As the holiday season approaches, events around food are becoming increasingly important. It’s easy to think of food as something that simply fuels our bodies. But actually, food is so much more than that. It has a profound impact on our sense of self, reflecting who we are, where we come from, and the unique cultural context that shapes our lives.
Food holds deep emotional and cultural significance. It has the power to bring us comfort, to remind us of home, and to keep us connected to our roots, especially during the festive season and holidays when traditional dishes become a bridge between past and present.
These culinary traditions carry stories, memories, and connections that transcend mere sustenance. However, pressure from society and changing trends can influence how we approach food and our cultural identity, leaving us feeling conflicted about the choices we make.
In this post, Tamina Nothhelfer, Specialist Psychotherapist at Altum Health, explains how food and culture can shape your personal identity, sense of belonging, and emotional well-being, and how to create a positive, healthy relationship with food while continuing to embrace your cultural heritage.
Food and culture
Food speaks the language of culture in vastly different dialects. As someone straddling both Thai and German heritage, I witnessed two distinct philosophies around the dinner table. These cultures, while both deeply valuing their culinary traditions, approached food in remarkably contrasting ways.
In Thai culture, cooking for others is an expression of love and togetherness. When you eat the food someone has prepared for you, you’re receiving their love. Social norms means you’d typically want to accept it – or there’s an expectation to accept it – because it can be rejecting to the person offering if you refuse.
There’s also an openness about how people physically look and describe each other in Thai culture. For example, if you’ve been away from home for some time, it’s considered normal for your family to comment on your appearance when they first see you. If you’ve put weight on, your family will likely mention this, but not in a negative context, but rather in the sense that you’re being loved and looked after elsewhere.
In German culture (and similarly in the UK), social interactions around food are governed by a delicate dance of politeness. When offered food or drinks, it’s customary to decline initially – not out of disinterest, but as a social grace. Your host will likely offer multiple times, and this repeated invitation serves a subtle purpose. By not immediately accepting, you demonstrate restraint and consideration, while your host shows hospitality by gently persisting. This ritualised exchange allows both parties to display refined social skills without appearing overly eager or imposing.
Navigating these different cultural expectations can be particularly challenging if you have a multicultural background (especially when those cultures have norms that conflict!) or if you live in a different culture from the one that you’re most familiar with; this can create pressure to ‘fit in’ in many different ways. One obvious example can be adopting different eating habits.
In addition to cultural ‘norms’, there are also trends picked up within different cultures that are not present in others. For example, in the UK, low-fat diets and products were popular in the ‘80s and today there’s a focus on a high-protein intake. This can lead you to feel conflicted or pressured to change the way you eat to fit societal expectations.
Festivities such as Christmas or New Year often bring these pressures to the forefront, as they’re occasions where food and culture converge.
Balancing cultural identity and societal expectations
There’s significant pressure to blend in with the culture or country you live in for a variety of reasons. However, doing this can create deep inner conflict.
For many, the pressure to conform can lead to feelings of disconnection and isolation. When you no longer feel connected to your cultural heritage it can feel like pieces of your identity are missing.
When these feelings arise, they can often trigger patterns of disordered eating. This becomes particularly complex when navigating a different cultural diet, where the food might feel less satisfying or unfamiliar. As a result, individuals may develop a harmful relationship with food, stripping away its traditional role of providing comfort and connection.
In addition, cultural diets are inherently tailored to specific populations, reflecting distinct tastes and often corresponding body types. When individuals attempt to follow a diet without achieving the anticipated physical transformations – whether losing weight or gaining muscle – it can trigger profound self-criticism and body image struggles. These unmet expectations frequently contribute to developing disordered eating patterns.
However, the solution isn’t to surrender to external pressures. Instead, the goal is to cultivate a balanced approach that honours both your cultural heritage and your individual needs. What I’ve learned is that there’s no universal “right way” to navigate this complex terrain. What truly matters is how you feel in your body and within your lifestyle.
No single approach to food and culture is inherently superior or more healthy. If your current eating habits and lifestyle make you feel healthy, fulfilled, and authentically connected to yourself, then you’ve found your personal success.
The power of conscious food choices
One way to create a positive relationship with food and alleviate external pressures is through conscious choice. When you make intentional decisions about what you eat – whether it’s for comfort, satisfaction, or celebration – you take back control over your relationship with food.
Choice in what we eat or choose to consume, allows us to feel empowered. Therefore, choice can be healing. By choosing to eat something that brings you joy, makes you feel satisfied or comforted – whether it’s something you consider a treat or a traditional dish that reminds you of home – you begin to create a more positive, healthy mindset around food.
Rather than letting societal trends or cultural pressures dictate your eating habits, focus on what makes you feel good, potentially what connects you to your culture, and what makes you feel nourished – both physically and emotionally.
Food as a bridge between cultures
The fantastic thing about food is that it’s also a universal form of connection.
Food is something we use to share cultures and create understanding between people from different backgrounds. This should be celebrated!
By introducing others to the dishes that bring us comfort or joy, we’re not just sharing food, we’re sharing a piece of our heritage, our memories, and our emotions.
This can be especially significant around our own cultural holidays or festive celebrations. For example, creating connections with each other and our heritage by making and sharing traditional foods during Christmas, Diwali, or Lunar New Year.
Embracing cultural diversity in therapy and treatment
When it comes to addressing disordered eating and our relationships with food, cultural sensitivity is key.
Therapy often overlooks the role that culture plays in shaping a person’s identity and, as a result, food choices. However, this can create barriers to treatment, particularly for people from diverse backgrounds who may have a different understanding of food, nutrition, or therapy itself from the therapist.
I bring culture into the conversation as soon as possible with my clients. Understanding who you identify as and what has shaped you is crucial to gaining an understanding of your internal world. Uncovering the role of culture in your relationship with food can be the key to unlocking recovery.
Let’s have more conversations about food and culture
In a world of constant change and relentless trends, we must pause and honour our unique relationship with food. This means creating space not just for ourselves, but for others to explore their own culinary identities with compassion and understanding.
The diversity of food cultures is a testament to human creativity and connection. Each dish tells a story – a comforting meal that whispers of home, or a new flavour that bridges us to someone from a different background. Food is more than sustenance; it’s a language of emotion, memory, and belonging.
During festive periods like Christmas, this power of food becomes even more profound. It transforms from mere nutrition to a powerful tool of connection, reflection, and celebration – bringing families, friends, and communities together.
From a therapeutic perspective, opening conversations about food and culture creates essential pathways to healing. By recognising food’s deep emotional and cultural significance, we can begin to understand ourselves and others more deeply, moving beyond judgement toward genuine understanding and acceptance.
If you’re struggling with disordered eating, our licensed professional therapists can help. Please get in touch to book a free, 20-minute consultation.
Take care,
Tamina Nothhelfer
