Let’s Get Together

Have you ever noticed when people say “Let’s get together” it is usually for coffee, drinks, lunch, appetizers, etc.?   Somehow the invitation always centers around food!  Why is that?  I tend to think it’s because food is communal.  It’s sharing not only your physical presence with someone, but also partaking in a sensory experience together.  There’s something comforting in filling your senses with good company and good food simultaneously.

Food is an important part of any celebration in all parts of the world, regardless of culture or religion. It can unite and strengthen bonds and help establish a common identity among a group, no matter how big or how small.  For example, there are:

·        Business dinners and lunches where people come together to strike partnerships and deals. 

·        Social gatherings among friends to catch up on life since schooldays.

·        Celebrations marking life events, holidays or traditions.

·        Quiet intimate meals shared with a loved one just to reconnect.

I’ve seen food bring and keep people together my entire life.

Case in point, a memory of my parents.  While we weren’t poor growing up, we didn’t have an abundance of money either.  Date nights out for my parents were a rare thing and usually reserved for special occasions. But every Wednesday night they would put my sister and I to bed early and head to the kitchen.  They didn’t necessarily cook fancy or complex meals – it wasn’t about that.  It was about carving out time for the two of them to reconnect, to share stories about their day/week, to discuss plans for the future or just remind themselves that they were not just parents of two young girls, but two people very much in love.  They were connecting…over food.

Even as I flash forward to today’s world, there is proof of food power connections… on dating apps!  A recent article I read, stated that if you mention food (snacks/meals) in your dating profile bio you were more likely to be contacted than those who do not mention food.  Food = connection.  (And as an added bonus for my single readers, a guacamole mention boosted chances by 144%!!!). 

Regardless of the type of connection being sought, food ventures foster relationships. If you look back in history, food has been doing just that since the beginning of time: from the Last Supper to the Pilgrims and Indians early Thanksgiving feasts right through to modern day political dinners.  Food feeds much more than our immediate hunger.  Food, food customs, and the people who embody them, are vehicles by which we maintain meaningful connections with others.  So next time someone says “Let’s get together” realize that a satisfying dining/drinking experience is probably secondary to the connection the get together will ultimately bestow.