another.

Food symbolism can be found in all aspects of the sourcing, preservation, prepping, demonstration, and performance of food and the food itself. All of these various activities are known as “foodways.”

Procurement is the term used to describe the various steps involved in acquiring food. Depending on where you live, hunting may serve as a cultural allegory for manhood, family ties, and a sense of place. Economic status can be indicated by purchasing groceries from specialty shops or catalogs rather than a local supermarket. Similarly, procurement can impact a food item’s referential meanings. A bagel purchased from a neighborhood deli can have a completely different emotional impact than one purchased from the frozen bread section.

There are various ways food can be preserved, including storing and maintaining it in containers, arranging it in a specific way, and using multiple materials. Similar structures for smoking fish can be found in the Midwestern United States, while ham curing smokehouses can be found in the southern United States.

There are some ways in which refrigerators’ size and design can be used as a signifier of wealth, ethnicity (Americans tend to have a lot of refrigerators and often have an additional freezer to accommodate their shopping habits), or even occupation (university students use half-size ones to fit their smaller dorm rooms).

Many steps go into making a food product from raw ingredients. Cutting, cooking, mixing, selecting, and adapting the recipe are all part of this process. An apple from the tree or a handful of raisins from the box may be all it takes to begin the process, but it could also require a lot of time, expertise, and patience.

Physical arrangement and presentation are two aspects of the presentation of food. When food is presented, it becomes a social event and a meal; it can also convey the intended emotional response. In the same way that candlelight connotes romance and fine china connotes formality, the use of paper plates suggests a more casual and less formal event.