You Are What You Eat

You know the saying, ‘You Are What You Eat’? True, the products you consume will ultimately determine how your body is composed. What people tend to forget, however, is that what we eat sends a message not just to our brain or liver, but also to those around us.

No longer just conventional wisdom ‘You Are What You Eat’ exemplifies the emergence of a recent trend: eating health-consciously is good for your body. Trends are important when we consider why individual consumers buy the things they buy, but also in thinking about how these choices are influenced by broader global trends. While carrying a Starbucks coffee suggests you’re reloading on caffeine to keep you awake, it also shows that you’re buying a certain brand of coffee. What message does this send to others around you?

Let’s take the example of ‘Eating Local’: Eating Local, so it goes, is better for your community and for the environment. This is because it supports regional producers and reduces the carbon footprint: It meets a social need. From this need, the trend of ‘Eating Local’ has developed and spread globally.

The trend even follows you when you’re on the go – and high above the ground. Airline Caterers like LSG Sky Chefs support the local food movement by sourcing local produce to use in their meals. This is a chance for an airline to strengthen its identity by communicating this to its passengers. The choices an airline makes regarding which foods are offered can ultimately determine how they are perceived.

‘You Are What You Eat’, then, is not just about the vitamins and nutrients passengers take in – but also about how products can create a certain image and identity.