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?

While food is undeniably a commodity, its perishable nature sets it apart from more durable goods like metals or oil. This perishability impacts how it's produced, transported, stored, and priced—making food a commodity with unique challenges and vulnerabilities. All of which have been leveraged for power and control, which inevitably shifts the political landscape in any country, state or city you want to look at.

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 corruption because of just how much is at stake. The very systems that produce, regulate, and distribute it are 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 shapes a nations diet. These policies tend to benefit large agro-businesses and corporations, 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 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, the 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 and gender gap in most professional kitchens. Food media and culinary institutions 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 impossible 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.

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. Creating community gardens, continueing to pour into food assistance programs, and pushing for policy that has lasting change is crucial. Lasting change shows itself in bringing grocery stores and restaraunts to food deserts, communities lacking reasonable access to nutritious food. The very concept of a food desert is truly ridiculous 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. Capitalism and its greed then propelled the idea of over processed, chemical filled food production to destroy the diets of 10s of millions of Americans, most ofnwhich are marginalized communities. 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, it’s deeply political. From the way it’s grown to how it’s labeled on store shelves, every part of the food system is shaped by decisions that have real-world consequences. Industrial agriculture, for example, is a major driver of deforestation, water pollution, and climate change. These aren’t just environmental issues, they’re POLICY issues.

On a global scale, trade policies can 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.

When we talk about American food, 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 in mainstream conversation.

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 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.

Even fast food tells a story. For decades, 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.