Journal Review : Salad Days; A Visual Study of Children’s Food Culture written by, Melissa Salazar, Gail Feenstra, and Jeri Ohmart 

Making food choices highly depend on a visual activity as the food industry is well aware about this issue. Our sense of sight separates the food as it looks good enough to eat before we touch and taste the food.

Before we separate attractive and unattractive foods we test the food through our individual, visual and smell experiences as well as what others around us do with food. 

Due to the reason it is important to conduct a visually based research method which is particularly relevant with the tools for explorations of food behavior.

By looking to the studies prepared before, it is difficult to describe a general food behavior because daily food behaviors can be challenging and it is much better to document food behavior via photography or video rather than questionnaires or memory calls. Images of students plates were taken everyday not only show routine eating behaviors, it also assists researchers in visualizing socio-cultural food norms and values which might be hard to articulate with other means.

Plus, implementing visual recording into food relates with fieldwork and because of that it is possible view the social life.

Due to all of these reasons, visually based methodologies can particularly be useful in examinations of food in cultural life.

Salad Bar / School Lunch Program

Following photographs represents the comprehensive evaluation of a salad bar school lunch program from several elementary schools in Northern California/U.S.A. in 2004-2005 education periods.

As seen in the pictures, the school lunch salad bars featured with bins of fresh fruits and vegetables in self-serve format, with the intent of encouraging children to select(and consume) a wider variety and greater amount of produce as part of their school lunch.

The self-serve aspect of the new school lunch salad bar was the driving force to use photography as an evaluative device: during the lunch-time hundreds of children went through the salad bar and it was possible to take the pictures of their plate by using photography as an evaluative device. 

Researchers have taken 850 digital photographs of individual students in 3 months in order to see the consumption habits and to quantify the students serving sizes of various food components.   

Researchers who controlled the products noticed croutons and numbers of carrot coins on each plate which shows that the children also feel free on arranging food on their plates.

Therefore, the researchers examined each plate as a cultural construction. Due to the reason they first of all looked to the plates which seem disgusting or weird for them. 

The following pictures show the lunch selections of the children. The students encountered the bar from the left to right, and would encounter the lettuce first, and then toppings like carrots and cheese, followed by a variety of fresh fruit. 

From this order of ingredients students were expected to construct their plates such like their teacher who is going through the same salad bar line

 

      What adults planned?

      The students encountered the bar from the left to right, and would encounter the lettuce first, and then toppings like carrots and cheese, followed by a variety of fresh fruit. From this order of ingredients students were expected to construct their plates such like their teacher who is going through the same salad bar line.

      What kids did?


But the children’s selections were completely different as the following photographs shows the salads constructed by students in the elementary school.
When controlling the nutritional calculations it is seen that the students’ selections, salads met or exceed the nutritional requirements. So it is not impossible to say that their selections are wrong.
While children’s and teachers had similar components to organize their salads, their salads were visually different.  Children’s plates typically showed careful arrangements of foods into piles, some into compositions worthy of flow chart. Children are generally not selecting mixed salads like their teachers.

The researchers firstly thought the students are unaware about how a proper salad should look like, but the students were insisting on rejecting mixed salad.
By checking other pictures the researches were sure about the students was no accident. The care and organization they use to decorate their tables shows that the students are thoughtful about their food choices and placements. 

Creative Meal Combinations

 The pictures also showed us the danger of allowing children to prepare their own combination. On the hot lunch days, the children have a very limited chance to prepare their plates due to the reason the children’s favorite day became salad bar days, and the students mention that “they felt like eating” on this days.

Also there were several control institutions which prohibits the children’s self-serve freedoms. This control was not about the nutritional components about the foods that they selected, that was mostly about the correct portion sizes and variety. Also the largest battle, between adults and children was fought over the portion size. Because the most popular items like cherries, strawberries, orange and kiwis were unavailable by the end of the first lunch period. This also has economical results. 

Croutons:

Croutons were also popular and were used by children in creative ways different than adults.  Since the croutons were located at the very end of salad bar, students were very careful that they save rooms for croutons in their trays that shows that children pay a lot of attention on the appearance of the food that they eat.

Finally, we see that when the children enjoyed the freedom to feed themselves, they can be very creative on the design of their trays.

Thus, we obtain the opportunity to gain new insights and understandings regarding to children’s food culture. Rather than building a mixed salad that adults generally prefer, children design their salad preparations very carefully and they separate the products that they prefer. This shows the importance of the appearance of food in their food culture.
Considering the people’s food habits of all ages and cultures are becoming increasingly important and we see the importance of “image based fieldworks” for food researcher.

      Referance : http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415977777/resources/webchap27.pdf
              

 

Culinary Plating Techniques

Food plating is an important issue amoung professional chefs. In order to obtain more pleasant eating it is important to design the meal in an appealing way.

Professional chefs are using white plates and they design the food in the center of the plate. This is the major strategy to show the food first.

But there are several options to show the plate.

Clock Method: 

In this technique professional chefs think their plate like the face of a clock. Each section corresponds to the number of the clocks to create different sections for placing food.                     


For example ; Starchy food should be placed at 10, the meat at 2 and the vegetable at 6.


Stacking Method:

This is a technique which adds a dimension of height to culinary plating which is forcing diner's eyes to move upward. Chefs are using this technique when they are preparing smaller courses.


Sauces:

Sauces are a part of many courses, from appetizers to main courses to desserts. The presentation and placing type of the sauces are very important.

It differs from meat to dessert. For example; sauce placed under the meat to serve as a background for your main course.
Swirtling is another technique of designing the sauces but, chef's usually exegerate swirling. Normally, single swirl is enough to make your plate look appealing.








Referance: http://www.ehow.com/list_7353668_culinary-plating-techniques.html

Paper Review: Eaters in the Dark: The Primacy of Cognitive Factors for Food Consumption and Satiety

Another study which underlines the importance of cognitive factors was prepared by Mr. Scheibehenne and Mr. Todd from Indiana University Cognitive Science Program. Research results shows that the visual cues are completely dependent on the amount of food consumed. In the “Eaters in the Dark: The Primacy of Cognitive Factors for Food Consumption and Satiety” journal it is easy to understand that people consume much more amount of food and dessert in the dark dining conditions. In the research it is seen that internal signals effect our approach to eat our meal.

Now, the resources such as the total amount of agricultural area are much more limited than the situation before. Due to the reason it is important to teach people the amount of food they should consume. People are unaware about the optimal point of satiety. Larger portion sizes led to more consumption. Due to the reason we should pay attention to this issue.

Because most of the people do not feel full before they finish the entire portion and this issue manipulated by the larger portion sizes. Because in the research it is mentioned that, larger portion sizes only increase the consumption, portion sizes don’t have any effect on the sense of satiety.

In fact, in the journal about increasing the portion sizes and its relation with energy intake, Wansink, Painter and North (2006) mention that, we manipulate our feelings by excessive portion sizes and this results more consumption in the further intake.

For example, when eating in a group, people adjust their consumption to how others at the table eat. This sets an implicit consumption norm.

In order to prove this claim, researchers made another experiment. They prepared a soup in a bowl which is refilled through hidden tube in the bottom. Participants, who eat this bottomless bowls, consume %73 more calories than a control group eating soup from a regular bowl. That shows; the importance of cognitive factors, especially the visual factors in food consumption.

Due to these reasons, people should start to use their visual properties to count the calorie amounts of their dishes; it is healthier for them.

In order to experiment the difference of visual factors in food consumption, researchers made an experimental study in order to judge the consumers satiety in the “dark” and “light” conditions.

It was seen that eating in the dark room conditions takes about 45-60 minutes but eating in the light, clear room conditions takes about 30-40 minutes.

It is also seen that the total food consumed in the dark was much higher than the food consumed in bright conditions.

So we understand that, food consumption and satiety is controlled by cognitive factors which rely on visual cues.

These results also supports the powerful effects of manipulating visual cues.

Reference: http://csjarchive.cogsci.rpi.edu/proceedings/2009/papers/499/paper499.pdf

Interview about the importance of Visuality in Food Presentation

Last week I made an interview with the Research and Development Manager of V.Besana S.p.A. company.

First of all, I would like to give brief information about V. Besana S.p.A. company.

Besana Group is an Italian family owned company, established in 1921. With a turnover of about 132Mln €, 20.000Mt of raw materials processed per year, today Besana Group is the largest Italian company and among the top in Europe for production, processing and commercialization of Nuts, Dried Fruit, Seeds, Chocolate and Snacks.

I made a brief interview with Mr. Agostino Improta about the Importance of Visuality of Food Presentation" and I learned very interesting information about the visual culture in food presentation. 

What is the importance of visuality in food presentation?

I believe People eat food with their eyes before they they eat with their mouth due to the reason visuality is one of the most important element that we take into the consideration in food presentation.

Food must have a nice appearance after good taste. It is very simple if it is not nice, they don’t buy.

How do you provide a proper and visually attractive product?

First of all, we try to receive the feedback of our team. They are experts in sensory testing.

We are lucky that our products are colorful (especially dried fruits). Firstly, we pay attention to provide good balance in color. We are trying to produce more clear products rather than dark appereance

For example if we are talking about mixed products (dried fruit-nuts mixtures)  you have to have a good balance in color.

These aspects have to be linked with a good taste. That is what we consider in order to prepare a visually attractive product.

What are the most important points that you take into consideration in order to provide a visually attractive product?

It is better if I answer this question with specializing dried fruit and nuts sector. The most important thing that we take into consideration is the market of reference.

We in Besana Company, differentiate the presentation of food from market to market. For example for United Kingdom market, we prefer to emphasize “natural image”. Due to the reason we don’t prefer very colorful products.

But in Belgium market; consumers are expecting more “sugared” taste. That’s why we are mostly selecting colored products

Could you please share some examples about the importance of visuality on food presentations from your experiences?

There are many examples that I can share with you but the most interesting examples can be in Apricots and Mulberries

For example; naturally dried apricots have dark brown color. But people prefer; dried apricots with sulphur application. Because sulphured dried apricots have more shinny, orange color. Although it has a chemical application, people prefer sulphured ones just because of the appearance of the products.

 Another interesting example that I can share with you is Mulberries. European consumers do not prefer to consume dried mulberries because it has an image like a worm!

That can be another example which showing that people eat before with their eyes. 

What are the strategies to obtain visually attractive product?

The most important strategy that the brands are using is the packaging design. For example; If you are producing dried fruit & nuts mixtures. People want to see what is inside the product. Due to the reason, brands prefer transparent packages in order to show the products inside the packages. That also shows the importance of food presentation. There are many other strategies that the companies are using for the food presentation.

Social Media

Some of the most popular photographs taken with smartphones are food in various forms in preparation. Food iconography became a trend among social media users such as foursquare, twitter, facebook and instagram. 

Along with this trend, people start to relate themselves with the aesthetics of food and food photography became a widespread hobby.

Plus, there are many software programs which is used to show food much more attractive such as Instagram.

By using Instagram, it is possible to add elegan, enjoyable or old fashioned image to the food picture.

Using this applications and social media channels people consume food twice. Once they take a picture, second they look to the pictures.

For example, lets compare a fresh garlic with the chopped garlic mixed with parsley. Chopped garlic seems less aggressive in taste than fresh garlic.

  

   









Referance : 
Food Fetish: Society's Complicated Relationship with Food via; http://gossipy.co/tag/food-fetish

Food Presentation as a Communication Tool

Visuality is the touchstone of communication. There are a lot example underlines the importance of visuality in communication.

For example; Restaurant and Cafe Menu's are generally supported with enticing pictures taken by professional food photographers.

Relation with Media and Journalism

Media channels are the an integral parts of all gastronomic processes.

For example, In University of Gastronomic Sciences education programs we can see that, there are courses focusing on the language and writing in gastronomic context and there are also courses concentrated on constructing video and photographic images that can be used to present food in an effective way.

These courses are organised to build capacity in expressing ideas about food with passion, insight and professionalism.

From this example we can see that, it is not only important to specify what we eat, it is also important to show how we present the food with art, literature and visual culture. That need's a critical information.

The language of food permits us to approach to intangible meanings behind the food itself.

We need to explore artistic, historical and sociological perspectives behind to food.

Importance of Art in Food Presentation 

Food presentation have the same importance as taste. Well presented food will look appetizing and will encourage people to try new recipes. Plus, well presented food influences people to prefer food with better nutritional value.

There are 5 important aspects which underlines the importance of food presentation. These aspects are; Creativity, Hunger, Appeal, Balance and Advertising.

Creativity

Artistic food styling and presentation enables the chefs to differentiate their work from other restaurants.

Depending on the creativity of the chefs, same dish even prepared with same recipe can look unique

Hunger

Imagine a person who have poor appetites or little interest on eating well; only artfully arranged plate can provide motivation to dig into a meal otherwise food can seem unappetizing.

Due to the reason, restaurant menu's are generally supported with alive and attractive photo's taken by professional food photographers.

Appeal

 Artistically prepared food can appear appetizing and interesting. Even the person does not like the ingredients of the food prepared, artistically prepared food can entice someone to try.

Balance

In order to prepare a well styled food you also need to consider the balance of the meal. For example; a well styled food should contain a number of colors which adds visual interest to food. Also well-styled food should include at least two food groups.

Advertising 

Food companies revenue also depends on the presentation of the food. Well styled food can support marketing and promotional campaigns to appeal people.

Reference: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6054374_importance-art-food-presentation.html