Food is Political

In its most basic form, food is a commodity, bought and sold, right? What about it as a necessity to sustain life? Is food a Human Right? When we have so much food waste, should anyone go hungry? We should all be considering these questions, and looking to our leaders for tangible responses and action.

While food is undeniably a commodity, its perishable nature sets it apart from more durable goods like metals or oil. This perishability impacts all apsects of it, how it's produced, transported, stored, and priced, making food a commodity with an incredibly unique set of challenges and vulnerabilities. All of which have been leveraged for power and control (which is neither surprising nor something we should tolerate).

So how is food political? Its very existence as both a means of sustaining life and a means of financial gain make it inherently susceptible to political corruption because of just how much is at stake. Every human on earth requires food, if you control food, you control everyone, therfore its very existance is political. The same systems that produce, regulate, and distribute food are of course then shaped by the constructs of power, policy, and inequality. Obvious and yet horrifying when you really think about it. Food is a tool of control and power. Governments put policy in place about which crops are subsidized, such as corn, rice, wheat, potatoes, etc.. which in turn has lasting influence on what food is affordable, widely available and ultimately shapes a nations diet. These policies tend to benefit large agro-businesses and corporations (shocker), many of which have “relationships” with said politicians. Whether pockets are being lined or not, these decisions determine the way citizens of a given country/state purchase and consume, which often comes at the expense of small local farmers or nutritional diversity. So better question is, how is food not political?

If we go beyond the consumption of food, and dive into the production, the farming, the creatives, the laborers and field workers, the restaurants, distributors, markets, there are just so many parts of, Food. And because of this, the conversation around food has as many opinions and perspectives as it does consumers. All 8+ Billion of us have a relationship to food, and an opinion about its place in society, even if you don’t particularly think about food the way I do, you inevitable make decision on a daily basis that create your food perspective.

As far back as I can remember, the cuisines that have been platformed are typically of European origins. Its not difficult to find a great Italian, Spanish or French restaurant. Its also not difficlt to walk into almost any fine dining kitchen, or any professional kitchen for that matter, and see a white man (white passing) or a group of white men running the show. Those positions have overwhelmingly been bestowed to white cis men, leaving a massive racial, queer and gender gap in many high end professional kitchens. Food media and culinary institutions only perpetuate this issue as they have also long privileged white chefs and narratives, and kept the hiring hierarchy consistent, meaning white.

Systemic racism not only shapes who gets to profit from food culture but also who remains visible or invisible within it. The people who grow, harvest, and serve food (often immigrant or low-wage workers) are frequently confronted with an impossible set of decisions; work in unsafe environments to earn a pay check, or stand against those conditions and in all likelihood lose your job and ability to support your family. These conditions are a direct reflection of broader political choices about labor rights and protections. These immigrants are a massive chunk of our labor force and are often the forgotten ones. Paid the bare minimum, held to unrealistic standards, over worked, not supplied with the tools to be successful, and berated/demonized through it all. Its fascinating how important these people are to our economy, and yet made out to be the pariahs of our society. Disturbing really.

We also then need to key in on the word, Access, its an important one. Who has access to what, within a reasonable geographic and financial perspective? Is healthy food a real option for most people? Of course not. We all know the Whole food/paycheck joke. Quality food, made right, grown right, ethically sourced and distributed comes at a premium. In many low-income or marginalized communities, fresh and nutritious food is scarce or altogether non existent. When I think about real impact, today, its in the creation of community gardens, its pouring into food assistance programs, and its pushing for policy that has lasting change. Lasting change also means bringing grocery stores and restaraunts to “food deserts”, communities lacking reasonable access to nutritious food. The very concept of a food desert is truly mind numbing in the United States. On a fundamental level, everyone should have access to food that truly feeds their bodies, not just the pockets of money hungry corporations. The lack of regulation, or strict regulation for that matter in the US shows a clear assault on middle and lower class individuals by the elites that control production and distribution of food.

History tells us that capitalism and its greed have propelled almost evey bad thing that has happened in this countries past. All of the processed, chemical filled food production that has destroyed the diets of 10s of millions of Americans, many of which are marginalized communities, is just another clear example of what happens when greed is backed by power. They made it cheaper, faster, and more delicious, but it will probably kill you. A little aggressive? Not really.

Food isn’t just what’s on our plate, its a political tool used to control how you move through the world. From the way it’s grown to how it’s labeled on store shelves, every part of the food system is shaped by policies, subsidies, trade agreements, and of course good ol corporate lobbying. Industrial agriculture, in particular, is not just a method of growing food, it's a system deeply embedded in power structures. It relies on monoculture farming (single crop), heavy pesticide and fertilizer use, and massive land consolidation, often at the expense of small farmers, Indigenous communities, and local food systems. This is a major driver of deforestation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, all which are fueling the climate crisis. It would be naive to believe the intelligent bunch on the right dont understand and believe in climate change, but their power relies so heavily on its destruction they will use religion or any other means necessary to justify their actions. Money and power at all costs.

Beyond environmental problems, governments subsidize industrial farms while small scale, sustainable producers struggle to even access land, let alone the resources needed, or fair markets. Over time, the American farmer has been bullied and backed into corners they cant get out of. Trade deals prioritize export focused cash crops over local food security every single time. Is that the American dream?

Money is always the motive for these people, there is an utter lack of humanity and humility, and its destroying our planet and our global food systems. Understanding food as a political force means recognizing that transforming agriculture is not just about farming practices, it’s about power, equity, and the future of our planet.

On a global scale, trade policies make or break food security, especially in low-income regions that rely heavily on imports or exports. And it’s not just about economics. Food is also culture, it's identity. For many Indigenous and formerly colonized communities, political systems have long disrupted traditional foodways, eroding not just diets but entire cultural histories.

Even things like nutrition labels or food safety laws, which seem purely technical, are often battlegrounds between public health advocates and powerful corporate interests. When you start to look closely, you realize food isn’t just fuel, it’s a window into who holds power and how it’s used. This country stands on the ideal of the American dream, and what I know is we can all want success and happiness and money, but the unquenchable thirst, the overwhelming and unregulated greed that consumes the upper class, is not the American dream. We all deserve our slice of the pie, dont ever let billionairs or anyone else make you think differently.

When we talk about “American food culture”, we often celebrate its diversity; Southern comfort food, tacos, stir fry, BBQ. But what’s rarely acknowledged is the deep, often painful history that comes with it. American food culture is, and always has been, tied to racism and exploitation.

Let’s start with slavery. Enslaved Africans weren’t just forced laborers, they were skilled farmers and agriculturalists and cooks who brought with them knowledge that would shape the backbone of Southern cuisine. Think okra, rice, black-eyed peas, and even cooking techniques like frying. Yet their contributions have been largely erased or repackaged for white America without the due credit.

Indigenous communities, too, had (and still have) incredibly rich food traditions, but colonization didn’t just steal land, it disrupted food systems, banned traditional practices, and replaced them with government-issued commodities/food that led to lasting health issues and cultural disconnection.

Fast-forward to waves of immigration. Mexican, Chinese, and other immigrant communities brought bold, beautiful flavors that are now staples in American kitchens, but while their food was embraced, the people behind it often faced racism, labor abuse, and cultural stereotyping. Many still do, working long hours in kitchens and fields for low pay, often without protections. “American food” is beautifully latino, asian, black and really anything but white, because aunt linda can keep her midwest jello pie, I'll take their enchiladas, sushi and collard greens all day, any day, every day.

Lets go one step further, whats more American then fast food? Racism. Yep, racism. For decades, fast food companies have aggressively marketed to communities of color, pushing unhealthy options into neighborhoods where fresh food is scarce. The result? Higher rates of diabetes and other diet-related illness in communities that already face systemic barriers to health and medical care. A perfect combination to quietly destroy these communities from the inside out.

So while it’s easy to enjoy the taste of “American food”, we can’t ignore where it came from, or who pays the price every day. Understanding the racial history of our food system is a step toward honoring those who built it and pushing for a more just and equitable future. Food is power, and therefore deeply and dangerously political. Dont ever forget it.