What Role Food Has Played In My Life Essay Examples

Food does not only nourish the body and the soul, but also helps strengthen the bonds of family ties. Whether good or bad, in most discussions that I have had with my family, food was always present to witness how we fought, how we loved, how we cried, and how we laughed to our heart's content. We are a family of eaters and to say that we enjoy food is an understatement. How I view food has been ingrained since the time when I was small. I remember occasions at home when even the littlest achievement automatically called for a small celebration. Life events like births in the family, birthdays, baptisms, confirmations, graduations, and other milestones in life meant the dining table will be filled with all our favorite foods like roast beef, chicken cordon bleu, roasted fresh ham with lots of gravy, deviled short-ribs, and lots of salads and other side dishes. Food was served when a family member passed away – although not as plenty as what we usually serve, still, food was present to comfort us during times of grief. Apparently, not only my immediate family craves for the dishes but my extended family as well.
My sister was born on Christmas day and that means she celebrates the occasion with the rest of the clan in attendance and gets a two-in-one gift instead of two separate presents. Mom does not have to prepare all meals because each family that attends the reunion always brings food to share for everyone. We usually have steak kebabs, beef patties for burger aficionados, veal with garlic, suckling pig, truffled sausages, baked ham slice, fish fillet, and chicken corn casserole, among others. Call that tradition, but the best part of it all is that I get to taste some of my favorite cakes and pastries baked by an aunt and the best-tasting pastas and sauces as prepared by an uncle who is a chef.
There was also this time when my brother, who was an exchange student to Europe, was supposed to have his fellow exchange students over for the weekend. So Mom started preparing the barbeques and hamburger patties that were to be served to the guests. Alas! The group could not make it and had to cancel at the last minute. With all the barbeques, burgers, and fries that Mom prepared, instead of getting angry, my Dad decided to throw an impromptu "Cancel Out" party and invited friends and neighbors to join us in finishing off the food. We gulped down everything with juices and sodas and with lots of sprinklings of stories and memories.
I also look forward to food during family mealtimes. At home, we ensure to spend at least one meal together, which is usually dinnertime. We all get to talk about what happened during the day, cheer for our successes, and provide support or encouragement for each other's shortcomings. It has helped developed our communication skills and has made us closer and loving towards each other. Each bite we take of Mom's cooking represents her love for each one of us. As we sip the fruit juices, it soothes our weary bodies and minds, as each gulp is a reminder of Mom's tenderness and sacrifice to give each of us a comfortable and clean house to live in. Dad, for his part, instilled in us that food we put in the plate should not be wasted – not even a single piece of rice. We should always be reminded about the farmers who persevere to plant rice for us and how lucky we are to eat three square meals a day while there are those who do not have any at all.
For me, food helped solidify my values in life. With each lesson my parents imparted to us siblings, food often accompanied each message. As a child, I felt so loved and well taken care of. I have always felt I was a part of a cohesive and a happy family – with supportive parents and well-behaved children. Now that I am a bit older, nothing has changed much for the family. For us, food is like macaroni and cheese where a family member is either the macaroni - of varying colors, sizes, and shapes representing the different personalities and idiosyncrasies of everyone in the family, or the pepper – that one ingredient that keeps relationships spicy and always on the go. And cheese? Cheese is the element that keeps "everyone" together, the sticky factor that bonds us like glue to paper or icing to cake.