Food can symbolize many things to many people.  Each culture has their own type of foods that designates their own customs, heritage, and regions.  Long lost history, practices, and religion have much to do with food symbolism; for instance, eating celebration food at the end of periods of fasting.  In the primitive age, just as they were coming to the end of their winter rations, people were able to get lamb, hens began laying eggs, and springtime vegetables could be harvested thus forming our traditional fare for Easter, Passover, and Holi.

In our modern times we are beyond merely nourishing the body, what we eat and with whom we eat strengthens the bonds between individuals, defines family roles and traditions, and develop our most basic beliefs about ourselves and the world that we live in.  We are also now altering many long-held traditions due to the new and varied diets, lifestyle food choices, and increasing number of food allergies that are materializing from our industrialized farming methods. 

We unintentionally associate foods with emotions and feelings too.  Notice how when you are feeling stressed that you might turn to a certain food for comfort.  When you are happy do you eat more sugary foods in celebration?  We can write our life stories around food, so it is not surprising that we have given them certain meanings.  We have even categorized certain foods with certain meanings, such as symbolic herbs and flowers that are used to convey certain qualities and messages.

Begin to notice what you are eating, when you are eating, how you are eating, and what you were feeling when you were eating.  You can even journal about what each food or meal signified to you.  Soon you'll begin to see a pattern that just might lead you to a new awareness and a healthier way of eating..once you know what your food symbolizes to you.