Definitions in the Food World

Chapter 8 discusses definitions and how different each definition can be. This made me begin thinking about eating “titles,” like vegetarian, and what those titles really mean. Especially since we are reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and they grow much of their own food, it made me begin to wonder about when people give themselves titles and if they truly act how they say they do. In Animal, Vegetable, Miracle the family does follow the rules that they have laid out, but many people who claim to eat only organically, or only to eat only certain things may not always follow the “titles” they give themselves. This is because everyone sets his or her own definitions. If someone says that they “don’t eat meat,” you usually need them to go into more detail. Do the not eat any meat at all ever, do they not eat meat most of the time, do they not eat red meat, there could be many definitions to this. Many “titles” of eating do not have a formal definition that applies to everyone. I think the best way to define what you eat or don’t eat is by using definitions by example. That way you can say, “I eat this and this.” or “I do not eat this and this.”

The food world is ruled by its definitions. Organic, fresh, homegrown, do any of these have actual formal definitions? If I buy two separate organic tomatoes, were they grown using the same guidelines? Also, if the vegetables I buy say “fresh” above them at the grocery store, does that mean they were put out this morning, or three days ago? I think that the food world is lacking in a set of definitions that clearly defines to the consumer what it means.