personal essays about food

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Six brilliant student essays on the power of food to spark social change.

Read winning essays from our fall 2018 “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” student writing contest.

For the Fall 2018 student writing competition, “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” we invited students to read the YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,”   by Korsha Wilson and respond to this writing prompt: If you were to host a potluck or dinner to discuss a challenge facing your community or country, what food would you cook? Whom would you invite? On what issue would you deliberate? 

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these six—on anti-Semitism, cultural identity, death row prisoners, coming out as transgender, climate change, and addiction—were chosen as essay winners.  Be sure to read the literary gems and catchy titles that caught our eye.

Middle School Winner: India Brown High School Winner: Grace Williams University Winner: Lillia Borodkin Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

Literary Gems Clever Titles

Middle School Winner: India Brown  

A Feast for the Future

Close your eyes and imagine the not too distant future: The Statue of Liberty is up to her knees in water, the streets of lower Manhattan resemble the canals of Venice, and hurricanes arrive in the fall and stay until summer. Now, open your eyes and see the beautiful planet that we will destroy if we do not do something. Now is the time for change. Our future is in our control if we take actions, ranging from small steps, such as not using plastic straws, to large ones, such as reducing fossil fuel consumption and electing leaders who take the problem seriously.

 Hosting a dinner party is an extraordinary way to publicize what is at stake. At my potluck, I would serve linguini with clams. The clams would be sautéed in white wine sauce. The pasta tossed with a light coat of butter and topped with freshly shredded parmesan. I choose this meal because it cannot be made if global warming’s patterns persist. Soon enough, the ocean will be too warm to cultivate clams, vineyards will be too sweltering to grow grapes, and wheat fields will dry out, leaving us without pasta.

I think that giving my guests a delicious meal and then breaking the news to them that its ingredients would be unattainable if Earth continues to get hotter is a creative strategy to initiate action. Plus, on the off chance the conversation gets drastically tense, pasta is a relatively difficult food to throw.

In YES! Magazine’s article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson says “…beyond the narrow definition of what cooking is, you can see that cooking is and has always been an act of resistance.” I hope that my dish inspires people to be aware of what’s at stake with increasing greenhouse gas emissions and work toward creating a clean energy future.

 My guest list for the potluck would include two groups of people: local farmers, who are directly and personally affected by rising temperatures, increased carbon dioxide, drought, and flooding, and people who either do not believe in human-caused climate change or don’t think it affects anyone. I would invite the farmers or farm owners because their jobs and crops are dependent on the weather. I hope that after hearing a farmer’s perspective, climate-deniers would be awakened by the truth and more receptive to the effort to reverse these catastrophic trends.

Earth is a beautiful planet that provides everything we’ll ever need, but because of our pattern of living—wasteful consumption, fossil fuel burning, and greenhouse gas emissions— our habitat is rapidly deteriorating. Whether you are a farmer, a long-shower-taking teenager, a worker in a pollution-producing factory, or a climate-denier, the future of humankind is in our hands. The choices we make and the actions we take will forever affect planet Earth.

 India Brown is an eighth grader who lives in New York City with her parents and older brother. She enjoys spending time with her friends, walking her dog, Morty, playing volleyball and lacrosse, and swimming.

High School Winner: Grace Williams

Apple Pie Embrace

It’s 1:47 a.m. Thanksgiving smells fill the kitchen. The sweet aroma of sugar-covered apples and buttery dough swirls into my nostrils. Fragrant orange and rosemary permeate the room and every corner smells like a stroll past the open door of a French bakery. My eleven-year-old eyes water, red with drowsiness, and refocus on the oven timer counting down. Behind me, my mom and aunt chat to no end, fueled by the seemingly self-replenishable coffee pot stashed in the corner. Their hands work fast, mashing potatoes, crumbling cornbread, and covering finished dishes in a thin layer of plastic wrap. The most my tired body can do is sit slouched on the backless wooden footstool. I bask in the heat escaping under the oven door.

 As a child, I enjoyed Thanksgiving and the preparations that came with it, but it seemed like more of a bridge between my birthday and Christmas than an actual holiday. Now, it’s a time of year I look forward to, dedicated to family, memories, and, most importantly, food. What I realized as I grew older was that my homemade Thanksgiving apple pie was more than its flaky crust and soft-fruit center. This American food symbolized a rite of passage, my Iraqi family’s ticket to assimilation. 

 Some argue that by adopting American customs like the apple pie, we lose our culture. I would argue that while American culture influences what my family eats and celebrates, it doesn’t define our character. In my family, we eat Iraqi dishes like mesta and tahini, but we also eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast. This doesn’t mean we favor one culture over the other; instead, we create a beautiful blend of the two, adapting traditions to make them our own.

 That said, my family has always been more than the “mashed potatoes and turkey” type.

My mom’s family immigrated to the United States in 1976. Upon their arrival, they encountered a deeply divided America. Racism thrived, even after the significant freedoms gained from the Civil Rights Movement a few years before. Here, my family was thrust into a completely unknown world: they didn’t speak the language, they didn’t dress normally, and dinners like riza maraka seemed strange in comparison to the Pop Tarts and Oreos lining grocery store shelves.

 If I were to host a dinner party, it would be like Thanksgiving with my Chaldean family. The guests, my extended family, are a diverse people, distinct ingredients in a sweet potato casserole, coming together to create a delicious dish.

In her article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson writes, “each ingredient that we use, every technique, every spice tells a story about our access, our privilege, our heritage, and our culture.” Voices around the room will echo off the walls into the late hours of the night while the hot apple pie steams at the table’s center.

We will play concan on the blanketed floor and I’ll try to understand my Toto, who, after forty years, still speaks broken English. I’ll listen to my elders as they tell stories about growing up in Unionville, Michigan, a predominately white town where they always felt like outsiders, stories of racism that I have the privilege not to experience. While snacking on sunflower seeds and salted pistachios, we’ll talk about the news- how thousands of people across the country are protesting for justice among immigrants. No one protested to give my family a voice.

Our Thanksgiving food is more than just sustenance, it is a physical representation of my family ’s blended and ever-changing culture, even after 40 years in the United States. No matter how the food on our plates changes, it will always symbolize our sense of family—immediate and extended—and our unbreakable bond.

Grace Williams, a student at Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, enjoys playing tennis, baking, and spending time with her family. Grace also enjoys her time as a writing editor for her school’s yearbook, the Pioneer. In the future, Grace hopes to continue her travels abroad, as well as live near extended family along the sunny beaches of La Jolla, California.

University Winner: Lillia Borodkin

Nourishing Change After Tragedy Strikes

In the Jewish community, food is paramount. We often spend our holidays gathered around a table, sharing a meal and reveling in our people’s story. On other sacred days, we fast, focusing instead on reflection, atonement, and forgiveness.

As a child, I delighted in the comfort of matzo ball soup, the sweetness of hamantaschen, and the beauty of braided challah. But as I grew older and more knowledgeable about my faith, I learned that the origins of these foods are not rooted in joy, but in sacrifice.

The matzo of matzo balls was a necessity as the Jewish people did not have time for their bread to rise as they fled slavery in Egypt. The hamantaschen was an homage to the hat of Haman, the villain of the Purim story who plotted the Jewish people’s destruction. The unbaked portion of braided challah was tithed by commandment to the kohen  or priests. Our food is an expression of our history, commemorating both our struggles and our triumphs.

As I write this, only days have passed since eleven Jews were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. These people, intending only to pray and celebrate the Sabbath with their community, were murdered simply for being Jewish. This brutal event, in a temple and city much like my own, is a reminder that anti-Semitism still exists in this country. A reminder that hatred of Jews, of me, my family, and my community, is alive and flourishing in America today. The thought that a difference in religion would make some believe that others do not have the right to exist is frightening and sickening.  

 This is why, if given the chance, I would sit down the entire Jewish American community at one giant Shabbat table. I’d serve matzo ball soup, pass around loaves of challah, and do my best to offer comfort. We would take time to remember the beautiful souls lost to anti-Semitism this October and the countless others who have been victims of such hatred in the past. I would then ask that we channel all we are feeling—all the fear, confusion, and anger —into the fight.

As suggested in Korsha Wilson’s “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” I would urge my guests to direct our passion for justice and the comfort and care provided by the food we are eating into resisting anti-Semitism and hatred of all kinds.

We must use the courage this sustenance provides to create change and honor our people’s suffering and strength. We must remind our neighbors, both Jewish and non-Jewish, that anti-Semitism is alive and well today. We must shout and scream and vote until our elected leaders take this threat to our community seriously. And, we must stand with, support, and listen to other communities that are subjected to vengeful hate today in the same way that many of these groups have supported us in the wake of this tragedy.

This terrible shooting is not the first of its kind, and if conflict and loathing are permitted to grow, I fear it will not be the last. While political change may help, the best way to target this hate is through smaller-scale actions in our own communities.

It is critical that we as a Jewish people take time to congregate and heal together, but it is equally necessary to include those outside the Jewish community to build a powerful crusade against hatred and bigotry. While convening with these individuals, we will work to end the dangerous “otherizing” that plagues our society and seek to understand that we share far more in common than we thought. As disagreements arise during our discussions, we will learn to respect and treat each other with the fairness we each desire. Together, we shall share the comfort, strength, and courage that traditional Jewish foods provide and use them to fuel our revolution. 

We are not alone in the fight despite what extremists and anti-semites might like us to believe.  So, like any Jew would do, I invite you to join me at the Shabbat table. First, we will eat. Then, we will get to work.  

Lillia Borodkin is a senior at Kent State University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Child Psychology. She plans to attend graduate school and become a school psychologist while continuing to pursue her passion for reading and writing. Outside of class, Lillia is involved in research in the psychology department and volunteers at the Women’s Center on campus.   

Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester

As a kid, I remember asking my friends jokingly, ”If you were stuck on a deserted island, what single item of food would you bring?” Some of my friends answered practically and said they’d bring water. Others answered comically and said they’d bring snacks like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or a banana. However, most of my friends answered sentimentally and listed the foods that made them happy. This seems like fun and games, but what happens if the hypothetical changes? Imagine being asked, on the eve of your death, to choose the final meal you will ever eat. What food would you pick? Something practical? Comical? Sentimental?  

This situation is the reality for the 2,747 American prisoners who are currently awaiting execution on death row. The grim ritual of “last meals,” when prisoners choose their final meal before execution, can reveal a lot about these individuals and what they valued throughout their lives.

It is difficult for us to imagine someone eating steak, lobster tail, apple pie, and vanilla ice cream one moment and being killed by state-approved lethal injection the next. The prisoner can only hope that the apple pie he requested tastes as good as his mom’s. Surprisingly, many people in prison decline the option to request a special last meal. We often think of food as something that keeps us alive, so is there really any point to eating if someone knows they are going to die?

“Controlling food is a means of controlling power,” said chef Sean Sherman in the YES! Magazine article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” by Korsha Wilson. There are deeper stories that lie behind the final meals of individuals on death row.

I want to bring awareness to the complex and often controversial conditions of this country’s criminal justice system and change the common perception of prisoners as inhuman. To accomplish this, I would host a potluck where I would recreate the last meals of prisoners sentenced to death.

In front of each plate, there would be a place card with the prisoner’s full name, the date of execution, and the method of execution. These meals could range from a plate of fried chicken, peas with butter, apple pie, and a Dr. Pepper, reminiscent of a Sunday dinner at Grandma’s, to a single olive.

Seeing these meals up close, meals that many may eat at their own table or feed to their own kids, would force attendees to face the reality of the death penalty. It will urge my guests to look at these individuals not just as prisoners, assigned a number and a death date, but as people, capable of love and rehabilitation.  

This potluck is not only about realizing a prisoner’s humanity, but it is also about recognizing a flawed criminal justice system. Over the years, I have become skeptical of the American judicial system, especially when only seven states have judges who ethnically represent the people they serve. I was shocked when I found out that the officers who killed Michael Brown and Anthony Lamar Smith were exonerated for their actions. How could that be possible when so many teens and adults of color have spent years in prison, some even executed, for crimes they never committed?  

Lawmakers, police officers, city officials, and young constituents, along with former prisoners and their families, would be invited to my potluck to start an honest conversation about the role and application of inequality, dehumanization, and racism in the death penalty. Food served at the potluck would represent the humanity of prisoners and push people to acknowledge that many inmates are victims of a racist and corrupt judicial system.

Recognizing these injustices is only the first step towards a more equitable society. The second step would be acting on these injustices to ensure that every voice is heard, even ones separated from us by prison walls. Let’s leave that for the next potluck, where I plan to serve humble pie.

Paisley Regester is a high school senior and devotes her life to activism, the arts, and adventure. Inspired by her experiences traveling abroad to Nicaragua, Mexico, and Scotland, Paisley hopes to someday write about the diverse people and places she has encountered and share her stories with the rest of the world.

Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo

The Empty Seat

“If you aren’t sober, then I don’t want to see you on Christmas.”

Harsh words for my father to hear from his daughter but words he needed to hear. Words I needed him to understand and words he seemed to consider as he fiddled with his wine glass at the head of the table. Our guests, my grandma, and her neighbors remained resolutely silent. They were not about to defend my drunken father–or Charles as I call him–from my anger or my ultimatum.

This was the first dinner we had had together in a year. The last meal we shared ended with Charles slopping his drink all over my birthday presents and my mother explaining heroin addiction to me. So, I wasn’t surprised when Charles threw down some liquid valor before dinner in anticipation of my anger. If he wanted to be welcomed on Christmas, he needed to be sober—or he needed to be gone.

Countless dinners, holidays, and birthdays taught me that my demands for sobriety would fall on deaf ears. But not this time. Charles gave me a gift—a one of a kind, limited edition, absolutely awkward treat. One that I didn’t know how to deal with at all. Charles went home that night, smacked a bright red bow on my father, and hand-delivered him to me on Christmas morning.

He arrived for breakfast freshly showered and looking flustered. He would remember this day for once only because his daughter had scolded him into sobriety. Dad teetered between happiness and shame. Grandma distracted us from Dad’s presence by bringing the piping hot bacon and biscuits from the kitchen to the table, theatrically announcing their arrival. Although these foods were the alleged focus of the meal, the real spotlight shined on the unopened liquor cabinet in my grandma’s kitchen—the cabinet I know Charles was begging Dad to open.

I’ve isolated myself from Charles. My family has too. It means we don’t see Dad, but it’s the best way to avoid confrontation and heartache. Sometimes I find myself wondering what it would be like if we talked with him more or if he still lived nearby. Would he be less inclined to use? If all families with an addict tried to hang on to a relationship with the user, would there be fewer addicts in the world? Christmas breakfast with Dad was followed by Charles whisking him away to Colorado where pot had just been legalized. I haven’t talked to Dad since that Christmas.

As Korsha Wilson stated in her YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” “Sometimes what we don’t cook says more than what we do cook.” When it comes to addiction, what isn’t served is more important than what is. In quiet moments, I like to imagine a meal with my family–including Dad. He’d have a spot at the table in my little fantasy. No alcohol would push him out of his chair, the cigarettes would remain seated in his back pocket, and the stench of weed wouldn’t invade the dining room. Fruit salad and gumbo would fill the table—foods that Dad likes. We’d talk about trivial matters in life, like how school is going and what we watched last night on TV.

Dad would feel loved. We would connect. He would feel less alone. At the end of the night, he’d walk me to the door and promise to see me again soon. And I would believe him.

Emma Lingo spends her time working as an editor for her school paper, reading, and being vocal about social justice issues. Emma is active with many clubs such as Youth and Government, KHS Cares, and Peer Helpers. She hopes to be a journalist one day and to be able to continue helping out people by volunteering at local nonprofits.

Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

Bittersweet Reunion

I close my eyes and envision a dinner of my wildest dreams. I would invite all of my relatives. Not just my sister who doesn’t ask how I am anymore. Not just my nephews who I’m told are too young to understand me. No, I would gather all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins to introduce them to the me they haven’t met.

For almost two years, I’ve gone by a different name that most of my family refuses to acknowledge. My aunt, a nun of 40 years, told me at a recent birthday dinner that she’d heard of my “nickname.” I didn’t want to start a fight, so I decided not to correct her. Even the ones who’ve adjusted to my name have yet to recognize the bigger issue.

Last year on Facebook, I announced to my friends and family that I am transgender. No one in my family has talked to me about it, but they have plenty to say to my parents. I feel as if this is about my parents more than me—that they’ve made some big parenting mistake. Maybe if I invited everyone to dinner and opened up a discussion, they would voice their concerns to me instead of my parents.

I would serve two different meals of comfort food to remind my family of our good times. For my dad’s family, I would cook heavily salted breakfast food, the kind my grandpa used to enjoy. He took all of his kids to IHOP every Sunday and ordered the least healthy option he could find, usually some combination of an overcooked omelet and a loaded Classic Burger. For my mom’s family, I would buy shakes and burgers from Hardee’s. In my grandma’s final weeks, she let aluminum tins of sympathy meals pile up on her dining table while she made my uncle take her to Hardee’s every day.

In her article on cooking and activism, food writer Korsha Wilson writes, “Everyone puts down their guard over a good meal, and in that space, change is possible.” Hopefully the same will apply to my guests.

When I first thought of this idea, my mind rushed to the endless negative possibilities. My nun-aunt and my two non-nun aunts who live like nuns would whip out their Bibles before I even finished my first sentence. My very liberal, state representative cousin would say how proud she is of the guy I’m becoming, but this would trigger my aunts to accuse her of corrupting my mind. My sister, who has never spoken to me about my genderidentity, would cover her children’s ears and rush them out of the house. My Great-Depression-raised grandparents would roll over in their graves, mumbling about how kids have it easy nowadays.

After mentally mapping out every imaginable terrible outcome this dinner could have, I realized a conversation is unavoidable if I want my family to accept who I am. I long to restore the deep connection I used to have with them. Though I often think these former relationships are out of reach, I won’t know until I try to repair them. For a year and a half, I’ve relied on Facebook and my parents to relay messages about my identity, but I need to tell my own story.

At first, I thought Korsha Wilson’s idea of a cooked meal leading the way to social change was too optimistic, but now I understand that I need to think more like her. Maybe, just maybe, my family could all gather around a table, enjoy some overpriced shakes, and be as close as we were when I was a little girl.

 Hayden Wilson is a 17-year-old high school junior from Missouri. He loves writing, making music, and painting. He’s a part of his school’s writing club, as well as the GSA and a few service clubs.

 Literary Gems

We received many outstanding essays for the Fall 2018 Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye.

Thinking of the main staple of the dish—potatoes, the starchy vegetable that provides sustenance for people around the globe. The onion, the layers of sorrow and joy—a base for this dish served during the holidays.  The oil, symbolic of hope and perseverance. All of these elements come together to form this delicious oval pancake permeating with possibilities. I wonder about future possibilities as I flip the latkes.

—Nikki Markman, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

The egg is a treasure. It is a fragile heart of gold that once broken, flows over the blemishless surface of the egg white in dandelion colored streams, like ribbon unraveling from its spool.

—Kaylin Ku, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Princeton Junction, New Jersey

If I were to bring one food to a potluck to create social change by addressing anti-Semitism, I would bring gefilte fish because it is different from other fish, just like the Jews are different from other people.  It looks more like a matzo ball than fish, smells extraordinarily fishy, and tastes like sweet brine with the consistency of a crab cake.

—Noah Glassman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School,  Bronx, New York

I would not only be serving them something to digest, I would serve them a one-of-a-kind taste of the past, a taste of fear that is felt in the souls of those whose home and land were taken away, a taste of ancestral power that still lives upon us, and a taste of the voices that want to be heard and that want the suffering of the Natives to end.

—Citlalic Anima Guevara, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

It’s the one thing that your parents make sure you have because they didn’t.  Food is what your mother gives you as she lies, telling you she already ate. It’s something not everybody is fortunate to have and it’s also what we throw away without hesitation.  Food is a blessing to me, but what is it to you?

—Mohamed Omar, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

Filleted and fried humphead wrasse, mangrove crab with coconut milk, pounded taro, a whole roast pig, and caramelized nuts—cuisines that will not be simplified to just “food.” Because what we eat is the diligence and pride of our people—a culture that has survived and continues to thrive.

—Mayumi Remengesau, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Some people automatically think I’m kosher or ask me to say prayers in Hebrew.  However, guess what? I don’t know many prayers and I eat bacon.

—Hannah Reing, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, The Bronx, New York

Everything was placed before me. Rolling up my sleeves I started cracking eggs, mixing flour, and sampling some chocolate chips, because you can never be too sure. Three separate bowls. All different sizes. Carefully, I tipped the smallest, and the medium-sized bowls into the biggest. Next, I plugged in my hand-held mixer and flicked on the switch. The beaters whirl to life. I lowered it into the bowl and witnessed the creation of something magnificent. Cookie dough.

—Cassandra Amaya, Owen Goodnight Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

Biscuits and bisexuality are both things that are in my life…My grandmother’s biscuits are the best: the good old classic Southern biscuits, crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Except it is mostly Southern people who don’t accept me.

—Jaden Huckaby, Arbor Montessori, Decatur, Georgia

We zest the bright yellow lemons and the peels of flavor fall lightly into the batter.  To make frosting, we keep adding more and more powdered sugar until it looks like fluffy clouds with raspberry seed rain.

—Jane Minus, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Tamales for my grandma, I can still remember her skillfully spreading the perfect layer of masa on every corn husk, looking at me pitifully as my young hands fumbled with the corn wrapper, always too thick or too thin.

—Brenna Eliaz, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

Just like fry bread, MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) remind New Orleanians and others affected by disasters of the devastation throughout our city and the little amount of help we got afterward.

—Madeline Johnson, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

I would bring cream corn and buckeyes and have a big debate on whether marijuana should be illegal or not.

—Lillian Martinez, Miller Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

We would finish the meal off with a delicious apple strudel, topped with schlag, schlag, schlag, more schlag, and a cherry, and finally…more schlag (in case you were wondering, schlag is like whipped cream, but 10 times better because it is heavier and sweeter).

—Morgan Sheehan, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Clever Titles

This year we decided to do something different. We were so impressed by the number of catchy titles that we decided to feature some of our favorites. 

“Eat Like a Baby: Why Shame Has No Place at a Baby’s Dinner Plate”

—Tate Miller, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas 

“The Cheese in Between”

—Jedd Horowitz, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Harvey, Michael, Florence or Katrina? Invite Them All Because Now We Are Prepared”

—Molly Mendoza, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

“Neglecting Our Children: From Broccoli to Bullets”

—Kylie Rollings, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri  

“The Lasagna of Life”

—Max Williams, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

“Yum, Yum, Carbon Dioxide In Our Lungs”

—Melanie Eickmeyer, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

“My Potluck, My Choice”

—Francesca Grossberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Trumping with Tacos”

—Maya Goncalves, Lincoln Middle School, Ypsilanti, Michigan

“Quiche and Climate Change”

—Bernie Waldman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Biscuits and Bisexuality”

“W(health)”

—Miles Oshan, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

“Bubula, Come Eat!”

—Jordan Fienberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School,  Bronx, New York

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Essays About Food: Top 5 Examples and 6 Writing Prompts

Food is one of the greatest joys of life; it is both necessary to live and able to lift our spirits. If you are writing essays about food, read our guide.

Many people live and die by food. While its primary purpose is to provide us with the necessary nutrients to carry out bodily functions, the satisfaction food can give a person is beyond compare. For people of many occupations, such as chefs, waiters, bakers, and food critics, food has become a way of life.

Why do so many people enjoy food? It can provide us with the sensory pleasure we need to escape from the trials of daily life. From the moist tenderness of a good-quality steak to the sweet, rich decadence of a hot fudge sundae, food is truly magical. Instead of eating to stay alive, many even joke that they “live to eat.” In good food, every bite is like heaven.

5 Top Essay Examples

1. food essay by evelin tapia, 2. why japanese home cooking makes healthy feel effortless by kaki okumura, 3. why i love food by shuge luo.

• 4.  My Favorite Food by Jayasurya Mayilsamy 
• 5. ​​Osteria Francescana: does the world’s best restaurant live up to the hype? by Tanya Gold

6 Prompts for Essays About Food

1. what is your favorite dish, 2. what is your favorite cuisine, 3. is a vegan diet sustainable, 4. the dangers of fast food, 5. a special food memory, 6. the food of your home country.

“Food has so many things in them such as calories and fat. Eating healthy is important for everyone to live a healthy life. You can eat it, but eating it daily is bad for you stay healthy and eat the right foods. Deep fried foods hurt your health in many ways. Eat healthy and exercise to reduce the chances of any health problems.”

In this essay, Tapia writes about deep-fried foods and their effects on people’s health. She says they are high in trans fat, which is detrimental to one’s health. On the other hand, she notes reasons why people still eat foods such as potato chips and french fries, including exercise and simply “making the most of life.” Despite this, Tapia asserts her position that these foods should not be eaten in excess and can lead to a variety of health issues. She encourages people to live healthy lives by enjoying food but not overeating. 

“Because while a goal of many vegetables a day is admirable, in the beginning it’s much more sustainable to start with something as little as two. I learned that with an approach of two-vegetable dishes at a time, I would be a lot more consistent, and over time a large variety would become very natural. In fact, now following that framework and cooking a few simple dishes a day, I often find that it’s almost difficult to not reach at least several kinds of vegetables a day.”

Okumura discusses simple, healthy cooking in the Japanese tradition. While many tend to include as many vegetables as possible in their dishes for “health,” Okumura writes that just a few vegetables are necessary to make healthy but delicious dishes. With the help of Japanese pantry staples like miso and soy sauce, she makes a variety of traditional Japanese side dishes. She shows the wonders of food, even when executed in its simplest form. 

“I make pesto out of kale stems, toast the squash seeds for salad and repurpose my leftovers into brand new dishes. I love cooking because it’s an exercise in play. Cooking is forgiving in improvisation, and it can often surprise you. For example, did you know that adding ginger juice to your fried rice adds a surprisingly refreshing flavor that whets your appetite? Neither did I, until my housemate showed me their experiment.”

In her essay, Luo writes about her love for food and cooking, specifically how she can combine different ingredients from different cuisines to make delicious dishes. She recalls experiences with her native Chinese food and Italian, Singaporean, and Japanese Cuisine. The beauty of food, she says, is the way one can improvise a dish and create something magical. 

4.   My Favorite Food by Jayasurya Mayilsamy 

“There is no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap. My love for Pizza is very high. I am always hungry for pizza, be it any time of the day. Cheese is the secret ingredient of any food it makes any food taste yummy. Nearly any ingredient can be put on pizza. Those diced vegetables, jalapenos, tomato sauce, cheese and mushrooms make me eat more and more like a unique work of art.”

Mayilsamy writes about pizza, a food he can’t get enough of, and why he enjoys it as much as he does. He explains the different elements of a good pizza, such as cheese, tomato sauce, other toppings, and the crust. He also briefly discusses the different types of pizzas, such as thin crust and deep dish. Finally, he gives readers an excellent description of a mouthwatering pizza, reminding them of the feeling of eating their favorite food. 

5. ​​ Osteria Francescana: does the world’s best restaurant live up to the hype? by Tanya Gold

“After three hours, I am exhausted from eating Bottura’s dreams, and perhaps that is the point. If some of it is delicious, it is also consuming. That is the shadow cast by the award in the hallway, next to the one of a man strangled by food. I do not know if this is the best restaurant on Earth, or even if such a claim is possible. I suspect such lists are designed largely for marketing purposes: when else does Restaurant magazine, which runs the competition, get global coverage for itself and its sponsors?”

Gold reviews the dishes at Osteria Francescana, which is regarded by many as the #1 restaurant in the world. She describes the calm, formal ambiance and the polished interiors of the restaurants. Most importantly, she goes course by course, describing each dish in detail, from risotto inspired by the lake to parmesan cheese in different textures and temperatures. Gold concludes that while a good experience, a meal at the restaurant is time-consuming, and her experience is inconclusive as to whether or not this is the best restaurant in the world. 

Everyone has a favorite food; in your essay, write about a dish you enjoy. You can discuss the recipe’s history by researching where it comes from, the famous chefs who created it, or which restaurants specialize in this dish. Provide your readers with an ingredients list, and describe how each ingredient is used in the recipe. Conclude your essay with a review of your experience recreating this recipe at home, discuss how challenging the recipe is, and if you enjoyed the experience.

Aside from a favorite dish, everyone prefers one type of cuisine. Discuss your favorite cuisine and give examples of typical dishes, preparations for food, and factors that influence your chosen cuisine. For example, you could choose Italian cuisine and discuss pasta, pizza, gelato, and other famous food items typically associated with Italian food.

Many people choose to adopt a vegan diet that consists of only plant-based food. For your essay, you can discuss this diet and explain why some people choose it. Then, research the sustainability of a plant-based diet and if a person can maintain a vegan diet while remaining healthy and energized. Provide as much evidence as possible by conducting interviews, referencing online sources, and including survey data. 

Fast food is a staple part of diets worldwide; children are often raised on salty bites of chicken, fries, and burgers. However, it has been linked to many health complications, including cancer and obesity . Research the dangers of fast food, describe each in your essay, and give examples of how it can affect you mentally and physically. 

Is there a memory involving food that you treasure? Perhaps it could be a holiday celebration, a birthday, or a regular day when went to a restaurant. Reflect on this memory, retelling your story in detail, and describe the meal you ate and why you remember it so fondly.

Every country has a rich culture, a big component of which is food. Research the history of food in your native country, writing about common native dishes and ingredients used in cooking. If there are religious influences on your country’s cuisine, note them as well. Share a few of these recipes in your essay for an engaging piece of writing.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

For help picking your next essay topic, check out the best essay topics about social media .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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Personal Essays

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How An Essay About Food Landed Me at My Top College

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May 1st is fast approaching, and the time for the high school class of 2019 to make their final college decisions is dwindling. Choosing which college to go to is overwhelming, but the dozens of essays one has to write to merely apply is even more daunting. It also doesn't help when you apply to way too many schools (13 to be exact), nearly all of which want you to outline what makes their school stand out. It was all too easy to get trapped in the cycle of repetitive phrases and "smart-sounding language."

However, when it came to writing my actual college essay which was to be sent to every school, it seemed to just flow onto the paper. Despite not choosing a specific Common App prompt, I knew exactly what I was going to write about—food. 

Unlike fellow applicants, I did not have an incredible story to tell, nor an obstacle that I overcame worth a college admission officer's time. What I did have standing behind me was a passion for peanut butter and jelly , the best desserts in New Jersey , and outlandish food gadgets that probably no one needs .

I am a massive foodie. By definition, I am a person who really appreciates a good meal. It also makes me the person who makes dinner reservations for a vacation before the plane tickets and hotel rooms are booked, and one that celebrates a ten mile run with a slice of  Cheesecake Factory’s Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake . Is it the most healthy hobby? Probably not. But fun? Of course.

I am not sure what drew me to food, but maybe it is the fact that my earliest memories are of grabbing every sample possible at Sam’s Club, eating holiday dinners of kugel and brisket, and standing on the countertop making a batch of Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies. I learned to read a nutrition label before I could read a book and I learned the basics of food before I could count to ten. From childhood until now, although my taste buds have changed, and I have grown a liking for broccoli and lasagna, my infatuation with food remains constant.

Or maybe it is because I love how food is a social event. My family makes a point to eat our dinners as a unit. You can even count on my dog joining us in the kitchen when dinner is served. Whether we are eating one of my mom’s extravagant home-cooked meals or scarfing down a delivery pizza before we have to run out of the house, my family congregates at the table to catch up with each other.

Fridays are our nights out to dinner to celebrate the fact that we made it through another week. The choice of restaurant depends on whoever’s turn it is. My brother, not at all a food fanatic, always says anywhere. My dad loves to joke that Anywhere is too far or too expensive or whatever excuse he could make to get a chuckle out of me. To this day, I can always count on Friday night plans, even if it means eating dinner out with my parents. After dinner, you might discover my sister and I binge-watching the latest documentary about the juice cleanse (we’ve seen all three) while munching on a bag of Chex Mix.

This communion continues with my friends. You can find me on any given Saturday night chatting about the latest gossip and sharing our opinions on last night’s Bachelor in Paradise episode. This conversation isn’t complete unless we are chowing down on a smorgasbord of chicken chow mein , mozzarella sticks, and Pringles. Our way of celebrating our gratefulness towards one another is by hosting a Friendsgiving. Our annual feast boasts piles of our favorite foods. Luckily, when you are with friends, calories do not count.

I adore food. Not in the way where I don’t have a limit, but in the way that food just so happens to be a vital part of so many happy moments. I’m not a glutton, I just really like to smile. I cannot remember a time when food did not in one way or another make me or someone else happy. Even during the saddest or most stressful of situations, spending some quality time with Ben and Jerry can make it all better. Food is one of the most basic human needs, but it has grown into an integral aspect of our society where people look to it for comfort. When you are surrounded by foods and people who care for you, you don’t need much more. Although, extra dessert never hurts.

Where the Essay Led Me

After a few rejections, long college road-trips, and some delicious college cookies as seen in the photo above, I have officially committed to Northeastern University. I am so excited to start the next journey of my education as a Husky. Although my time at Spoon High School comes to a close, Spoon Northeastern awaits. 

So no one told you Thanksgiving was gonna be this way.

I'm lovin' it., adventurous, no time to wine. buff it out with your ro-say cheeks..

663 Interesting Food Essay Topics, Examples, and Ideas

Food essays are an excellent way to demonstrate your awareness of current nutrition and health issues. Obesity is a significant concern that is present in many people throughout the world and can lead to a variety of deadly conditions.

Obesity is often associated with eating junk food or food made with unhealthy ingredients and emphasizing taste or longevity over safety. Its opposite, healthy food, is a combination of many factors, which include food consumption patterns and monitoring your calorie intake.

As such, many ideas for innovative diets that circumvent some of the complexities have emerged, but most of them are flawed due to oversights. This article will provide you with topics about food and some tips for your essay writing process.

🏆 Best Food Topics & Essay Examples

👍 good essay topics about food, 🎓 popular nutrition and food topics to talk about, 🥇 most interesting food essay examples, 💡 simple topics related to food, 📌 good research food and nutrition topics, ❓ research questions about food.

Nutritionists generally agree on a single definition of healthy eating patterns, one that is supported by a vast body of research. They involve controlling your nutrient and calorie intake by adjusting your meat and plant intake balance as well as the portion size. You should also avoid preserved foods, as their preparation processes tend to ruin the nutrients present in the ingredients while introducing a variety of unhealthy substances.

For optimal effects, you should understand various fats and their influences on the human body as well as your need for each type and the foods that can supply it. The topic about food offers many different avenues of investigation.

However, not all people have the willpower and willingness to learn and use the knowledge to change their food patterns. As such, new fad diets, which try to circumvent some of the ideas and offer a more convenient way to lose weight, keep emerging every year.

These approaches may sometimes work for their intended purpose, but they do not contribute to health. While the person may lose weight because of new eating habits, they may become malnourished as a result. People will then have to take supplements and still risk developing issues before the imbalance is discovered and addressed. You may address the approaches described above when selecting argumentative essay topics about food.

He or she will then have to take supplements and still risk developing issues before the imbalance is discovered and addressed, something you can address in your food essay titles.

Here are some additional tips for the essay:

• Discuss how not all natural food is equal, with different examples of vegetables or meat displaying varying nutrient amounts. Healthy eating involves choosing food that is good for your health and balancing it appropriately.
• Follow general essay guidelines, which include using a proper structure, writing in an academic style, and separating topics with informative titles. Nutrition is a scholarly topic with a significant body of research contributing to its findings.
• Make sure to cite recent scholarly research or statistics when stating facts about nutrition and eating patterns. The body of research is constantly expanding and discovering new information, which may show past facts or findings in a new light.
• You should talk about the reasons why junk food is unhealthy, as it extends beyond poor nutritional values. Research shows that people are compelled to eat more when consuming unhealthy foods, regardless of their diet awareness.
• Discuss the alternate ways of losing weight in detail and identify their advantages and flaws. With proper precautions, they can be as effective and safe as traditional healthy eating patterns, but they will require the same effort or more as a result.

Visit IvyPanda to get many different food essay examples and other useful samples!

• Genetically Modified Food Essay In spite of the perceived benefits of genetic engineering technology in the agricultural sector, the production and use of genetically modified foods has triggered a number of issues pertaining to safety and consequences of consumption.
• Junk Food in Schools: Good or Bad for Children? One of the main advantages of junk food is that it is simple to cook and it satiates hunger. As for the main advantage of availability of junk food and its simplicity to be cooked […]
• Fast Food Industry: Arguments for and Against For instance, those who believe that fast food industry is beneficial to them and other members of the society will expect the findings of this research to be in support of their beliefs.
• Filipino Food Essay However, because of the Spanish and American influence, meat, especially pork and chicken, are also served. So, Philippines is a country of festivals and a diversity of traditional dishes and beverages.
• Fast Food vs. Home Cooking: Lifestyle and Traditions The good thing with this business is that the food was from natural products hence healthy, a fact that has since changed Many people are very busy for the better part of the day and […]
• The Food and Beverage Industry Role in the Tourism The essay begins by looking at the food and beverage industry in general, and then proceeds to look at the main sectors of the industry.
• Fast Food in Campus: Advantages and Disadvantages On the other hand, a classmate mentions that fast foods lead to obesity among university students who eat from fast-food restaurants.
• The Future of Food The evolution and advancement of technology have influenced the methods of how people grow and consume food. The changes that people have made to nature are very traceable and their inability to predict the outcome […]
• Food Insecurity and What We Can Do to Help Attention Material/Credibility Material: Imagine a day when you have little strength and energy – you feel weakness and soreness – the feelings are rather unpleasant. Now imagine that you feel this discomfort and lack of […]
• Food and Beverage Management The mission of the department is to provide food and beverage that meets highest standards so that they can keep a competitive edge in the hotel industry.
• Health Effects of Junk Food Intake Notably, the consumption of junk food has become one of the major health issues that destabilize the health of individuals and groups in contemporary societies.
• Food Habits and Culture: Factors Influence The food habits of a group of people/community can be described as the reasons for eating, the methods used while eating, the types of food eaten, and the mode of storage.
• Junk Food and Drinks: Ban on Advertising The reason youngsters are attracted to junk food is that they do not get the actual flavors at their home and then they are less attracted to original and healthy food as compared to junk […]
• Was Food Healthier 100 Years Ago? The widespread organic farming in the twentieth century led to the production of healthy and highly nutritional foods. Some critics believe that modern-day food is much safer and healthier compared to the food consumed in […]
• Globalization and Food Culture Essay The interviewee gave the examples of France, America, and China in her description of how food can affect the culture of a place and vice versa.
• Designing a shopping centre food court outlet The design itself The food court outlet will specialize with the sale of fried potatoes, a fast food which is immensely purchased by the customers from the area.
• Representation of Food in the Importance of Being Earnest In a large extent, food is also used as a sign of respect and hospitality to visitors and also as a form of socializing.
• Jamie Oliver’s TED Talk Teach Every Child About Food In his TED talk, Jamie Oliver addresses the problem of obesity and unhealthy food options offered to children at schools.
• Chipotle Company’s Food Crisis After the food poisoning occurrence, the local and federal authorities tried to ascertain the reason for the outbreak, but the tests they conducted could not confirm the ingredient that caused the illness.
• Hospitality Management: Food & Beverage Service The art of catering goes beyond providing food and beverages and extends to the ambience of the eating place and the quality of service received.
• Food Critiques for the Three Dishes: Integral Part of French Cuisine One of the most notable things about this dish is serving the legs with a celery puree, or sauteed chestnuts or chestnut puree. This chef is regarded as one of the most notable innovators in […]
• Pros and Cons of Food Dyes: Experiments With Food Ramesh and Muthuraman argue that there is a certain association between the increased use of food colorants and the elevated rates of ADHD in children.
• Food Production and The Environment So all aspects of production – the cultivation and collection of plants, the maintenance of animals, the processing of products, their packaging, and transportation, affect the environment.
• Determinants of Food Supply and Demand Due to high demand for vegetables and fruits, producers increase production and supply in order to fulfill the needs of consumers.
• Food Security Crisis Resolution To ensure the situation does not run out of hand, the global body Food and Agricultural Organization has been at the forefront since time immemorial to cater for issues related to this basic human need. […]
• The Disadvantages of Canned Food From this perspective, canned food is considered to be harmful to health as the added sugar and trans fats in it can lead to the appearance of serious medical problems.
• The Impact of Climate Change on Food Security Currently, the world is beginning to encounter the effects of the continuous warming of the Earth. Some of the heat must be reflected in space to ensure that there is a temperature balance in the […]
• The Organizational Structure in Kraft Foods Group It is imperative to note that the organization structure is the one that influences communication within the organization. One of the secrets to the organization’s success is the depth and quality of its employees.
• Quality and Value of Food Preparation of food of good quality means use of ingredients of good quality thus food production by farmers affects directly the quality and value of food.
• Food Waste Recycling Benefits Through the analysis of Gupta and Gangopadhyay, it was noted that food waste was one of the leading preventable contributors towards the sheer amount of trash that winds up in many of the today’s landfills.
• Global Food Crisis: Political Economy Perspective In effect, the loss of power to international institutions, decentralization of resources and privatization of powers are political economic factors that have worsened political and economic stability of developing countries making them more vulnerable to […]
• Fritter’s Fast Food Restaurants: Overview Very fast and inexpensive to manufacture, Fritters can find their customers both in restaurants and kiosks, and in pre-prepared form.
• Classification of Healthy Food: Healthy Eating Habits Vegetables are good for the body since they contain minerals and vitamins. They also help keep the bloodstream clear and they are very healthy foods.
• McDonald’s Corporation: Analyzing Fast Food Industry A glance of the profit margins of the major players in the US industry will provide a more clear perception of the fast food industry’s success in 2009 in global perspective: Key Competitors Profits 2009 […]
• Small Mobile Food & Drinks Shop: Business Project Time constraints are often decisive in the world of business, which is a good point for healthy shops to switch to a mobile food service offering delivery as an option.
• Chinese New Year Foods: Chinese Culture and Traditions This piece of work will give an in depth discussion of Chinese culture with the central focus being on the Chinese New Year Foods and its relationship with the changes that have been experienced in […]
• Food Security and Growing Population Thus, nations have to address the problem of feeding the increasing global population amid the challenges of the production of adequate food.
• Analysis and Significance of Food Moisture Content Fish food had the least moisture content and the lowest water activity of 0. The meat had the highest moisture content and a high level of water activity of 0.
• Chemicals in Foods: Natural Components and Their Toxic Properties In order to ensure the safety and health of the consumer upon the consumption of foods, it is important to establish procedures that are in a position to assess the types of health risks that […]
• Chocolate Ice-Cream: Food Product Case In the case of Chocolate ice-cream, the flavouring added is normally chocolate. Chocolate ice cream is the second most common type of ice cream in the world after vanilla.
• Food Analysis and Its Methods in Practice Food analysis is the field that handles the use of diagnostic processes to characterize food substances and their components. The purpose of this experiment was to conduct a food analysis of an unknown sample and […]
• Food Ethics Pojman notes that the government has enough resources and manpower to monitor operations of various food processors and determine the health conditions of the food they present to the public.
• What Role Does Food Play in Cultural Identity? From the point of view of cultural studies, such a model of nutrition speaks more about the absence of global roots, the absence of deep moral guidelines, and not about the convenience of the process.
• Wendy’s Fast Food Restaurant The design has the potential to elaborate on the cause of failures inherent in the establishment and possess the capacity to make recommendations on combating the challenges.
• The Fast Food Industry Lots of people claim that the growth of the rate of obese people correlates with the growth of fast food chains in the region.
• The Consequences of Fast Food The most evident effect of fast food is obesity among others and these effects are what will be considered as the basis of discouraging the intake of fast food while encouraging other healthier options.
• The Negative Consequences of Employing High School Students in Fast Food Restaurants In addition, high school students should be advised that education and their careers are more important as compared to working at fast food restaurants.
• Food Products: Tomatoes and Juice Preservation This Unico package only states that tomatoes are from the Mediterranean, which reflects on such food consumption trends as gourmet convenience and cleaner labels.
• Global Challenges Faced By Fast Food Companies For instance the price strategy is usually determined by a number of factors such as the number of competitors in the market, the availability and costs of raw materials and the existent product substitutes in […]
• Food Contamination and Adulteration: Environmental Problems, Food Habits, Way of Cultivation The purpose of this essay is to explain reasons for different kinds of food contamination and adulteration, harmful contaminants and adulterants and the diseases caused by the usage of those substances, prevention of food contamination […]
• McDonald’s Digital Campaign “Our Food. Your Questions” The digital campaign designed to answer the questions that have been bothering the consumers of fast food for a long time, provide transparency and get rid of the myths that make a negative impact on […]
• Food and Beverage Development This paper focuses on how food production and food consumption has affected the eating habits and led to the introduction of junk foods because of the production and consumption factors.
• The Food and Beverage Sector There is no doubt that there are many substitutes to this industry and the best investors can do is to try to retain the available market by offering quality services.
• Environmental and Industrial Analysis of UK Food Manufacturing Companies Technological Analysis The technological analysis has affected the Tasty Bake Company positively in that the global transport infrastructure has greatly improved in the recent past and this has enabled it to market its products widely.
• Analysis of a Look at the Fast-Food Industry by Eric Schlosser For the presentation of various arguments, the use of statistics involved in the employees and the increased amount of production due to division and specialization of labor and the production process improved the validity of […]
• Dog Food: Pedigree Company’s Case The attractiveness of the dog food category is manifested through the intense competitive nature of the various stakeholders. The third and final phase of the segmentation is to label the category of dog food as […]
• The Egyptian Diet: Sociology of Food and Nutrition This paper compares and contrasts the concept of food and the culinary practices of the Indian and Egyptian cultures and their effect on the health outcomes of the people.
• The Impact of Food Habits on the Environment The topic of this research is based on the issue of human-induced pollution or another environmental impact that affect the Earth and dietary approaches that can improve the situation.
• What Are the Benefits of Organic Foods? The proponents of organic foods believe that organic foods have greater benefits as compared to conventional foods, while the opponents believe they have are unsafe.
• Food, Eating Behavior, and Culture in Chinese Society The majority of the food and the cookies were not an actual part of the Chinese cuisine. The issue of the origin of the fortune cookies demonstrates the global intersections.
• Ethos, Logos, Pathos in the Food, Inc. Documentary In the documentary, there are many instances of its makers providing viewers with the factual information, as to the discussed subject matter, which is supposed to convince the latter in the full legitimacy of people’s […]
• McDonald’s New Strategy Toward Healthy Food The identification of current challenges faced by McDonald’s reveals that the future strategy needs to address the problem of healthy food, help to improve the public image of the company and renovate the franchising system […]
• Quality Management in Food Industry: PDCA and Six Sigma This cycle, which is widely used in food industry, represents the essence of realization – the so-called “general functions of management”.
• The World’s Food Problems’ Solving When the population of a country increases, there are some associated problems that will automatically arise such as increase in the level of unemployment which leads to food problems in the developing countries.
• Influencing Consumer Behavior: the changing image of ‘fast food’ Some of the factors that consumers may be influenced with include the cost, what their friends and family members say, where the restaurant is located, the duration the meal takes, and by how the consumers […]
• Food Service System: Overview Through the system, quality control is achieved through the quality of components, menus, and recipes chosen by the director. The rationale for ready-prepared system involves mass-generation and freezing of food items which might lower labor […]
• Impact of Fast Food on Human Body Firstly, it is the economics of fast food fast food is the cheapest food on the market in terms of a calorie per dollar.
• Causes and Effects of Fast Food: Reputation for Unhealthy Eating By setting this price to a low value, fast food companies can exclude traditional restaurants from the selection, improve throughput, and increase their brand equity.
• New Food Product Development In most cases the food may be free of pathogens but if the environment of preparation is full of normal flora, the possibility of gross contamination of food may take place and this is the […]
• Oxidative Rancidity in Lipids and Food Storing The purpose of this paper is to discuss the factors influencing oxidative rancidity in relation to food with lipids and to analyse techniques applied to storing such foods.
• Checkers and Rally’s Fast-Food Chain Analysis This paper includes a brief analysis of Checkers & Rally’s, one of the leading fast-food chains in the USA. It is necessary to note that the threat of entry is quite serious as many entrepreneurs, […]
• World Food Program Addressing risks to food and safety Food safety and public health entail core issues to the policies of the WFP in addressing food security across the globe.
• Dubai’s Food, Dress Code and Culture Religion is an important in aspect in Dubai because it influences the lifestyle of the people and forms the foundation of their culture.
• The Junk Food’s Risks Junk food has high content of fat and cholesterol that leads to clogging of the heart arteries. The content of many junk foods is unhealthy and it may expose the brain to premature aging and […]
• Major Reasons for Food Prices Increase Admittedly, one of the major reasons for food prices increase is the use of corns for fuel production. The increase of fuel prices created a great temptation for farmers to produce ethanol instead of corn […]
• A Food Truck Business: Project Summary Steps to be followed in starting the business will be researching local food trucks and laws, developing the business name and concept, registering, raising funds, and seeking permits and licenses. The next steps will be […]
• Food Preferences and Nutrition Culture I gave my mother the recipe and nowadays, each time I visit her, she makes me a bowl of chicken noodle soup.
• Ethical Behavior as to Returned Food and Beverages One of the biggest problems is that the liberalization of the policies related to the return of the food and beverages led to the abundance of the products that should be returned.
• Eco-Friendly Packaging for Food and Beverage Industry This product was chosen because of the direct impact of the quality of food products on the health of ordinary people regardless of the region of living of country of origin.
• Food: How Technology Has Changed the Way We Eat? These foods could cause harm to the consumers, who in most cases are not sure of the ingredients used to prepare them, and that may pose a health risk.
• Good to Eat: Riddles of Food and Culture by Marvin Harris Good to eat is a thought provoking and intellectual journey that the author takes, in terms of the different kinds of food habits adopted by various groups of people and the reasons behind such habits.
• Molecular Gastronomy Trend: Gastronomy and Food Science The use of science and other disciplines in restaurants and home cooking is therefore having a beneficial influence in a highly public area, lending credibility to the topic as a whole. The popularity of this […]
• Using Food Preservatives Ethical At present, the use of chemical food preservatives have gained prevalent use as many people have become tailored to the convenience of buying food that is already prepared, instead of preparing and preserving their food.
• Improvements of Supply Chain Processes in the Fast Food Industry: Subway The purposes of the research are to analyze the service delivery stage of the internal supply chain process typical of the Subway restaurants located in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; identify drawbacks in these areas […]
• Jamie Oliver and Leadership in the Food Industry He has a strong mastery of the market and the exact requirements of the customers to be his businesses end up matching the needs of the customers.
• Weird Chinese Foods: Cultural Practices and Eating Culture The Chinese are also known to eat crocodile meat for a number of reasons. The other fascinating Chinese cuisine is eating of private parts that are used mostly in adding aroma to whisky and wine.
• Food Security: The Main Challenges The attainment of food security is a key challenge faced in the contemporary world; it is caused by industrialized agriculture, which affects the climate, problematic balancing between agriculture and the environment, and the inability of […]
• Food and Nutrient Security Situation in Pakistan In this respect, Pakistan needs to deepen its understanding of the scales of the food insecurity problem, highlight future problems, and define agricultural policies and food security programs that could reduce the vulnerability of rural […]
• Fast Food and Gender: Is There a Relation? The study was to observe the gender that formed the majority of the customer base in respect to fast foods. In this case, it was important to select a predetermined restaurant that specializes in fast […]
• The Reasons Behind the Popularity of Fast Food in the Context of the Lebanese Market Nowadays, in Beirut, the variety of traditional dishes which can be prepared quickly and served as fast food is amazing, from the kebab, to the falafel; most dishes are represented.
• Fast Food Drive-throughs In this respect, the drive-through services are aimed at reducing the throughput time and serving a maximum number of clients in the minimum time compared to other similar services.s such, it is necessary to compare […]
• Food Preservation Methods and Their Classification At the same time, conditions are created for the development of microorganisms, which change the properties of the product in the course of their life activity to improve its nutritional and taste qualities.
• Food Safety and Its Application The realization that low temperatures slow down the growth of microbes and the process of food spoilage led to the invention of refrigeration.
• The Importance of Food Safety in Live The food control system is an internationally recognized system that details various elements that are involved in food handling and to ensure safety and fitness for human consumption.
• Brazil Food Culture and Dietary Patterns The Brazilian food culture is made up of a variety of mostly traditional dishes that have their background from the history and culture of the country.
• Food and Drug Administration Importance The agency operates in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the other U.S.
• Hotpot Concept and Cultural Value The history of the Chinese hotpot goes back to the past 1000 years even though the roots of the delicacy are in Mongolia.
• Should All Genetically Modified Foods Be Labeled? According to this scholar, members of the public are always comfortable with the idea of not labeling the genetically modified food.
• Globalization Effects on Food Industry, Trading, Education The major benefit enjoyed by the developing nations is the capability to import the raw materials from the industrially developed countries, to facilitate the production of goods required in the country.
• The “In Defense of Food” Book by Michael Pollan As a nutritionist, Michael Pollan wrote the book In Defense of Food, highlighting the effects of the Western diet and providing guidance on healthy eating.
• The Asian Food Industry After the COVID-19 Outbreak In addition, the closure of most manufacturing and food processing companies in Asia led to major shortage of raw materials used in the preparation of cuisine.
• Making Healthy Foods Available to the Poor People Instead of giving artificially prepared and canned food, the donors should raise funds and buy whole grains in bulk to be given to the poor who in turn prepare the food in a healthy way.
• Impact of Food on Human Health and the Content of Diet People who are living in cities never get the chance to taste catfish so they even say that catfish is used by the people of low status.
• Beef Industry: Nutrition and Food Safety Analysis The amount of saturated fat in the six leanest beef cuts is almost equal to that in the chicken’s leanest cut, the skinless chicken breast.
• Menu Foods Tainted Pet Food Crisis, 2007 Notably, Menu Foods did not disclose the results of the previous examination but asked the laboratory to test the food for pesticides and insecticides as if the cats were refusing to eat it.
• Sous Vide Food Production System A vacuum machine is needed to cater for the packaging needs of the food that is prepared using the sous vide method.
• Food Security Policy Problem Analysis Regardless of the apparent benefits, they offer the sector and the reduction in overall food shortages, and food stamps are criticized across the political scale.
• The Fast Food Mass Production Problem Mass production was planned as a phenomenon to ensure the supply of food in sufficient quantities to cover the loss of production in the sale and, at the same time, meet the economic needs of […]
• American Food Industry: Panera’s Value Chain One of its main weaknesses is that bread and bakery are the primary brands of Panera, and these products are simple carbs that are not healthy for people.
• The Food Preservation Techniques Convenience food became the go-to as America got preoccupied with vehicles and the freedom to travel around their cities and neighborhoods and as postwar America worked. Processing the ingredients and sending them to the eateries […]
• Why Junk Food Should Cost More Than Healthy Food In order to persuade the audience that a solution to this problem is the change of prices to make healthy food more affordable, a problem-cause-solution approach will be used. According to Elementum, to understand the […]
• Fast Food Effects on Human Health The phenomenon results in the ideological perspectives of increased obesity and the emergence of lifestyle diseases. The popularity and consumption rate of fast-food restaurants is one of the trending issues in cities and towns.
• Multinational Food Corporations & Eating Patterns in New Zealand In this report, the connection between eating patterns in New Zealand and the performance of multinational corporations such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s will be investigated and disclosed.
• Food Hygiene Inspection of a Food Premises and the Intervention Strategies The need to conduct this inspection was necessitated by the complaints that were received from the customers about the food served at this store.
• Inventory Control in the Food Industry To formulate a mathematical model to optimize cost in inventory control, it is critical to consider different aspects of inventory control that significantly contribute to the formulation of the model and the reorder policies.
• Chemicals Used for Microbial Preservation of Food Usually, this chemical is used in the preservation of meat. It is common in the form of powder and white in color.
• Organic Food Is Not a Cure for Environmental and Health Issues For instance, the same group of scientists claims that the moderate use of pesticides in organic agriculture is particularly important to consider while purchasing food.
• Is Genetic Engineering an Environmentally Sound Way to Increase Food Production? According to Thomas & Earl and Barry, genetic engineering is environmentally unsound method of increasing food production because it threatens the indigenous species.
• Organic Food: Eco-Friendly Attitudes and Behavior The knowledge of the concept, education of people about organic food qualities, and availability in the stores are among them. The attention to health consequences of consuming non-organic and organic products is one of the […]
• Livestock Food Production Issues The failure to address animal welfare, health, and environmental concerns, as well as the intensification of livestock farming, contributes to the exasperation of challenges associated with livestock food production.
• Do-Do Online Fresh Food Supply LLC’s Business Plan The “Do-Do Online Fresh Food Supply LLC” would be registered as a limited liability company with two owners who are the student of Long Island University at post-graduation level in the same discipline and they […]
• Food Labels and Food Security It is imperative that food companies display the real food ingredients on the back of the food package because food safety is a serious problem in today’s society.
• Fast Food Industry in the US This paper will discuss the fast food industry in the US with an emphasis on the positive as well as the negative impacts it has on American economy.
• The Governmental Role in Food Safety The government has the mandate to supervise the overall procedures that are undertaken for food to be made from the farms to the shelves.
• Geography of Food. Restaurant Review Carino’s Italian grill was located in Doral at the center of Miami making it accessible to most people. The food was of moderate quality.
• HRM in the Fast Food Industry: US, Germany, and Australia It should be mentioned that the term human-resource relations refers to the programs that an organization puts in place in order to ensure that the employees receive the benefits that are guaranteed by legislation.
• Changes in Food Production Over Time The new system of farming replaces the holistic thinking and the recycling of the nutrients through the use of crop rotation and animal rotation to produce food.
• Increased Nutrition Regulations on Fast Food Restaurants Some critics believe that federal policy to increase the cost of healthy food has led to the increase in consumption of the cheaper alternative i.e.fast food.
• American Food Over the Decades This literature review will focus on the history of peanut butter and jelly by examining the thought on interchangeability of peanut butter in the construction of sandwich, the schools of thought on the study and […]
• Food and Culture Links Many publications have tried to convince people that the food they eat is a product of their culture and that culture defines the different tastes they have for foods.
• The Concept of Food as a Leisure Experience In the modern day lifestyle, the scope of leisure activity has been extended to include food with majority of the people increasingly finding it to be a new form of leisure.
• Food Culture in Mexican Cuisine It is bordered on the north by the United States, on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean, and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
• The Jungle and Fast Food Nation Though both books talk about the food industry and the ills that plague it, it is important to establish that, Eric Schlosser’s aim of writing Fast Food Nation was to make the public know the […]
• “Food Colombusing” and Cultural Appropriation Authenticity in cuisine defies efforts to create an all-inclusive and integrated world in which one is allowed to enjoy and feel the attributes of a culture that is not theirs.
• An Automation Business Plan in the Food Industry In this context, automation is required for the first person to plan a trip to a restaurant where everything will be ready and waiting for the person.
• Food in The Book of the Dead. The Food History The Book of the Dead was a specific handbook written in order to help the dead in the afterlife and guide them in the underworld.
• Food Insecurity in the US: The New Face of Hunger This case differs from the one mentioned above because the primary problem is not the lack of food per se but the uncertainty of the ability to have the next meal.
• Investigation of a Food Poisoning Incident This paper proposes a Departmental Policy Document in a bid to detail the accountability of the department in the investigation of a Salmonella food poisoning outbreak.
• The Food of Easter Holidays: The Roots of the Easter Tradition Based on the current accounts of their research, the concept of Easter was founded on the tradition celebrating Easter, the goddess of spring, and the revival of nature.
• Problem-Solution on Convenience Food in Singapore The overconsumption of convenience food and ready-to-eat meals is an acknowledged problem for many countries that endangers the population’s health and lifespan.
• The Supply and Demand for Energy Foods and Beverages One should pay attention to the following issues: 1) the growing demand for energy foods and drinks; 2) willingness of people to pay attention to the health effects of such products; 3) the increasing number […]
• Acid Effects on Starch Gels in Food Preparation The amount of heat to be used during simmering is not indicated. It is necessary to indicate the amount of heat to ensure uniformity.
• Food and Beverage Server’s Duties and Dependencies As a food and beverage server, my relationship with the facilities department where I work would primarily consist of coordination regarding the disposal of material waste, bringing in the proper types of beverages that customers […]
• Food & Beverage Choices and Health Impacts This written report presents the analysis of my Meal Summary Report, Nutrients Report, and Food Groups and Calories Report to reveal the factors affecting my food and beverage choices, compare the latter with SuperTracker’s Recommended […]
• Healthy Foods: Behavior Change Analysis The choice to eat healthy foods is very important for a person because it implies that an individual already understands that his/her diet is not appropriate.
• Genetically Modified Foods and Pesticides for Health There is fear that insects such as bees could bring about the emergence of insects that are resistant to insecticides due to coming in contact with the genetically modified pollen.
• Poverty and Global Food Crisis: Food and Agriculture Model Her innovative approach to the issue was to measure food shortages in calories as opposed to the traditional method of measuring in pounds and stones.
• Kuwaiti Food Industry and Its Development The main aim of the report is to show that the food industry of Kuwait has the potential to drive the country’s economy and become the leading source of income.
• Food Industry’s Quality Function Improvement The Taipei Spring Vegetarian Restaurant is the object of the research, and the intention of the investigation is to find ways of improving service quality in the vegetarian industry [2].
• American Food, Its History and Global Distribution The adoption of the different styles of cooking and foods and the fusion of these foods has made them American. Some of the animals they hunted included the buffalo, wild turkey, and the bear.
• Globalization and Food in Japan We have the McDonalds in the developed countries and it has influenced food market in Japan, so continued globalization will affect cultures in all countries in the world, including developing countries.
• Supply and Demand Influences on Food in the Recent Years A rise in the supply of food at a constant demand causes the prices of food commodities to fall. On the other hand, a fall in the supply of food commodities at a constant demand […]
• Role of Food in Cultural Studies: Globalization and Exchange of Food Exchange of food is one of the types of interactions between cultures, it helps people with various backgrounds and up-bringing become more familiar with each other’s way of living, as a result the clash between […]
• Food Motif in Bartleby the Scrivener The food motif is also manifested in the naming of other characters in the story. The food motif is very prominent in this story.
• Fast Foods More Harm Than Good The rest of the life of such a child is upsetting as the child is ridiculed in and out of school, through his/her adolescence, and even in college.
• Food Safety Risk Assessment Poultry is a reservoir of salmonella in human being due to the ability of salmonella to proliferate in the intestines of poultry.
• Food Industry: Organic Restaurant The restaurant will capture the social environment and provide the necessary menu for this field. In the cultural environment, the chefs employed in this restaurant have been highly trained to produce several ethnic dishes to […]
• Food Choices in the United States Food choices in the US are influenced by factors such as the food environment and food companies interests. Food environment and the most accessible food options are the basis of food choice.
• Food Security: Sustainable Development While reading this part of the chapter, I realized that the majority of the land is used to produce meat products.
• Food Industry: The Problems Caused by the Corona Crisis The food and beverage sector has been significantly affected by the Corona crisis, and the issue should be addressed to alleviate the collapse of the industry, especially in the most affected regions.
• How Fried Foods Affect Nutrition for Young Adults
• The Environment of Fast Food Chains
• Personal Reflection of the Book “In Defense of Food”
• Kasih Food Company’s Export Strategy
• Agricultural Geography and the Production and Consumption of Food in British Columbia
• Food Culture and Obesity
• Motivational Issues in the Fast Food Sector
• The Culture of Fast Food Consumption
• Food Macromolecules – Lipids, Carbohydrates, and Proteins
• Dietary Record of Seven Days of Food Intake
• The Impact of the Food Industry on the Environment
• Food Truck Business Presentation
• Food Web and Impact of Environmental Degradation
• Food Safety Policy for a Music Festival
• Food Hygiene Legislation in the UK
• The Application of Arginine Pyroglutamate as a Food Additive
• Functional Food: Definition, Types, Benefits
• Gender Relationship: Food and Culture
• Food Scarcity Factor in French Revolution
• The Fancy Street Foods in Japan: The Major Street Dishes and Traditions
• Global Food Trade’s Benefits
• Nanotechnology in the Food Industry
• Whole Foods Market Strategic Analysis
• Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning at the Whole Foods Market
• An Analysis of Marketing Strategies of Local vs. International Brands in the Fast Food Sector
• Food Safety: Washing Contact Surfaces and Cooking
• Common Food Preparation Methods and Their Effects
• Impact of Food Waste on Climate Change
• The Pleasures of Eating: Food and Consumer Culture
• Food and Farming: Urban Farming Benefits the Local Economy
• Food Insecurity: Key Principles
• American Fast Food in Foreign Countries
• Food Is Dangerous: Nutrition Transition
• The Study of the Anthropology of Food
• Food and Water Shortage: The Negative Effects
• World Civilization History: Food Preservation Using Conventional and Modern Methods
• Main Reasons for Establishing Food Banks
• Nurses’ Food Security Policy Advocacy
• Pathophysiology of Stress, Processed Foods, and Risky Alcohol Consumption
• Climate Change and Food Waste Management
• How Food Tank Solves Issue of Food Insecurities
• Food and Beverage Brands’ Expansion and Site Selection
• Food Waste Management: Impact on Sustainability and Climate Change
• Poor Food Security Rates in Guatemala
• Pandemic Effect on Texas Food Supplies
• Can the Human Race Survive Without Genetically Modified Food?
• An Argentinean Food Product Launch in Uruguay
• Fast Food: What We Eat by Eric Schlosser
• Implications of the Russia–Ukraine War for Global Food Security
• The Entrepreneurial Journey of Foods Future Global
• The Heinz Food Processing Company’s Information
• Hunger Crisis and Food Security: Research
• Food Security, Improved Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture
• The Truth About Food Addiction in Society
• Care for Real: Racism and Food Insecurity
• On-Campus Food Services: Part-Time and Full-Time Students
• The McDonald’s Food Sustainability Model
• The Actuality of Issue of Food Safety
• Food Supply Issues During Warfare
• Safety of Food: Weaning Management Practices
• Food Purchase Behaviors in Australia: Impact of Marketing and Ethnicity
• The Electronic Food Processor Project Management
• Coalition in Solving the Lack of Food Resources
• Sustainable Development and Water-Food-Energy Nexus in Sweden
• The Effects of Fast Food Consumption on Obesity
• The Junk Food Issue in Australia
• Work Experience at PH Food Inc.
• Indian Culture, Food, Temples, and Clothing
• The Gourmet Food Retail Store’s Business Plan
• Factors Involved in Creating a Food Business
• Food Deserts and Their Negative Effects
• COVID-19 Vaccines: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Sea Foods in the Environment Protection Context
• The Food Tax in Oklahoma Articles
• Uber’s Food Delivery Business Development
• The Problem of Obesity: The US Food Policies
• Prerequisites for Reforms in the Local Food Movement
• One Aspect of the Modern World That Bothers Me Most: Food Scarcity
• Aspects of Food and Nutrition Myths
• JBS S.A. Food Business in Brazil
• Fast Food Restaurant: Emergency Procedure
• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Food Production
• Aloe Vera: The Use in Cosmetics and in Food
• Food Insecurity in Maryland State
• Food Banks Board Members and Cycle of Poverty
• You Are What You Eat: How Does Food Become an Addiction
• Trends in Food Sources and Diet Quality Among US Children and Adults
• The ‘Food Desert’ Times in the United States
• Sustainable Business of Food and Beverage Delivery
• Casa Mono: A Multi-Sensory Experience as a Food Critic
• Food Waste in American Hospitals
• Operations to Ensure Food Safety
• The Peking Duck Food System’s Sustainability
• Food Safety Modernization Act and Its Importance
• Relation Between Food Policy and Politics
• Position on Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
• Salmonellosis and Food-Borne Poisoning
• Drive-Thru Dreams and Fast Food Nation by Adam Chandler
• Impact of Food on Health of Kids and Adults
• Organizing a Food Waste Awareness Campaign
• Food Diary: Nutrition Opportunities and Challenges
• Saudi Food Industry’s Overview and Market Size
• Healthy Nutrition: Affordable Food
• If Slow Is Good for Food, Why Not Medicine?
• The Impact of Food Security of a Country on Its Political and Cultural Aspects
• Multicultural Food Marketing Techniques
• Food as Ritual Video by Crittenden
• Slow and Fast Food Values by Alice Waters
• Immigrants’ Employment in Agriculture and Food Processing
• The Necessity of Chemical Food Additives
• Food Scarcity During Pandemic in Montgomery County
• Data Driven in Food Production Companies
• Blame It on Fast-Moving Food Industries or Personal Irresponsibility
• Importance of Accession to Healthy Fresh Food Regularly
• Preserving Food Hygiene and Safety
• Foodways: Cultural Norms and Attitudes Toward Food
• Food Banks in Canada and Their Relevance
• Overpopulation and Food Production Problem
• The Canine Health: Food, Vaccination, and Hygiene
• Food Advertising and Its Effects on Children
• Organic Food and Dietary Supplements
• Nutrients: Food and Nutrients in Disease Management
• Food Safety and Organic Growing in the USA
• McDonald’s in the International Fast Food Market
• Farm-to-Table Food: Dissemination Portfolio
• The Community Mobile Food Truck for Children in Macomb County
• Employee Retention & Staff Turnover in Fast Food Industry
• Inadequate Food Choices for Americans in Low-Income Neighborhoods
• Impacts of Climatic Changes on Food Insecurity
• Food Manufacturing: Term Definition
• Pasteurization: Processing Food Substances
• Healthier School Lunches Without Processed Foods
• E-Commerce as a Fast-Growing Trend in the Industry of Food
• Food Insecurity in Philadelphia, PA: Literature Review
• The Truth About Fat: Fast Foods and Obesity
• Primary Scales for Quinoa-Based Organic Foods
• Reducing Food Waste Problem by Creating a Platform to Sell Expiring Food
• Food Security Under Hot Climate in Saudi Arabia
• Food Insecurity in the US: Feeding the Richest Country
• Research and Experiments: Molecules in Food, Photosynthesis
• Ethical Ramifications of Eating Specific Food
• Sustainable Development in the Food Industry
• Genetically Modified Food: Health Risks
• American Agricultural and Food System
• Food Insecurity in the Gulf Region
• Whole Foods Market in 2008: Vision, Core Values and Strategy
• Loving Organic Foods by Diligent Consulting Group
• Customer Loyalty in Fast Food Industry Under Current Economic Crisis
• TED Talk “Teach Every Child About Food”
• Consumers’ Behavioral Intentions as to Organic Food Products
• Promoting Fast Food Ingredient Awareness
• Global Population Growth and Increased Demand for Food
• Wildlife Conservation and Food Safety for Human
• The Role of the Flavor Industry in Processed Food
• Food Desert Investigation and Analysis
• Analysis of Push and Pull Factors in Food Travel Motivation
• Polysaccharides in Foods
• Effects of Food Challenges to Health
• The Fast Food Restaurant Market of Canada
• The Food Justice Social Movement
• The Impact of Food Demand Upon Areas of Outstanding Beauty
• Dog Food by Subscription: Service Design Project
• Organoleptic Properties in Foods: Substance Density Value
• Strategic Planning of Whole Foods Market
• Food Processing and Preservation Methods
• Healthy Eating Plan by Food Pyramid
• Ideology of Fast Food Industry Development
• Canada Food Guide Overview
• Food Safety and Information Bulletin
• COVID-19: Supply Chain Management Challenges of Food Industry
• Food Safety in the Modern World
• Distinguish Unpleasant Tastes From Food Reactions
• Food, Music and Verbal Communication in China
• Impacts of H7N9 Virus and Food Contamination at Maleic Acid on Inbound Tourism for Elderly to Taiwan
• Changing the Food Journal After Every Month
• The Chemical Composition of Food
• The Sunshine Wok: Food Hygiene Inspection
• The Intervention Plan For a Food Poisoning Incident
• Food Provision at the Annisburgh District Music Festival
• Biodiversity and Food Production
• The Fast Food Culture in Saudi Arabia
• Consumptions of Fast Foods Among Youth in Saudi Arabia
• Food Insecurity and Obesity-Promoting Feeding Styles
• Genetically Modified Food: Analysis and Implications
• Julia Food Booth: Business Decision Analysis
• The Routine Food Hygiene Inspection
• Food Borne Diseases Associated With Chilled Ready to Eat Food
• Facing Food Insecurity: Causes & Current Programs
• The Role of Food for Sustainability in the Built Environment
• Nutrition: Preventing Food Born Diseases
• Safe Food Handling for Optimum Nutrition
• Obesity Prevalence and Fast Food Restaurant Prevalence
• Regulation of the Fast Food Industry: Review
• Nutrients and Food Guide Pyramid Recommendation
• Brand: An Exceptional Food Experience
• Food Stamp: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
• The Food Industry as a Threat to Public Health and Food Safety
• Food Security: Limiting the Use of Antibiotics to Reduce or Slow the Antibiotic Resistance
• Food Work in the Family and Gender Aspects of Food Choice
• Sociology of Food and Nutrition
• Food and Grades of Students at School
• Food Product Trends Related to Consumer Demands
• Food Processing and Farming Methods
• Fast Food: What Is Really in It?
• Are Packaged Foods Fat-Free Products?
• Investigation of Orange as a Food Commodity
• Diabetic Diet and Food Restrictions
• Public Service Bulletin: Food Safety Issues
• Fast-Food and Tobacco Industry Regulation
• The Aspects of Food in the Hindu Religion
• Recommendations for Food Security
• Raising Awareness on Food Poisoning Among Children Riyadh
• Food Security and Macroeconomics Discussion
• 21st Century Guiding Principles for the Location of Foods In a Supermarket: Maximizing Profit or Maximizing Health
• Nutrition. 3-Day Food Intake
• Magnesium in Food and Dietary Allowance
• Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Diagnostics for Pathogens in Food
• Food Diary Project: Dietary Recommended Intakes (DRI)
• “The Bitter Truth About Fast Food” by Schlosser
• Sugar Is Back on Food Labels as a Selling Point
• Overnutrition, Obesity, and Food Insecurities as the Global Concerns
• A Sociology of Food and Nutrition: Unity of Traditions and Culture
• Nutrition: Chemical Composition of the Food
• Keeping a Food Diary: Control of Calorie Intake
• Entrepreneur Ayesha Khan and Her Food for Employees
• Biotechnology and Animal Welfare: How Genetically Modified Chicken Serves the Demand in Fast Food Chains
• Healthy Food With Proper Rationing and Balanced Meal
• Organic Foods: the Best Solution or Not?
• European Union Health Law and Food Law
• Rhetorical Analysis on Healthy Food and Labeling Problem
• Introducing Infants to Semi-Solid Food
• Food Costs Reduction in a Food Establishment
• Food Safety Policy and Inspection Services
• Independent Food Safety Inspections in US Restaurants
• The Problem of Food Safety and the Spread of Various Diseases
• Protecting Americans From Food-Related Illnesses
• Home Isolation Survival Kit: Food Kits for Emergencies
• Quality System Implementation in Greek Food Sector
• New Food Movements: The Raw Foodism
• Festive Food in Chinese-Vietnamese Fests by Nir Avieli
• Food Addiction and Obesity in Children and Teens
• Food Texture in Packaging of Cakes, Pastries and Sweets
• Food Security and Environmental Designers
• Agriculture and Environment: Organic Foods
• Adverse Impacts of Food on Human Health: Toxicity, Nutritional Deficiency, and Allergenicity
• Fast-Food and Restaurant Strategic Marketing
• Gastronomy in Commercial Food Science Operation
• Soul Food: The Origin and Reasons of Vegetarianism
• Role in Local Food System – Pumpkins
• Kudler Fine Foods Analysis and Promotional Strategies
• Flavours of Chittering Food & Wine Festival: Analysis
• Organic Food as a Viable Option for Consumers
• Genetically Modified Foods: Substantial Equivalence
• The Demand for Food in South Africa
• Writing on Preservation and Distribution of Food
• Agro-Food Geographies: Food, Nature, Farmers and Agency
• Marketing Case B: Freddy Favors Fast Food and Convenience for College Students
• The Right to Food: Government Policy
• Safety and Quality: Food Contaminants and Adulteration
• Americans` Unique Dietary Patterns and Food Preferences
• Rice: Food Ingredient as a Currency
• Appropriateness of a Food Production and Service
• Foods Crises in Uganda Issue Analysis
• The Use of Fast Food Meals in the United State
• The Specificity of Chinese Culture in Terms of Food and Music
• The Food Served in Venice: World Famous Italian Foods
• Science Nutrition: Controversies in Food and Nutrition
• 3D Printed Food and Utensils Safety
• Meatpacking and Fast-Food Industry: Making a Better Tomorrow
• Meat and Fast-Food Industry: What Are We Eating?
• Fast Food Epidemic: The Dark Side of American Meal
• Fast Foods Popularity: Causes and Effects
• Texture Description of Food for Preschool Children
• Water Efficiency in Food Production: Food Security, and Quality of Life
• The Analysis of the Annual Amount Spent on Organic Food Using Multiple Linear Regression
• The Opportunity for School Food to Influence a Child’s Dietary Intake
• Food Distribution and Water Pollution
• Extending Existing Knowledge in the Area of Schools Foods and Their Influence on Children’s Diets
• How Architecture Is Being Used to Meet the Challenge of Food Provision
• Understanding Genetically Modified Foods by Howard et al.
• Food Choices and Dietary Habits: An Interview With a Mexican Immigrant
• Zero Hunger and Food Production in Abu Dhabi
• Dough Pizza Company in the Food Truck Industry
• Genetically Modified Foods: Pros or Cons
• Food Security Solutions for Kenya
• Science and Grow Food Sustainability
• Processed Food Industry
• Processed Foods and High Fructose Corn Syrup Effects
• Food & Drug Administration: Federal Health Agency
• Food Recommender Systems and Their Types
• Emily Baumgaertner: Crop Viruses and Food Security
• Innovation From Google as Free Food Strategy
• Environmental Issues and Food Efficiency
• The Food Company New Product Development Group
• Advanced Food Bioanalysis
• Conventional Food System: Justice and Security
• Gulf Food Security and Delicate Diplomacy
• Hong Kong Street Food in Ethnographic Studies
• Food Anthropology and Its Research Methods
• Low-Calorie Frozen and Microwavable Food Industry
• Food, Customers, and Culture in the Grocery Store
• Fast Food Restaurants and Buyers’ Responsibility
• Food and Taste Process Issues
• Casa Vasca Restaurant’s Food Safety and Sanitation
• Changes in Food Preferences
• Fast Food, Fat Profits: Obesity in America
• Food Choices: Diets and Diseases
• International Food and Beverage Business in Africa
• Food Inspection Procedures in Saudi Arabia
• Food Poisoning and Hygiene Awareness in Saudi Arabia
• Food Safety and Health Violation at Workplace
• Food Business and Government Regulation in the US
• Best Food Superstores’ Customer Service Policy
• Food Insecurity and Depression in Poor Families
• Snack Food Company’s Product Marketing Research
• The 38th Winter Fancy Food Shows in San Francisco
• New Zealand Food Market
• Genetically Engineered Food Against World Hunger
• Problem of Food Overconsumption
• Demographic Transition Model and Food Security
• Food Texture and Health Outcomes Association
• The Impact of Supply Chain Efficiency on Food Losses
• Chemical Contaminants in Food: Endocrine Disruptors Study
• Farmers Views: Should Organic Food Be Promoted From?
• Scientists Views: Should Organic Food Be Promoted?
• Should Organic Food Be Promoted?
• The Organic Food Benefits
• Globalization, Food, and Ethnic Identity in Literature
• What Is “Organic” Food?
• Disguised Observation: Students Food and Drink Preferences
• Food Safety at Introducing of New Meal
• Food Security: Opportunities in Asia
• Food Product Risk Assessment
• ELISA and PCR Techniques: Food Quality
• The Effect of Food Texture on Health Outcomes
• Chicago Food and Beverage Company: Human Resources
• Childhood Obesity and Food Culture in Schools
• Food Texture Research for Healthcare
• Food Delivery Industry Drivers in the United Kingdom
• Technology and Communications in the Global Food Industry
• Balogne Food Company’s Operations Management
• East Asian Food and Its Identifying Factors
• The Food Angel Visiting Project
• Visual Cameras and Inspection in Fast Food Restaurant
• Agri-Food Supply Chains Stakeholders
• Food Allergies Management
• Carlo’s Food Company: Information Misunderstanding
• Genetically Modified Foods: Pros and Cons
• Healthy Food Truck: Management Project
• Oil-For-Food Program: International Law Issues
• Janesville School District Food Services Leadership
• Food Nexus Models in Abu Dhabi
• Family Food and Meals Traditions in Dubai History
• Schneiders Food Company and Tyson Foods Inc.
• Food Corporations’ Damaging Influence
• Unhealthy Food Access and Choice Ethics
• The Science of Why You Crave Comfort Food
• The Best Food for Consumption and Six Nutrients
• Genetically Modified Foods: Scientific Resources
• New York City Low Food Affordability Areas
• Healthy You: Diets and Food
• Food Regulations by Companies and Governments
• Imbalance in Food Supply and Growing Demand
• Organic Foods Consumption and Cancer Prevention
• “How to Solve the Food Waste Problem” by Chavich
• Genetic Engineering in Food: Development and Risks
• Sustainability Strategies in the Food Industry
• Food and Water Quality Testing Device
• Popular Food as a Part of Contemporary Culture
• American Food Industry in “Food, Inc.” Documentary
• Food Production and Animals Suffering
• Black Families’ Issues in the “Soul Food” Series
• Fresh Food Provision for Low-Income Families
• UAE Food & Clothes Retail and Restaurant Business
• Pet Food Industry in the United States
• Healthy Food: Lesson Plan
• Swordfish Restaurant and Store in Food Services
• US Food and Drug Administration Approval System
• Aspen Hills Inc.’s Food Safety and Quality Issues
• Long-Term Investment Decisions in Food Industry
• US Pet Food Delivery: Industrial Marketing
• Takeaway Food in Saudi Arabia: Business Plan
• Cultural Studies: Aesthetics of Food and Wine
• Australia New Zealand Food Authority Business Plan
• Food Shortages in the Republic of Malawi
• Food and Water Waste Disposal in NYC
• Tamwal Mobile Food Trucks Business Plan
• Food Security and Sustainable Local Food Systems
• Fast Food Consumption in New Jersey (United States)
• Mexican Cuisine’s Transition to Comfort Food
• Food and Drug Administration’s Strategies
• Employee Turnover in Fast-Food Restaurants
• Food and Stress Relationship: Psychological Factor
• Gluten-Free Products in the US Food Market
• Low-Calorie Frozen Food Company’s Market Structure
• Kokubu Food Company’s Trends and Information System
• Depressive Food Intake Disorder
• Organic Food as a Solution of Global Food Problem
• Glass vs. Paper/Cardboard in Food Packaging
• The “Waist Banned” Article – Taxes on Junk Food
• Food Business and Government Role in Saudi Arabia
• Factors Contributing to Fast Food Consumption in UAE
• Future of Food: Effects on the Planet
• The Fast Food Danger Awareness Among the Young People
• Organic Farming for Sustainable Food Production
• Food Nexus Tools and Results
• Halal Food and Terrorist Organizations in Australia
• Food Sovereignty in United States
• Malaysia National Agri-Food Policy: Local Food Promotion
• Sliders Mobile Food Truck Marketing Plan
• Food Security in the United States: The Major Lapses of the Conventional Food Systems
• Blue Springs Fast Food Store vs. Blue Gardens Restaurant Analysis
• Spoilage Device: Forget Expiration Dates
• The Mass Production of Food: Food Safety Issue
• Animal Production and Food Availability
• Food Production Workshop Instructional Plan
• Froma Harrop Views on Genetically Modified Food
• Carbon Dynamics and Food Chains in Coastal Environments
• Temperature Impacts on Food
• Nutrition Process: Eating Healthy Foods
• Special Food Shop for Pregnant Women
• Traditional Medicine or Food Customs in a Chinese Culture
• Healthy Consequences of Fast Foods
• Food Production, Sharing, and Consumption
• Fast Food War in Singapore: The Stiff Competition and Fight for Customers
• Service Marketing: Food Market
• Recent and Promising Food Allergy Treatments
• Feeding Baby: How to Avoid Food Allergies
• Traditional Food Culture in the Indian Religion
• Nitrogen from Food Waste
• Food’ Role in International Students Interaction
• Hinduism Religion: Food and Asceticism
• Food as a Means of Cross-Cultural Interaction
• Nutrition: Is Genetically Modified Food Bad or Good?
• Should Fast Food Qualify As “Food”?
• Fast Food Industry and Its Impacts
• The Practice of Fast Food in the United States
• Future of Genetic Engineering and the Concept of “Franken-Foods”
• Food Role on Social Events
• Optimizing Production in the Food Industry
• Genetically Modified Foods: Should They Be Consumed?
• Corn is Our Every Day Food
• Analysis of the Documentary Fast Food, Fat Profits
• Good Food That Does not Grow on Trees: Analyzing the Key Supply Chain Issues
• Organic Foods in Australia and the USA
• Determinants of Success in the Swedish Food and Drink Industry
• The Economic Effect of Issuing Food Stamps to Those in Poverty
• Obesity and Fast Food
• Liability in Food Illness Cases
• Expanding the Australian Food Processing Industry into the United States
• Wegmans Food Markets v. Camden Property Trust
• Food Security in Sydney
• Local Food Production in Malaysia
• Threats to Global Food Supplies
• Food Borne Diseases of Intoxicants on MSG
• Increasing the Consumption of Healthy Food Products
• Operations Decisions for Krafts Foods Inc. and Manute Foods Company
• Kraft Foods’ Diverse Brand Portfolio
• Monaghan’s Conributions to Society Foodservice Management
• Analysis of Whole Foods Market’s feedback loops
• Analysis of Whole Foods Market using Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model
• Analysis of Whole Foods Market’s inputs
• Organizational diagnosis for Whole Foods Market
• RFID in Food Industry and Global Trading Patterns
• Kudler Fine Foods: Incorporating Strategic Thinking
• Large-Scale Organic Farming and Food Supply
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IvyPanda. (2024, February 25). 663 Interesting Food Essay Topics, Examples, and Ideas. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/food-essay-examples/

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Our Favorite Essays and Stories About Food

Reading Lists

Too full to move spend some time digesting our best writing on subjects like fast food, cookbooks, and baking competition shows.

It’s Thanksgiving, and whether you’re visiting relatives you’d rather forget you had or celebrating alone in your apartment for reasons you just don’t want to get into, stop asking, you’re probably taking this opportunity to eat a lot of food. What could take your mind off of your racist uncle, the problematic history of the holiday, and your nascent indigestion? Reading some of the best articles we’ve published about food and cooking, of course. 

“ For Women, the Sin of Indulgence Is the Worst Sin Imaginable ” by Kristen Zory King

This personal essay opens up with a tale as old as, well, the beginning: the one about Eve and the apple. Kristen Zory King delves into her lifelong fascination with this origin story and traces back to the origin of her own eating disorder, along with the conditions that fostered it.  

“I would venture to say that the numbers of reported eating disorders are a low estimate, made up of the lucky few who are able to seek help. How could they not be? We are surrounded by conceptions of womanhood directly perpetuated by this story. It’s on the periphery of comical, overt, obvious. But whether we are a product of our culture or our culture is a product of us, it is clear that the question of the female body, of what to do with female desire, is all-consuming.”

“ Learning to Cook for One ” by Gina Mei

Most of us have, at one point or another, eaten alone before. Gina Mei is a master at it but has a lot to learn when it comes to cooking and generally caring for herself.  Former Top Chef contestant Anita Lo’s cookbook provides much needed wisdom during a tough year.

“In many ways, I’m Solo’s target audience: I eat most of my meals alone, and I can’t afford to eat out for every meal. Unlike Chopped, Top Chef Masters, and Iron Chef America veteran Anita Lo, however, I hate cooking for myself. So, I often don’t. Instead, I stock up on frozen dinners. I make a second meal out of my work lunch. I order containers of spicy pad Thai, or boxes of thin Neapolitan pizza, and stretch them out over the week. I relish asking for a “table for one” — which has somehow always felt less depressing to me than eating alone at my tiny kitchen table.”

“ American Rarebit ” a comic by John Leavitt

When you’re the only child of a working single mother, you’re left home alone a lot. Learning to cook for yourself becomes a necessity and the first thing you make turns into an integral part of who you are, following you to different kitchens or life stages.

“Mom worked during the day and went to school at night. Having me stay home was a big deal. The first thing I was taught was how to cook for myself…”

“ Osterizer Classic Series 10 Cycle Blender ” by Emily Everett

If you want to believe in love again then Emily Everett’s short story is sure to convince any doubters. Told in the form of a product review on Amazon, readers watch on as a decades-spanning marriage unfolds. Who knew you could feel so emotional reading about kitchen appliances?

“But we were still young in our own quiet way: we read poetry aloud in the den, Frank O’Hara and John Ashbery, and sang Beatles covers around an acoustic guitar. Surrounded by friends, everyone swaying into the couch cushions—I always felt so pleased with us in those moments. Later when the house was quiet, arms full of cups and ashtrays, I’d tell my husband what a nice night it had been, and he’d say that every night with me was a nice night.”

“ This Cookbook from 1942 Is a Textbook for Making a Better World ” by Abby Walthausen

There are two things Abby Walthausen is struggling to figure out in this essay: how to effectively use her old gas-guzzling stove and how to “put [herself] in the mindset of a 1942 manual for cooking during wartime.” On her journey to answers, connections between our modern living conditions and the doom of World War 2 come into focus. 

“If I feel awkward and small scraping my restaurant leftovers into an old yogurt container, or planning a meal with tofu when the meat looks so good, that is no new phenomenon. The folks we think of as bleeding heart, crunchy granola types now were once the thrifty church ladies who populate Fisher’s book. But as she reminds us on page after page, the tips she writes about in this book, some extreme, others practical, are mostly gleaned from the pages of cookbooks put out by just such dowdy church groups or ladies’ circles.”

“ Everything I Know About Writing a Novel I Learned from Watching British People Bake ” by Becky Mandelbaum

What do reality television bakers and writers have in common? While crafting her newest novel, Becky Mandelbaum begins taking nightly writing breaks to watch the hit TV show The Great British Bake Off to de-stress. However, she soon begins to see similarities between her struggle to write and that of the bakers.

“At some point it dawned on me why I felt so connected to the show: it is, emotionally and often structurally, exactly like a writing workshop or, more loosely, like the art of writing as a whole. A cookie in place of a poem, a cake in place of a story. All day, the bakers stand at their little islands, feverishly attempting to create something that is both beautiful and tempting, that others might enjoy.”

“ Baking Shows Are Secretly Reality TV for Frustrated Writers ” by Manuel Betancourt

So, we’ve established that baking and writing aren’t so different after all. But how does a pastry chef recreating mass-produced snacks on YouTube fit in? The art of failure, of loving the process, reveals itself to be not only the main tenet of the show but of writing in general. 

“Many of the foods Claire attempts to remake so obviously require mass-manufacturing tools and ingredients that her attempts are all but designed to fail. The writer in me is particularly tickled by such a proposition. Claire’s goal is to replicate an ideal she knows she can only ever approximate. In this pursuit she’s no different than many of us who write for a living, where every sentence can feel like an approximation of the ideal we aspire to but must understand we’ll never accomplish.”

“ Yelp Reviews of Fast Food Restaurants ” by Mary Shyne

A funny comic that has compiled, as you can guess from the title, reviews people leave on Yelp about popular fast food chains. As creative as it is side-splitting, from regular customer complaints to conspiracies on where Taco Bell gets ideas for the menu are sure to entertain. 

“Tacos are still crunchy and tasty. Diet Sierra Mist too is a plus. I do have a theory though that everything Taco Bell makes is made out of the same thing.”

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Please support us by disabling your ad blocker on our site., i love to cook, and it’s not because my mom taught me, how a little bit of free time and patience steered me into the kitchen.

Before coming to college, I could confidently prepare three kinds of food for myself: pasta, sautéed vegetables, and smoothies. During high school, I felt like this was more than enough to sustain me for the rest of my life. If not, I used to tell my mom that I hoped I’d make enough money to have a personal chef. I never wanted to prepare, cook, or clean up meals. Oh, how the times have changed. 

I’m not sure where my aversion to cooking came from. My best guess is that in high school, I was always in a rush, so cooking seemed like a luxury I couldn’t afford. I often needed to eat in the ten–minute windows between school and practice. My mom is a great cook, but I never thought deeply about eating her food because at the end of the day—it was a race to eat my dinner so I could get back to my homework. 

When asked to help with preparations for dinner, I would groan. To me, cooking was housework, and I wasn’t a fan. I would peel potatoes, cut the ends off of green beans, and chop onions. I would even make my brothers shuck corn for me in return for favors. I hated it that much. 

It’s not that my mom never taught me to cook. If I would’ve asked to learn, she would have been excited to help me. But I never did.

My mom tells me I’m impatient. As the oldest of three younger brothers, I’ve become accustomed to waiting for things to happen: waiting for them to be old enough to talk to, to get their shoes on to leave the house, to get down the ski slopes. I’ve never been good at waiting for meals at restaurants, or for breaks from school. I guess I’ve never wanted to cook with her, because I was impatient and hated having to be told what to do.

This past summer, with more free time after graduating from high school, and with the anticipation of only eating out of dining halls, I became more eager to cook. I made a smoothie every morning and perfected my recipes. I made chickpea pasta combinations almost every day for lunch. I had no idea what I was doing. I experimented. One day, I’d add capers and lemon, and the next day, it would just be lemon and tomato sauce. I began to tell how much oil the vegetables needed in order to be cooked, how the pasta felt when it was ready, and what the aroma was when my creation was ready to be eaten. I’d never been told how much to salt things or how to cook veggies. I flipped the veggies like I’d seen my dad flip bacon—it was often a mess. I would spend a lot of time cooking and cleaning, forcing my mom or brothers to try what I had made. It was nothing special, but it was something I had created on my own: no recipes, no instruction. 

Something clicked during the first semester at Penn. All of a sudden I was craving a kitchen environment. While talking to my college house director one night at a house–wide dinner, she mentioned that I could cook in her apartment for her, her husband, and eight of my friends. I took up the opportunity—despite still only knowing how to cook pasta, veggies, and smoothies—and we set a date. 

My friend and I came up with a menu: pesto pasta (I was confident I could cook that, at least), chicken, and Brussels sprouts.

We ended up getting a pre–seasoned chicken to keep things safe. We went to their apartment in the Quad an hour before everyone else and starting cooking. I’d ask her for oil, salt, pepper, butter, etc. I cut the Brussels sprouts and seasoned them as I’d done at home. Still, without any real knowledge on the proper way to cook, I rolled with it. I added dates, capers, bacon, and lemon. It was a random collection of ingredients—things that I thought would work well together. I got lucky. It ended up really good. 

That night changed me. I was cooking for ten people, in a kitchen I’d never been in, and without any knowledge of how to cook what I was cooking. I told a friend who wasn’t at the dinner about this afterwards, and she was astounded that I’d had the confidence to do that without a repertoire of recipes. 

The conversations that we had at that dinner in the Quad made me so happy. I loved Penn, but I was missing a homestyle forum. We talked about school and family while sharing home–cooked food, and went in for second and third servings. 

Suddenly, I was enveloped in cooking. I went home for winter break and made cookies, my Brussels sprouts recipe, and plenty of pasta. I even tried to follow some recipes. 

Over spring break, I cooked dinner for my extended family. I bought cod, pasta, and carrots to prepare. Following a recipe for the first time in my life, I pan–cooked the cod in a bath of chickpea, onions, mint, and oil. With the pasta, I thought about what might taste good and put it on top: garlic, parsley, salt, and butter. I also tried to replicate Magic Carpet's cookies by adjusting a recipe for oatmeal applesauce cookies. In the end, as I was running out of time (amateur mistake!), my mom prepared the carrots and my brother made the cookies, but all under my instructions. I even felt fancy, and put out some burrata with crackers and olive oil. Is that how it is served? I’m not sure, but my family liked it!

Bobby Flay would be insulted by my technique, but my family and friends love my cooking, whether they know I’m improvising or not. And it makes me love it too. 

Figuring out how to cook on my own has made me more confident. I may not know the proper techniques, but I’m confident that that will come with time. Some might call it bullshitting, but I call it finesse.

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The Food Memory Narrative

If you’re anything like me, those few short weeks between fall and winter breaks are nothing short of an anxiety inducing shopping/baking/grading/wrapping/tying-up-loose-ends extravaganza. Each year, the time sandwiched between breaks seems like too little or not quite enough.

But a few years ago, I cooked up a new dish called Food Lit. Food Lit was inspired by the Navajo Kentuckians , one of the best sessions I’ve ever attended at NCTE . To offer you the Happy Meal version of this session, teachers in two regions educated their students on “good food.” Students learned about topics such as food insecurity, obesity rates, and food integrity. Students grew gardens, educated their communities, and even prepared meals with food they harvested. Some even studied food and nature-centric literature like Mark Twain’s “The Bee.”

After attending this session, I began cultivating an inquiry into food in my own classroom and savoring the delicacy of “between breaks” learning.

One assignment that fires up my students’ brains is the food memory narrative task. You can read more about what we’ve been up to in Food Lit here and from years past, here and here .

Food is such an important, driving force in our lives. We share and create some of our most important stories surrounded by food. It comforts us, nourishes us, and heals us. So far, I haven’t met a student who didn’t have one special dish or fond food memory to look back on.

That’s what the food memory narrative is about.

I first ask students to examine these mentor texts:

Savoring Memories of Sunday Dinner from NPR Memories of Meals Past from The N ew York Times

Jeruselem: A Love Letter to Food from NPR 

I remind them that they are reading (and listening) to expand their understanding of “good food” but also to read as writers who are sharing their connections to a special dish.

This year, I asked students to share their mentor text noticings in a Google Form. Here’s some of what they came up with:

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What I’ve found is that food is an easy sell with students – it is relatable, its appeal universal, and my students enjoy reflecting on their “memories of meals past.” Here’s an example of how one student made this writing her own:

But the cherry on top? Our Food Lit Family Dinner, the day everyone brings in their favorite, most meaningful dish to share with the class.

Some of the biggest hits this year? Pizelles (or as one student called them: “cookie waffles”), King’s cake (somebody gifted me the baby), “brookies” (a delightful brownie/cookie duo), pepperoni rolls (a unique West Virginia snack and my contribution), tried and true homemade mac and cheese (what’s not to love), and West Indian curry (which you can read about below).

For me, this assignment does at least two things: it encourages a different bite of the narrative apple, and most importantly it continues to build and strengthen classroom culture. And that’s one recipe that can’t go wrong.

What works for you in your classrooms in the weeks between breaks? What activities inspire student writing and build classroom culture? I’d love to hear from you! 

Leave a comment below, find me on Twitter  @karlahilliard , or connect with us on  Facebook!

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“Very Nice Blog!!!

Please have a look about ” Food consulting

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I LOVE this. I think I may give it a try with my seniors who tend to not get invested in much in terms of writing. This very personal connection (and a food feast!) may draw them in. Thanks for sharing!

Did you ever have an actual rubric and explanation of the Food Narrative? I didn’t see it in your links.

Hi Jennifer! I don’t have a rubric. This assignment was squeezed into the end of our term before exams, and while we were guided by the mentor texts, I assigned completion points if students included a recipe, a narrative telling the recipe’s story, and included a photo. If I’d had more time that week, I would’ve asked students to generate a rubric based on their mentor text findings. As far as explanation of assignment, I think I’ve called it Food Memories Recipe Task in the links. It was one of those assignments that took shape with classroom discussion. The basic instructions are to determine a special recipe and tell its story. Hope this info helps a bit!

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Course Syllabus

Honest to Goodness: Introduction to Writing the Food Memoir

No genre is more powerful at examining what nourishes and sustains us than the food memoir..

In this five-week intensive course, we will take inspiration from work in top-tier publications such as Bon Appétit , the New Yorker, and the New York Times . You will explore ways to incorporate food (both literally and symbolically) into your own writing, brainstorm food-inspired stories you want to tell, *spice* up your prose, and ultimately write and workshop a pair of personal essays in two distinct styles, using food as a vehicle for storytelling. The final week of the course will focus on best practices for submitting food memoir essays for publication.

How it works:

• discussions of assigned readings and other general writing topics with peers and the instructor
• written lectures and a selection of readings
• writing prompts and/or assignments
• the opportunity to submit one or more flash essays for instructor and/or peer review
• an optional video conference that is open to all students (and which will be available afterward as a recording for those who cannot participate)

Aside from the live conference, there is no need to be online at any particular time of day. To create a better classroom experience for all, you are expected to participate weekly in class discussions to receive instructor feedback.

Week 1: The Food Memoir: What is it?

We’ll begin with an overview of the food memoir genre—personal stories involving food preparation and/or consumption. In the first weeks of the course, we’ll focus on descriptive food writing. You will read a sampling of personal essays that describe everything from a father’s preparation process for his famous Persian rice, to a chef’s attempt to produce almond-flavored carrots. Follow this style and take an inventory of your “ingredients”— possible topics for your own descriptive personal essay.

Week 2: Description and the Food Memoir

Learn various strategies for adding rich descriptions to a food memoir essay. This week, you will do a close reading of essays that use a wide range of literary techniques to create a rich sensory experience on the page. You’ll experiment with various techniques and approaches in your own writing to make your story more vivid and inviting to readers. You will also submit a food memoir essay (1,000-1,500 words) for peer and instructor feedback

Week 3: An Appetite for Metaphor

Sometimes, memoirists use food not to make their readers’ mouths water, but to open a window on important social, moral, or cultural issues such as assimilation, homesickness, or the tension between dining in versus eating out. This week, we’ll focus on the concept of food as a representation of an idea. You will read a selection of food memoir essays that use this technique and brainstorm possible topics for your own symbolic food memoir essay.

WEEK 4: SYMBOLISM AND THE FOOD MEMOIR

This week, you will learn various strategies for composing a highly symbolic food memoir essay. You will do a close reading of essays that use figurative language such as simile and metaphor to explore important themes. You will also submit a new food memoir essay (1,000-1,500 words) for peer and instructor feedback.

Week 5: Revising and Publishing Food Memoirs

During our final week, we’ll explore ways to revise essays and learn where to submit food memoir essays for publication. You will also have the option to submit a third essay for peer-only critique.  

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Writing about food can be a delectable experience. Whether it’s discussing the taste, texture, smell, or presentation of something delicious, descriptive writing about food is an art form.

But how can you describe food in a way that engages the reader and makes them hungry for more? With some tips, your writing can be mouth-watering and make readers want to try out whatever you are describing.

In this guide, you will get tips to write an essay that will tantalize the taste buds of your readers. You will also get to read essay samples that will help you write your essay.

So let's jump right in!

• 1. Descriptive Essay - A Quick Overview 
• 2. Tips for Writing a Descriptive Essay About Food
• 3. Descriptive Essay About Food Examples
• 4. Descriptive Essay About Food Topics

Descriptive Essay - A Quick Overview 

A descriptive essay focuses on describing the characteristics, features, and appearance of a person, place, or object. This type of writing is often used in essays, articles, and other types of written work.

Descriptive writing requires strong sensory detail and vivid description to create a full picture of the subject matter. It is important to use descriptive language that evokes emotion, imagery, and imagination. 

When writing about food, descriptive language can help readers feel as if they are actually tasting the food.

Watch the following video to learn more about descriptive essay:

Tips for Writing a Descriptive Essay About Food

Are you wondering how to write a descriptive essay about food? We've got the answer for you!

Here are some tips to help you create a stunning descriptive essay about food that will make readers savor every word: 

Tip 1: Choose An Interesting and Appetizing Topic

Make sure your topic is something that people can relate to. For instance, you can write an essay on your favorite food, or describe different kinds of foods.

You can also write about a cultural food experience or discuss an unusual ingredient. Whatever topic you choose, try to make it interesting and engaging. 

Tip 2: Use Vivid Language

When writing a descriptive essay on food, use adjectives, metaphors, and similes to make the description come alive. Try describing the texture, smell, flavor, and presentation of the food in detail.

It's also important to incorporate sensory words like “tangy”, “savory” or “sweet.” Use descriptive language to evoke the senses to create an image that readers can visualize and relish.

Tip 3: Include Personal Anecdotes

If you have an interesting anecdote or experience related to your topic, include it in your essay. Readers will be more engaged if they can connect to your narrative.

Including a personal story in your essay can make it more engaging and memorable. Talk about how the food made you feel, why it was special to you, or any sensory experiences associated with it.

Tip 4: Do Some Research

Doing some research about your topic can help you create a well-rounded essay. Look up recipes, food facts, and regional influences to add more detail and depth to your writing.

Research can also help you understand the history behind certain dishes, ingredients, and cultures. This will provide interesting facts for readers that they may have not known about before.

Tip 5: Structure Your Essay

Make sure to organize your essay in a way that makes sense and flows smoothly. You can use a descriptive essay outline for this. Set up the introduction by introducing the topic and explaining why it’s important or interesting.

Then, move into the body of the essay, which should include vivid descriptions of all aspects of food. Finish with a conclusion that ties everything together.

Tip 6: Be Precise and Concise

When writing a descriptive essay about food, it’s important to be as precise and concise as possible. Choose your words carefully and eliminate any unnecessary details that could distract from the main idea.

Also, make sure all of your sentences flow together smoothly to create an effective piece of writing.

Now that you know how to write a descriptive essay about food, let's look at some example essays. Reading examples that effectively use these tips will help you use them in your own essay. 

So read on!

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Descriptive Essay About Food Examples

Check out the following food essay samples. These examples will serve as models for crafting your own amazing essay.

Descriptive Writing About Favorite Food

Descriptive Essay About Fast Food

Descriptive Writing About Food

Descriptive Essay About Food Festival

Descriptive Essay on My Best Food

Descriptive Essay About Chinese Food

Descriptive Essay On Food Street

Descriptive Writing About A Food Court

Descriptive Writing About Junk Food

Short Essay On Food

My Favourite Food Essay 250 Words

You should also read othe r descriptive essay examples i f you want to master descriptive essays.

Descriptive Essay About Food Topics

Here are a few topic ideas that will help you get started.

• The Perfect Pizza Slice: Describe the ideal pizza slice, including its toppings, crust, and the experience of savoring it.
• A Gourmet Burger Experience: Write about a gourmet burger you've enjoyed, detailing its ingredients, flavors, and the ambiance of the restaurant.
• Exploring Street Food: Describe the sensory overload of a bustling street food market, highlighting the various cuisines and vendors.
• The Art of Sushi Making: Take your readers on a journey into the world of sushi, explaining the ingredients and the skills required to create this delicacy.
• A Homemade Family Recipe: Share a cherished family recipe and recount the memories associated with it.
• A Chocolate Lover's Paradise: Describe a visit to a chocolate factory or shop, focusing on the range of chocolates and the experience of tasting them.
• The Allure of Fine Dining: Write about a fine dining experience, elaborating on the ambiance, service, and the culinary creations that make it special.
• An Exotic Fruit Adventure: Detail your encounter with an exotic fruit, highlighting its appearance, taste, and any cultural significance.
• The Charm of a Picnic: Describe a picnic in a scenic location, discussing the food, surroundings, and the joy of outdoor dining.
• A Culinary Trip Abroad: Share your experience of trying local dishes during your travels, explaining the unique flavors and cultural context.

Try writing your essay on one of these topics or think of a topic by yourself. 

You can also check out other descriptive essay topics to get inspiration.

Wrapping it up,

Writing a descriptive essay about food can be both enjoyable and challenging. With these tips, you can write a delicious and compelling descriptive essay on food that will make readers hungry for more. So grab a pen and paper and get writing! 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start a descriptive essay about food.

Start your essay with a hook, which can be an interesting quote or anecdote about the topic. Afterward, start by introducing the topic and explaining why it’s important or interesting.

How would you describe the appearance of food?

You can describe the food’s appearance by including vivid adjectives and phrases. For instance, you can describe the texture of food as “crispy”, “crumbly”, or “smooth”. You can also include words like “juicy” and “succulent” to describe the flavor of food.

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Keep reading

Healthy Food Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on healthy food.

Healthy food refers to food that contains the right amount of nutrients to keep our body fit. We need healthy food to keep ourselves fit.

Furthermore, healthy food is also very delicious as opposed to popular thinking. Nowadays, kids need to eat healthy food more than ever. We must encourage good eating habits so that our future generations will be healthy and fit.

Most importantly, the harmful effects of junk food and the positive impact of healthy food must be stressed upon. People should teach kids from an early age about the same.

Benefits of Healthy Food

Healthy food does not have merely one but numerous benefits. It helps us in various spheres of life. Healthy food does not only impact our physical health but mental health too.

When we intake healthy fruits and vegetables that are full of nutrients, we reduce the chances of diseases. For instance, green vegetables help us to maintain strength and vigor. In addition, certain healthy food items keep away long-term illnesses like diabetes and blood pressure.

Similarly, obesity is the biggest problems our country is facing now. People are falling prey to obesity faster than expected. However, this can still be controlled. Obese people usually indulge in a lot of junk food. The junk food contains sugar, salt fats and more which contribute to obesity. Healthy food can help you get rid of all this as it does not contain harmful things.

In addition, healthy food also helps you save money. It is much cheaper in comparison to junk food. Plus all that goes into the preparation of healthy food is also of low cost. Thus, you will be saving a great amount when you only consume healthy food.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Junk food vs Healthy Food

If we look at the scenario today, we see how the fast-food market is increasing at a rapid rate. With the onset of food delivery apps and more, people now like having junk food more. In addition, junk food is also tastier and easier to prepare.

However, just to satisfy our taste buds we are risking our health. You may feel more satisfied after having junk food but that is just the feeling of fullness and nothing else. Consumption of junk food leads to poor concentration. Moreover, you may also get digestive problems as junk food does not have fiber which helps indigestion.

Similarly, irregularity of blood sugar levels happens because of junk food. It is so because it contains fewer carbohydrates and protein . Also, junk food increases levels of cholesterol and triglyceride.

On the other hand, healthy food contains a plethora of nutrients. It not only keeps your body healthy but also your mind and soul. It increases our brain’s functionality. Plus, it enhances our immunity system . Intake of whole foods with minimum or no processing is the finest for one’s health.

In short, we must recognize that though junk food may seem more tempting and appealing, it comes with a great cost. A cost which is very hard to pay. Therefore, we all must have healthy foods and strive for a longer and healthier life.

FAQs on Healthy Food

Q.1 How does healthy food benefit us?

A.1 Healthy Benefit has a lot of benefits. It keeps us healthy and fit. Moreover, it keeps away diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and many more. Healthy food also helps in fighting obesity and heart diseases.

Q.2 Why is junk food harmful?

A.2 Junk food is very harmful to our bodies. It contains high amounts of sugar, salt, fats, oils and more which makes us unhealthy. It also causes a lot of problems like obesity and high blood pressure. Therefore, we must not have junk food more and encourage healthy eating habits.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Importance of Food — Importance Of Food Habits

Importance of Food Habits

• Categories: Habits Importance of Food

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Published: Mar 14, 2024

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• Essay on Vegetarianism

The Personal Food Essay Examples

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Vegetarianism , Health , Vitamins , Love , Food , Body , Vegans , Diet

Published: 02/19/2020

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The statement you are what you eat has been proven a solid fact repeatedly. The way we eat determines how one's general physique looks like and how one's general, physical performance will be. For example, how athletic we will be to something as simple as staying awake in class for an extended period. In general, a great deal of one's daily life is highly dependent on their dietary habit and composition. It is with this knowledge and the impeccable desire to remain physically fit and healthy that I chose to adopt a vegetarian diet. This diet consists of plant materials that occur naturally in nature and absence of an essential food group, meat. Contrary to popular belief, vegetarian diets are quite healthy and provide the body with all the nutrients it requires and in the right portions at that, even proteins. I especially have this unique attachment to cabbages especially when they are not overcooked, as most people have a habit of cooking them, and one can feel just how natural they are with each bite. To me cabbages, cooked correctly of course, have a unique sentimental value. They represent parental love and care for the health of the younger ones and yes, they go a long way in reducing constipation. They may not taste as good as regular diets, but to me taste is of minimal importance when it comes to food. I am more inclined to the health benefits and especially to the ability to eat without fear of what side effects your foods will have on your body and your level of alertness as well as the ability to concentrate on particular issues for extensive periods without the body letting one down. In general, vegetarian diets have immense health benefits and encouragement to adopt this diet comes from almost all legitimate health experts all over the world. There is proof through detailed research that vegan diets are highly appropriate for all stages of the human lifecycle especially during infancy, adolescence, childhood, lactation, and especially pregnancy. Vegan diets play a pivotal role in the development of children especially in their early stages of life. Moreover, what better way to show love for the young ones than to feed them healthy vegetables thus alluding to my previous sentiment of cabbages being representative of parental love and relentless care. A key beneficial aspect of adopting and sticking to a vegetarian diet is the consumption of less cholesterol and saturated fats and the increasing levels in consumption of vitamins C and E, magnesium, phytochemicals, fiber and much more. Vegetarians are also less prone to contract chronic illnesses such as coronary artery disease, diabetes hypertension and the most obvious disease being obesity. Vegan diets also help reduce the risk of developing some types of cancer, which are diet affiliated. The fact remains that several highly essential nutrients that are primarily found in animal products tend to be scarce or even completely absent in plant based foods. This is done despite there being healthy ways to ensure maximum absorption and optimum utilization of these highly significant minerals and vitamins. Cabbages hold a unique place in my heart, as they are a symbol of love and care for friends and family. However, a vegan diet in general is an even greater and more elaborate symbol of love and care. It shows concern for the health of the loved ones and intent to ensure they live lives absent of health related complications especially those caused by dietary flaws and bad feeding habits.

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An opinion essay about fast food.

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10 Personal Statement Essay Examples That Worked

What’s covered:, what is a personal statement.

• Essay 1: Summer Program
• Essay 2: Being Bangladeshi-American
• Essay 3: Why Medicine
• Essay 4: Love of Writing
• Essay 5: Starting a Fire
• Essay 6: Dedicating a Track
• Essay 7: Body Image and Eating Disorders
• Essay 8: Becoming a Coach
• Essay 9: Eritrea
• Essay 10: Journaling
• Is Your Personal Statement Strong Enough?

Your personal statement is any essay that you must write for your main application, such as the Common App Essay , University of California Essays , or Coalition Application Essay . This type of essay focuses on your unique experiences, ideas, or beliefs that may not be discussed throughout the rest of your application. This essay should be an opportunity for the admissions officers to get to know you better and give them a glimpse into who you really are.

In this post, we will share 10 different personal statements that were all written by real students. We will also provide commentary on what each essay did well and where there is room for improvement, so you can make your personal statement as strong as possible!

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Personal Statement Examples

Essay example #1: exchange program.

The twisting roads, ornate mosaics, and fragrant scent of freshly ground spices had been so foreign at first. Now in my fifth week of the SNYI-L summer exchange program in Morocco, I felt more comfortable in the city. With a bag full of pastries from the market, I navigated to a bus stop, paid the fare, and began the trip back to my host family’s house. It was hard to believe that only a few years earlier my mom was worried about letting me travel around my home city on my own, let alone a place that I had only lived in for a few weeks. While I had been on a journey towards self-sufficiency and independence for a few years now, it was Morocco that pushed me to become the confident, self-reflective person that I am today.

As a child, my parents pressured me to achieve perfect grades, master my swim strokes, and discover interesting hobbies like playing the oboe and learning to pick locks. I felt compelled to live my life according to their wishes. Of course, this pressure was not a wholly negative factor in my life –– you might even call it support. However, the constant presence of my parents’ hopes for me overcame my own sense of desire and led me to become quite dependent on them. I pushed myself to get straight A’s, complied with years of oboe lessons, and dutifully attended hours of swim practice after school. Despite all these achievements, I felt like I had no sense of self beyond my drive for success. I had always been expected to succeed on the path they had defined. However, this path was interrupted seven years after my parents’ divorce when my dad moved across the country to Oregon.

I missed my dad’s close presence, but I loved my new sense of freedom. My parents’ separation allowed me the space to explore my own strengths and interests as each of them became individually busier. As early as middle school, I was riding the light rail train by myself, reading maps to get myself home, and applying to special academic programs without urging from my parents. Even as I took more initiatives on my own, my parents both continued to see me as somewhat immature. All of that changed three years ago, when I applied and was accepted to the SNYI-L summer exchange program in Morocco. I would be studying Arabic and learning my way around the city of Marrakesh. Although I think my parents were a little surprised when I told them my news, the addition of a fully-funded scholarship convinced them to let me go.

I lived with a host family in Marrakesh and learned that they, too, had high expectations for me. I didn’t know a word of Arabic, and although my host parents and one brother spoke good English, they knew I was there to learn. If I messed up, they patiently corrected me but refused to let me fall into the easy pattern of speaking English just as I did at home. Just as I had when I was younger, I felt pressured and stressed about meeting their expectations. However, one day, as I strolled through the bustling market square after successfully bargaining with one of the street vendors, I realized my mistake. My host family wasn’t being unfair by making me fumble through Arabic. I had applied for this trip, and I had committed to the intensive language study. My host family’s rules about speaking Arabic at home had not been to fulfill their expectations for me, but to help me fulfill my expectations for myself. Similarly, the pressure my parents had put on me as a child had come out of love and their hopes for me, not out of a desire to crush my individuality.

As my bus drove through the still-bustling market square and past the medieval Ben-Youssef madrasa, I realized that becoming independent was a process, not an event. I thought that my parents’ separation when I was ten had been the one experience that would transform me into a self-motivated and autonomous person. It did, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t still have room to grow. Now, although I am even more self-sufficient than I was three years ago, I try to approach every experience with the expectation that it will change me. It’s still difficult, but I understand that just because growth can be uncomfortable doesn’t mean it’s not important.

What the Essay Did Well

This is a nice essay because it delves into particular character trait of the student and how it has been shaped and matured over time. Although it doesn’t focus the essay around a specific anecdote, the essay is still successful because it is centered around this student’s independence. This is a nice approach for a personal statement: highlight a particular trait of yours and explore how it has grown with you.

The ideas in this essay are universal to growing up—living up to parents’ expectations, yearning for freedom, and coming to terms with reality—but it feels unique to the student because of the inclusion of details specific to them. Including their oboe lessons, the experience of riding the light rail by themselves, and the negotiations with a street vendor helps show the reader what these common tropes of growing up looked like for them personally. 

Another strength of the essay is the level of self-reflection included throughout the piece. Since there is no central anecdote tying everything together, an essay about a character trait is only successful when you deeply reflect on how you felt, where you made mistakes, and how that trait impacts your life. The author includes reflection in sentences like “ I felt like I had no sense of self beyond my drive for success, ” and “ I understand that just because growth can be uncomfortable doesn’t mean it’s not important. ” These sentences help us see how the student was impacted and what their point of view is.

What Could Be Improved

The largest change this essay would benefit from is to show not tell. The platitude you have heard a million times no doubt, but for good reason. This essay heavily relies on telling the reader what occurred, making us less engaged as the entire reading experience feels more passive. If the student had shown us what happens though, it keeps the reader tied to the action and makes them feel like they are there with the student, making it much more enjoyable to read. 

For example, they tell us about the pressure to succeed their parents placed on them: “ I pushed myself to get straight A’s, complied with years of oboe lessons, and dutifully attended hours of swim practice after school.”  They could have shown us what that pressure looked like with a sentence like this: “ My stomach turned somersaults as my rattling knee thumped against the desk before every test, scared to get anything less than a 95. For five years the painful squawk of the oboe only reminded me of my parents’ claps and whistles at my concerts. I mastered the butterfly, backstroke, and freestyle, fighting against the anchor of their expectations threatening to pull me down.”

If the student had gone through their essay and applied this exercise of bringing more detail and colorful language to sentences that tell the reader what happened, the essay would be really great. 

Table of Contents

Essay Example #2: Being Bangladeshi-American

Life before was good: verdant forests, sumptuous curries, and a devoted family.

Then, my family abandoned our comfortable life in Bangladesh for a chance at the American dream in Los Angeles. Within our first year, my father was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He lost his battle three weeks before my sixth birthday. Facing a new country without the steady presence of my father, we were vulnerable — prisoners of hardship in the land of the free. We resettled in the Bronx, in my uncle’s renovated basement. It was meant to be our refuge, but I felt more displaced than ever. Gone were the high-rise condos of West L.A.; instead, government projects towered over the neighborhood. Pedestrians no longer smiled and greeted me; the atmosphere was hostile, even toxic. Schoolkids were quick to pick on those they saw as weak or foreign, hurling harsh words I’d never heard before.

Meanwhile, my family began integrating into the local Bangladeshi community. I struggled to understand those who shared my heritage. Bangladeshi mothers stayed home while fathers drove cabs and sold fruit by the roadside — painful societal positions. Riding on crosstown buses or walking home from school, I began to internalize these disparities. During my fleeting encounters with affluent Upper East Siders, I saw kids my age with nannies, parents who wore suits to work, and luxurious apartments with spectacular views. Most took cabs to their destinations: cabs that Bangladeshis drove. I watched the mundane moments of their lives with longing, aching to plant myself in their shoes. Shame prickled down my spine. I distanced myself from my heritage, rejecting the traditional panjabis worn on Eid and refusing the torkari we ate for dinner every day. 

As I grappled with my relationship with the Bangladeshi community, I turned my attention to helping my Bronx community by pursuing an internship with Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda. I handled desk work and took calls, spending the bulk of my time actively listening to the hardships constituents faced — everything from a veteran stripped of his benefits to a grandmother unable to support her bedridden grandchild.

I’d never exposed myself to stories like these, and now I was the first to hear them. As an intern, I could only assist in what felt like the small ways — pointing out local job offerings, printing information on free ESL classes, reaching out to non-profits. But to a community facing an onslaught of intense struggles, I realized that something as small as these actions could have vast impacts. Seeing the immediate consequences of my actions inspired me. Throughout that summer, I internalized my community’s daily challenges in a new light. I began to stop seeing the prevalent underemployment and cramped living quarters less as sources of shame. Instead, I saw them as realities that had to be acknowledged, but could ultimately be remedied. I also realized the benefits of the Bangladeshi culture I had been so ashamed of. My Bangla language skills were an asset to the office, and my understanding of Bangladeshi etiquette allowed for smooth communication between office staff and its constituents. As I helped my neighbors navigate city services, I saw my heritage with pride — a perspective I never expected to have.

I can now appreciate the value of my unique culture and background, and of living with less. This perspective offers room for progress, community integration, and a future worth fighting for. My time with Assemblyman Sepulveda’s office taught me that I can be a change agent in enabling this progression. Far from being ashamed of my community, I want to someday return to local politics in the Bronx to continue helping others access the American Dream. I hope to help my community appreciate the opportunity to make progress together. By embracing reality, I learned to live it. Along the way, I discovered one thing: life is good, but we can make it better.

This student’s passion for social justice and civic duty shines through in this essay because of how honest it is. Sharing their personal experience with immigrating, moving around, being an outsider, and finding a community allows us to see the hardships this student has faced and builds empathy towards their situation. However, what really makes it strong is that they go beyond describing the difficulties they faced and explain the mental impact it had on them as a child: Shame prickled down my spine. I distanced myself from my heritage, rejecting the traditional panjabis worn on Eid and refusing the torkari we ate for dinner every day. 

The rejection of their culture presented at the beginning of the essay creates a nice juxtaposition with the student’s view in the latter half of the essay and helps demonstrate how they have matured. They use their experience interning as a way to delve into a change in their thought process about their culture and show how their passion for social justice began. Using this experience as a mechanism to explore their thoughts and feelings is an excellent example of how items that are included elsewhere on your application should be incorporated into your essay.

This essay prioritizes emotions and personal views over specific anecdotes. Although there are details and certain moments incorporated throughout to emphasize the author’s points, the main focus remains on the student and how they grapple with their culture and identity.  

One area for improvement is the conclusion. Although the forward-looking approach is a nice way to end an essay focused on social justice, it would be nice to include more details and imagery in the conclusion. How does the student want to help their community? What government position do they see themselves holding one day? 

A more impactful ending might look like the student walking into their office at the New York City Housing Authority in 15 years and looking at the plans to build a new development in the Bronx just blocks away from where the grew up that would provide quality housing to people in their Bangladeshi community. They would smile while thinking about how far they have come from that young kid who used to be ashamed of their culture. 

Essay Example #3: Why Medicine

I took my first trip to China to visit my cousin Anna in July of 2014. Distance had kept us apart, but when we were together, we fell into all of our old inside jokes and caught up on each other’s lives. Her sparkling personality and optimistic attitude always brought a smile to my face. This time, however, my heart broke when I saw the effects of her brain cancer; she had suffered from a stroke that paralyzed her left side. She was still herself in many ways, but I could see that the damage to her brain made things difficult for her. I stayed by her every day, providing the support she needed, whether assisting her with eating and drinking, reading to her, or just watching “Friends.” During my flight back home, sorrow and helplessness overwhelmed me. Would I ever see Anna again? Could I have done more to make Anna comfortable? I wished I could stay in China longer to care for her. As I deplaned, I wondered if I could transform my grief to help other children and teenagers in the US who suffered as Anna did.

The day after I got home, as jet lag dragged me awake a few minutes after midnight, I remembered hearing about the Family Reach Foundation (FRF) and its work with children going through treatments at the local hospital and their families. I began volunteering in the FRF’s Children’s Activity Room, where I play with children battling cancer. Volunteering has both made me appreciate my own health and also cherish the new relationships I build with the children and families. We play sports, make figures out of playdoh, and dress up. When they take on the roles of firefighters or fairies, we all get caught up in the game; for that time, they forget the sanitized, stark, impersonal walls of the pediatric oncology ward. Building close relationships with them and seeing them giggle and laugh is so rewarding — I love watching them grow and get better throughout their course of treatment.

Hearing from the parents about their children’s condition and seeing the children recover inspired me to consider medical research. To get started, I enrolled in a summer collegelevel course in Abnormal Psychology. There I worked with Catelyn, a rising college senior, on a data analysis project regarding Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Together, we examined the neurological etiology of DID by studying four fMRI and PET cases. I fell in love with gathering data and analyzing the results and was amazed by our final product: several stunning brain images showcasing the areas of hyper and hypoactivity in brains affected by DID. Desire quickly followed my amazement — I want to continue this project and study more brains. Their complexity, delicacy, and importance to every aspect of life fascinate me. Successfully completing this research project gave me a sense of hope; I know I am capable of participating in a large scale research project and potentially making a difference in someone else’s life through my research.

Anna’s diagnosis inspired me to begin volunteering at FRF; from there, I discovered my desire to help people further by contributing to medical research. As my research interest blossomed, I realized that it’s no coincidence that I want to study brains—after all, Anna suffered from brain cancer. Reflecting on these experiences this past year and a half, I see that everything I’ve done is connected. Sadly, a few months after I returned from China, Anna passed away. I am still sad, but as I run a toy truck across the floor and watch one of the little patients’ eyes light up, I imagine that she would be proud of my commitment to pursue medicine and study the brain.

This essay has a very strong emotional core that tugs at the heart strings and makes the reader feel invested. Writing about sickness can be difficult and doesn’t always belong in a personal statement, but in this case it works well because the focus is on how this student cared for her cousin and dealt with the grief and emotions surrounding her condition. Writing about the compassion she showed and the doubts and concerns that filled her mind keeps the focus on the author and her personality. 

This continues when she again discusses the activities she did with the kids at FRF and the personal reflection this experience allowed her to have. For example, she writes: Volunteering has both made me appreciate my own health and also cherish the new relationships I build with the children and families. We play sports, make figures out of playdoh, and dress up.

Concluding the essay with the sad story of her cousin’s passing brings the essay full circle and returns to the emotional heart of the piece to once again build a connection with the reader. However, it finishes on a hopeful note and demonstrates how this student has been able to turn a tragic experience into a source of lifelong inspiration. 

One thing this essay should be cognizant of is that personal statements should not read as summaries of your extracurricular resume. Although this essay doesn’t fully fall into that trap, it does describe two key extracurriculars the student participated in. However, the inclusion of such a strong emotional core running throughout the essay helps keep the focus on the student and her thoughts and feelings during these activities.

To avoid making this mistake, make sure you have a common thread running through your essay and the extracurriculars provide support to the story you are trying to tell, rather than crafting a story around your activities. And, as this essay does, make sure there is lots of personal reflection and feelings weaved throughout to focus attention to you rather than your extracurriculars. 

Essay Example #4: Love of Writing

“I want to be a writer.” This had been my answer to every youthful discussion with the adults in my life about what I would do when I grew up. As early as elementary school, I remember reading my writing pieces aloud to an audience at “Author of the Month” ceremonies. Bearing this goal in mind, and hoping to gain some valuable experience, I signed up for a journalism class during my freshman year. Despite my love for writing, I initially found myself uninterested in the subject and I struggled to enjoy the class. When I thought of writing, I imagined lyrical prose, profound poetry, and thrilling plot lines. Journalism required a laconic style and orderly structure, and I found my teacher’s assignments formulaic and dull. That class shook my confidence as a writer. I was uncertain if I should continue in it for the rest of my high school career.

Despite my misgivings, I decided that I couldn’t make a final decision on whether to quit journalism until I had some experience working for a paper outside of the classroom. The following year, I applied to be a staff reporter on our school newspaper. I hoped this would help me become more self-driven and creative, rather than merely writing articles that my teacher assigned. To my surprise, my time on staff was worlds away from what I experienced in the journalism class. Although I was unaccustomed to working in a fast-paced environment and initially found it burdensome to research and complete high-quality stories in a relatively short amount of time, I also found it exciting. I enjoyed learning more about topics and events on campus that I did not know much about; some of my stories that I covered in my first semester concerned a chess tournament, a food drive, and a Spanish immersion party. I relished in the freedom I had to explore and learn, and to write more independently than I could in a classroom.

Although I enjoyed many aspects of working for the paper immediately, reporting also pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I am a shy person, and speaking with people I did not know intimidated me. During my first interview, I met with the basketball coach to prepare for a story about the team’s winning streak. As I approached his office, I felt everything from my toes to my tongue freeze into a solid block, and I could hardly get out my opening questions. Fortunately, the coach was very kind and helped me through the conversation. Encouraged, I prepared for my next interview with more confidence. After a few weeks of practice, I even started to look forward to interviewing people on campus. That first journalism class may have bored me, but even if journalism in practice was challenging, it was anything but tedious.

Over the course of that year, I grew to love writing for our school newspaper. Reporting made me aware of my surroundings, and made me want to know more about current events on campus and in the town where I grew up. By interacting with people all over campus, I came to understand the breadth of individuals and communities that make up my high school. I felt far more connected to diverse parts of my school through my work as a journalist, and I realized that journalism gave me a window into seeing beyond my own experiences. The style of news writing may be different from what I used to think “writing” meant, but I learned that I can still derive exciting plots from events that may have gone unnoticed if not for my stories. I no longer struggle to approach others, and truly enjoy getting to know people and recognizing their accomplishments through my writing. Becoming a writer may be a difficult path, but it is as rewarding as I hoped when I was young.

This essay is clearly structured in a manner that makes it flow very nicely and contributes to its success. It starts with a quote to draw in the reader and show this student’s life-long passion for writing. Then it addresses the challenges of facing new, unfamiliar territory and how this student overcame it. Finally, it concludes by reflecting on this eye-opening experience and a nod to their younger self from the introduction. Having a well-thought out and sequential structure with clear transitions makes it extremely easy for the reader to follow along and take away the main idea.

Another positive aspect of the essay is the use of strong and expressive language. Sentences like “ When I thought of writing, I imagined lyrical prose, profound poetry, and thrilling plot lines ” stand out because of the intentional use of words like “lyrical”, “profound”, and “thrilling” to convey the student’s love of writing. The author also uses an active voice to capture the readers’ attention and keep us engaged. They rely on their language and diction to reveal details to the reader, for instance saying “ I felt everything from my toes to my tongue freeze into a solid block ” to describe feeling nervous.

This essay is already very strong, so there isn’t much that needs to be changed. One thing that could take the essay from great to outstanding would be to throw in more quotes, internal dialogue, and sensory descriptors.

It would be nice to see the nerves they felt interviewing the coach by including dialogue like “ Um…I want to interview you about…uh…”.  They could have shown their original distaste for journalism by narrating the thoughts running through their head. The fast-paced environment of their newspaper could have come to life with descriptions about the clacking of keyboards and the whirl of people running around laying out articles.

Essay Example #5: Starting a Fire

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the garb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family. 

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt. 

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him. 

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses. 

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

This student is an excellent writer, which allows a simple story to be outstandingly compelling. The author articulates her points beautifully and creatively through her immense use of details and figurative language. Lines like “a rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees,” and “rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers,” create vivid images that draw the reader in. 

The flowery and descriptive prose also contributes to the nice juxtaposition between the old Clara and the new Clara. The latter half of the essay contrasts elements of nature with music and writing to demonstrate how natural these interests are for her now. This sentence perfectly encapsulates the contrast she is trying to build: “It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive.”

In addition to being well-written, this essay is thematically cohesive. It begins with the simple introduction “Fire!” and ends with the following image: “When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.” This full-circle approach leaves readers satisfied and impressed.

There is very little this essay should change, however one thing to be cautious about is having an essay that is overly-descriptive. We know from the essay that this student likes to read and write, and depending on other elements of her application, it might make total sense to have such a flowery and ornate writing style. However, your personal statement needs to reflect your voice as well as your personality. If you would never use language like this in conversation or your writing, don’t put it in your personal statement. Make sure there is a balance between eloquence and your personal voice.

Essay Example #6: Dedicating a Track

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

This essay effectively conveys this student’s compassion for others, initiative, and determination—all great qualities to exemplify in a personal statement!

Although they rely on telling us a lot of what happened up until the board meeting, the use of running a race (their passion) as a metaphor for public speaking provides a lot of insight into the fear that this student overcame to work towards something bigger than themself. Comparing a podium to the starting line, the audience to the track, and silence to the gunshot is a nice way of demonstrating this student’s passion for cross country running without making that the focus of the story.

The essay does a nice job of coming full circle at the end by explaining what the quote from the beginning meant to them after this experience. Without explicitly saying “ I now know that what Stark actually meant is…” they rely on the strength of their argument above to make it obvious to the reader what it means to get beat but not lose. 

One of the biggest areas of improvement in the intro, however, is how the essay tells us Stark’s impact rather than showing us: His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The writer could’ve helped us feel a stronger emotional connection to Stark if they had included examples of Stark’s qualities, rather than explicitly stating them. For example, they could’ve written something like: Stark was the kind of person who would give you gas money if you told him your parents couldn’t afford to pick you up from practice. And he actually did that—several times. At track meets, alumni regularly would come talk to him and tell him how he’d changed their lives. Before Stark, I was ambivalent about running and was on the JV team, but his encouragement motivated me to run longer and harder and eventually make varsity. Because of him, I approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

Essay Example #7: Body Image and Eating Disorders

I press the “discover” button on my Instagram app, hoping to find enticing pictures to satisfy my boredom. Scrolling through, I see funny videos and mouth-watering pictures of food. However, one image stops me immediately. A fit teenage girl with a “perfect body” relaxes in a bikini on a beach. Beneath it, I see a slew of flattering comments. I shake with disapproval over the image’s unrealistic quality. However, part of me still wants to have a body like hers so that others will make similar comments to me.

I would like to resolve a silent issue that harms many teenagers and adults: negative self image and low self-esteem in a world where social media shapes how people view each other. When people see the façades others wear to create an “ideal” image, they can develop poor thought patterns rooted in negative self-talk. The constant comparisons to “perfect” others make people feel small. In this new digital age, it is hard to distinguish authentic from artificial representations.

When I was 11, I developed anorexia nervosa. Though I was already thin, I wanted to be skinny like the models that I saw on the magazine covers on the grocery store stands. Little did I know that those models probably also suffered from disorders, and that photoshop erased their flaws. I preferred being underweight to being healthy. No matter how little I ate or how thin I was, I always thought that I was too fat. I became obsessed with the number on the scale and would try to eat the least that I could without my parents urging me to take more. Fortunately, I stopped engaging in anorexic behaviors before middle school. However, my underlying mental habits did not change. The images that had provoked my disorder in the first place were still a constant presence in my life.

By age 15, I was in recovery from anorexia, but suffered from depression. While I used to only compare myself to models, the growth of social media meant I also compared myself to my friends and acquaintances. I felt left out when I saw my friends’ excitement about lake trips they had taken without me. As I scrolled past endless photos of my flawless, thin classmates with hundreds of likes and affirming comments, I felt my jealousy spiral. I wanted to be admired and loved by other people too. However, I felt that I could never be enough. I began to hate the way that I looked, and felt nothing in my life was good enough. I wanted to be called “perfect” and “body goals,” so I tried to only post at certain times of day to maximize my “likes.” When that didn’t work, I started to feel too anxious to post anything at all.  

Body image insecurities and social media comparisons affect thousands of people – men, women, children, and adults – every day. I am lucky – after a few months of my destructive social media habits, I came across a video that pointed out the illusory nature of social media; many Instagram posts only show off good things while people hide their flaws. I began going to therapy, and recovered from my depression. To address the problem of self-image and social media, we can all focus on what matters on the inside and not what is on the surface. As an effort to become healthy internally, I started a club at my school to promote clean eating and radiating beauty from within. It has helped me grow in my confidence, and today I’m not afraid to show others my struggles by sharing my experience with eating disorders. Someday, I hope to make this club a national organization to help teenagers and adults across the country. I support the idea of body positivity and embracing difference, not “perfection.” After all, how can we be ourselves if we all look the same?

This essay covers the difficult topics of eating disorders and mental health. If you’re thinking about covering similar topics in your essay, we recommend reading our post Should You Talk About Mental Health in College Essays?

The short answer is that, yes, you can talk about mental health, but it can be risky. If you do go that route, it’s important to focus on what you learned from the experience.

The strength of this essay is the student’s vulnerability, in excerpts such as this: I wanted to be admired and loved by other people too. However, I felt that I could never be enough. I began to hate the way that I looked, and felt nothing in my life was good enough. I wanted to be called “perfect” and “body goals,” so I tried to only post at certain times of day to maximize my “likes.”

The student goes on to share how they recovered from their depression through an eye-opening video and therapy sessions, and they’re now helping others find their self-worth as well. It’s great that this essay looks towards the future and shares the writer’s goals of making their club a national organization; we can see their ambition and compassion.

The main weakness of this essay is that it doesn’t focus enough on their recovery process, which is arguably the most important part. They could’ve told us more about the video they watched or the process of starting their club and the interactions they’ve had with other members. Especially when sharing such a vulnerable topic, there should be vulnerability in the recovery process too. That way, the reader can fully appreciate all that this student has overcome.

Essay Example #8: Becoming a Coach

”Advanced females ages 13 to 14 please proceed to staging with your coaches at this time.” Skittering around the room, eyes wide and pleading, I frantically explained my situation to nearby coaches. The seconds ticked away in my head; every polite refusal increased my desperation.

Despair weighed me down. I sank to my knees as a stream of competitors, coaches, and officials flowed around me. My dojang had no coach, and the tournament rules prohibited me from competing without one.

Although I wanted to remain strong, doubts began to cloud my mind. I could not help wondering: what was the point of perfecting my skills if I would never even compete? The other members of my team, who had found coaches minutes earlier, attempted to comfort me, but I barely heard their words. They couldn’t understand my despair at being left on the outside, and I never wanted them to understand.

Since my first lesson 12 years ago, the members of my dojang have become family. I have watched them grow up, finding my own happiness in theirs. Together, we have honed our kicks, blocks, and strikes. We have pushed one another to aim higher and become better martial artists. Although my dojang had searched for a reliable coach for years, we had not found one. When we attended competitions in the past, my teammates and I had always gotten lucky and found a sympathetic coach. Now, I knew this practice was unsustainable. It would devastate me to see the other members of my dojang in my situation, unable to compete and losing hope as a result. My dojang needed a coach, and I decided it was up to me to find one.

I first approached the adults in the dojang – both instructors and members’ parents. However, these attempts only reacquainted me with polite refusals. Everyone I asked told me they couldn’t devote multiple weekends per year to competitions. I soon realized that I would have become the coach myself.

At first, the inner workings of tournaments were a mystery to me. To prepare myself for success as a coach, I spent the next year as an official and took coaching classes on the side. I learned everything from motivational strategies to technical, behind-the-scenes components of Taekwondo competitions. Though I emerged with new knowledge and confidence in my capabilities, others did not share this faith.

Parents threw me disbelieving looks when they learned that their children’s coach was only a child herself. My self-confidence was my armor, deflecting their surly glances. Every armor is penetrable, however, and as the relentless barrage of doubts pounded my resilience, it began to wear down. I grew unsure of my own abilities.

Despite the attack, I refused to give up. When I saw the shining eyes of the youngest students preparing for their first competition, I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was. The knowledge that I could solve my dojang’s longtime problem motivated me to overcome my apprehension.

Now that my dojang flourishes at competitions, the attacks on me have weakened, but not ended. I may never win the approval of every parent; at times, I am still tormented by doubts, but I find solace in the fact that members of my dojang now only worry about competing to the best of their abilities.

Now, as I arrive at a tournament with my students, I close my eyes and remember the past. I visualize the frantic search for a coach and the chaos amongst my teammates as we competed with one another to find coaches before the staging calls for our respective divisions. I open my eyes to the exact opposite scene. Lacking a coach hurt my ability to compete, but I am proud to know that no member of my dojang will have to face that problem again.

This essay begins with an in-the-moment narrative that really illustrates the chaos of looking for a coach last-minute. We feel the writer’s emotions, particularly her dejectedness, at not being able to compete. Starting an essay in media res  is a great way to capture the attention of your readers and build anticipation for what comes next.

Through this essay, we can see how gutsy and determined the student is in deciding to become a coach themselves. She shows us these characteristics through their actions, rather than explicitly telling us: To prepare myself for success as a coach, I spent the next year as an official and took coaching classes on the side.  Also, by discussing the opposition she faced and how it affected her, the student is open and vulnerable about the reality of the situation.

The essay comes full circle as the author recalls the frantic situations in seeking out a coach, but this is no longer a concern for them and their team. Overall, this essay is extremely effective in painting this student as mature, bold, and compassionate.

The biggest thing this essay needs to work on is showing not telling. Throughout the essay, the student tells us that she “emerged with new knowledge and confidence,” she “grew unsure of her own abilities,” and she “refused to give up”. What we really want to know is what this looks like.

Instead of saying she “emerged with new knowledge and confidence” she should have shared how she taught a new move to a fellow team-member without hesitation. Rather than telling us she “grew unsure of her own abilities” she should have shown what that looked like by including her internal dialogue and rhetorical questions that ran through her mind. She could have demonstrated what “refusing to give up” looks like by explaining how she kept learning coaching techniques on her own, turned to a mentor for advice, or devised a plan to win over the trust of parents. 

Essay Example #9: Eritrea

No one knows where Eritrea is.

On the first day of school, for the past nine years, I would pensively stand in front of a class, a teacher, a stranger  waiting for the inevitable question: Where are you from?

I smile politely, my dimples accentuating my ambiguous features. “Eritrea,” I answer promptly and proudly. But I  am always prepared. Before their expression can deepen into confusion, ready to ask “where is that,” I elaborate,  perhaps with a fleeting hint of exasperation, “East Africa, near Ethiopia.”

Sometimes, I single out the key-shaped hermit nation on a map, stunning teachers who have “never had a student  from there!” Grinning, I resist the urge to remark, “You didn’t even know it existed until two minutes ago!”

Eritrea is to the East of Ethiopia, its arid coastline clutches the lucrative Red Sea. Battle scars litter the ancient  streets – the colonial Italian architecture lathered with bullet holes, the mosques mangled with mortar shells.  Originally part of the world’s first Christian kingdom, Eritrea passed through the hands of colonial Italy, Britain, and  Ethiopia for over a century, until a bloody thirty year war of Independence liberated us.

But these are facts that anyone can know with a quick Google search. These are facts that I have memorised and compounded, first from my Grandmother and now from pristine books  borrowed from the library.

No historical narrative, however, can adequately capture what Eritrea is.  No one knows the aroma of bushels of potatoes, tomatoes, and garlic – still covered in dirt – that leads you to the open-air market. No one knows the poignant scent of spices, arranged in orange piles reminiscent of compacted  dunes.  No one knows how to haggle stubborn herders for sheep and roosters for Christmas celebrations as deliberately as my mother. No one can replicate the perfect balance of spices in dorho and tsebhi as well as my grandmother,  her gnarly hands stirring the pot with ancient precision (chastising my clumsy knife work with the potatoes).  It’s impossible to learn when the injera is ready – the exact moment you have to lift the lid of the mogogo. Do it too  early (or too late) and the flatbread becomes mangled and gross. It is a sixth sense passed through matriarchal  lineages.

There are no sources that catalogue the scent of incense that wafts through the sunlit porch on St. Michael’s; no  films that can capture the luminescence of hundreds of flaming bonfires that fluoresce the sidewalks on Kudus  Yohannes, as excited children chant Ge’ez proverbs whose origin has been lost to time.  You cannot learn the familiarity of walking beneath the towering Gothic figure of the Enda Mariam Cathedral, the  crowds undulating to the ringing of the archaic bells.  I have memorized the sound of the rains hounding the metal roof during kiremti , the heat of the sun pounding  against the Toyota’s window as we sped down towards Ghinda , the opulent brilliance of the stars twinkling in a  sky untainted by light pollution, the scent of warm rolls of bani wafting through the streets at precisely 6 o’clock each day…

I fill my flimsy sketchbook with pictures from my memory. My hand remembers the shapes of the hibiscus drifting  in the wind, the outline of my grandmother (affectionately nicknamed a’abaye ) leaning over the garden, the bizarre architecture of the Fiat Tagliero .  I dice the vegetables with movements handed down from generations. My nose remembers the scent of frying garlic, the sourness of the warm tayta , the sharpness of the mit’mt’a …

This knowledge is intrinsic.  “I am Eritrean,” I repeat. “I am proud.”  Within me is an encyclopedia of history, culture, and idealism.

Eritrea is the coffee made from scratch, the spices drying in the sun, the priests and nuns. Eritrea is wise, filled with ambition, and unseen potential.  Eritrea isn’t a place, it’s an identity.

This is an exceptional essay that provides a window into this student’s culture that really makes their love for their country and heritage leap off the page. The sheer level of details and sensory descriptors this student is able to fit in this space makes the essay stand out. From the smells, to the traditions, sounds, and sights, the author encapsulates all the glory of Eritrea for the reader. 

The vivid images this student is able to create for the reader, whether it is having the tedious conversation with every teacher or cooking in their grandmother’s kitchen, transports us into the story and makes us feel like we are there in the moment with the student. This is a prime example of an essay that shows , not tells.

Besides the amazing imagery, the use of shorter paragraphs also contributes to how engaging this essay is. Employing this tactic helps break up the text to make it more readable and it isolates ideas so they stick out more than if they were enveloped in a large paragraph.

Overall, this is a really strong essay that brings to life this student’s heritage through its use of vivid imagery. This essay exemplifies what it means to show not tell in your writing, and it is a great example of how you can write an intimate personal statement without making yourself the primary focus of your essay. 

There is very little this essay should improve upon, but one thing the student might consider would be to inject more personal reflection into their response. Although we can clearly take away their deep love and passion for their homeland and culture, the essay would be a bit more personal if they included the emotions and feelings they associate with the various aspects of Eritrea. For example, the way their heart swells with pride when their grandmother praises their ability to cook a flatbread or the feeling of serenity when they hear the bells ring out from the cathedral. Including personal details as well as sensory ones would create a wonderful balance of imagery and reflection.

Essay Example #10: Journaling

Flipping past dozens of colorful entries in my journal, I arrive at the final blank sheet. I press my pen lightly to the page, barely scratching its surface to create a series of loops stringing together into sentences. Emotions spill out, and with their release, I feel lightness in my chest. The stream of thoughts slows as I reach the bottom of the page, and I gently close the cover of the worn book: another journal finished.

I add the journal to the stack of eleven books on my nightstand. Struck by the bittersweet sensation of closing a chapter of my life, I grab the notebook at the bottom of the pile to reminisce.

“I want to make a flying mushen to fly in space and your in it” – October 2008

Pulling back the cover of my first Tinkerbell-themed diary, the prompt “My Hopes and Dreams” captures my attention. Though “machine” is misspelled in my scribbled response, I see the beginnings of my past obsession with outer space. At the age of five, I tore through novels about the solar system, experimented with rockets built from plastic straws, and rented Space Shuttle films from Blockbuster to satisfy my curiosities. While I chased down answers to questions as limitless as the universe, I fell in love with learning. Eight journals later, the same relentless curiosity brought me to an airplane descending on San Francisco Bay.

“I wish I had infinite sunsets” – July 2019

I reach for the charcoal notepad near the top of the pile and open to the first page: my flight to the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes. While I was excited to explore bioengineering, anxiety twisted in my stomach as I imagined my destination, unsure of whether I could overcome my shyness and connect with others.

With each new conversation, the sweat on my palms became less noticeable, and I met students from 23 different countries. Many of the moments where I challenged myself socially revolved around the third story deck of the Jerry house. A strange medley of English, Arabic, and Mandarin filled the summer air as my friends and I gathered there every evening, and dialogues at sunset soon became moments of bliss. In our conversations about cultural differences, the possibility of an afterlife, and the plausibility of far-fetched conspiracy theories, I learned to voice my opinion. As I was introduced to different viewpoints, these moments challenged my understanding of the world around me. In my final entries from California, I find excitement to learn from others and increased confidence, a tool that would later allow me to impact my community.

“The beauty in a tower of cans” – June 2020

Returning my gaze to the stack of journals, I stretch to take the floral-patterned book sitting on top. I flip through, eventually finding the beginnings of the organization I created during the outbreak of COVID-19. Since then, Door-to-Door Deliveries has woven its way through my entries and into reality, allowing me to aid high-risk populations through free grocery delivery.

With the confidence I gained the summer before, I took action when seeing others in need rather than letting my shyness hold me back. I reached out to local churches and senior centers to spread word of our services and interacted with customers through our website and social media pages. To further expand our impact, we held two food drives, and I mustered the courage to ask for donations door-to-door. In a tower of canned donations, I saw the value of reaching out to help others and realized my own potential to impact the world around me.

I delicately close the journal in my hands, smiling softly as the memories reappear, one after another. Reaching under my bed, I pull out a fresh notebook and open to its first sheet. I lightly press my pen to the page, “And so begins the next chapter…”

The structuring of this essay makes it easy and enjoyable to read. The student effectively organizes their various life experiences around their tower of journals, which centers the reader and makes the different stories easy to follow. Additionally, the student engages quotes from their journals—and unique formatting of the quotes—to signal that they are moving in time and show us which memory we should follow them to.

Thematically, the student uses the idea of shyness to connect the different memories they draw out of their journals. As the student describes their experiences overcoming shyness at the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes and Door-to-Door Deliveries, this essay can be read as an Overcoming Obstacles essay.

At the end of this essay, readers are fully convinced that this student is dedicated (they have committed to journaling every day), thoughtful (journaling is a thoughtful process and, in the essay, the student reflects thoughtfully on the past), and motivated (they flew across the country for a summer program and started a business). These are definitely qualities admissions officers are looking for in applicants!

Although this essay is already exceptionally strong as it’s written, the first journal entry feels out of place compared to the other two entries that discuss the author’s shyness and determination. It works well for the essay to have an entry from when the student was younger to add some humor (with misspelled words) and nostalgia, but if the student had either connected the quote they chose to the idea of overcoming a fear present in the other two anecdotes or if they had picked a different quote all together related to their shyness, it would have made the entire essay feel more cohesive.

Where to Get Your Personal Statement Edited

Do you want feedback on your personal statement? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Next Step: Supplemental Essays

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