Deciphering a meal
Mary Douglas, a well-known anthropologist in the late 1960’s, broke down the different elements of what she considered to be a balanced meal. While spending time with her family and preparing meals, she began to decipher what elements of a meals were interchangeable and which were not. She dives into the connection of religion and food consumption, mainly exploring Hebrew dietary laws.
As the primary cook in my house, I think about the balance of different meals every day. I have been a full time card-carrying vegetarian for the past two years. The reason for my vegetarian journey is a deeply spiritual one. I had to abandon my upbringing as an avid steak lover and instead choose Portabella mushroom these days. Portabellas are surprisingly comparable in texture, and with the right seasoning, can satisfy my longing for a juicy steak. I had to re-program what I had been taught to think was a balanced meal, which I view as loosely following Mary Douglas’ direction.
Although I am a vegetarian, I don’t restrict my children from eating meat and chicken. Family dinners are often made up of different options for my kids. It is almost like they were at a restaurant and I was their personal chef who doesn’t get paid any money. This definitely doesn’t happen every night, but I am happy to make them their favorites.
Douglas, M. (2008). Deciphering a Meal. In 931948829 729861506 C. Counihan & 931948830 729861506 P. V. Esterik (Authors), Food and culture: A reader (pp. 29-47). New York: Routledge.
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