The End Of Food By Lizzie Widdicombe

In “The End of Food” by Lizzie Widdicombe, a new food substitute, Soylent, is claimed to be able to completely push traditional, solid foods out of the picture. The author quotes Ethan Brown saying, “The main challenge with food tech is cultural.” The difficulties food tech companies face in getting people to get outside of their comfort zone and try new foods made me recall an experience I had when I was younger. I grew up as a picky eater and an introvert; I rarely ever tried food which was not in my normal diet, and I never met new people. Looking back at my youth, I realize much of my cultural ignorance at the time tied directly into me not wanting to get outside of my comfort zone. In the 8th grade, I went on a trip to Washington D. C.

I remember my classmates and I were headed to eat dinner when we got the news that we would be trying something new. I really did not understand what was meant by “new”, but I kept my composure and hoped for the best. To my disgust, the plate which was put in front of me had a duck on it. The food was shocking to me not because of the choice of meat, but because of how it was presented. I can recall, maybe a little due to my immaturity at the time, the duck looking very much like, well, a duck. After staring at the plate for a moment, I looked around and to my encouragement I was not intimidated alone. All of my classmates had the same look in their eyes; I hesitantly picked up a piece and put it in my mouth. To my surprise, the French cuisine was amazing. If the dish had looked like it tasted then everyone would have been eating by now. This was the night I came to understand I should not judge food by how it simply looks. The principle applies to culture in a broader sense because food is one of the most defining parts of it. My experience trying new foods on the trip made me be more open to trying and accepting different

Though trying new food and rooming with strangers seems like an insignificant aspect of almost every child’s life, it was not for mine. The experience went beyond just showing me other cultures existed; it made me want to dedicate a part of my life to helping preserve the diversity that exists among us. Since that trip almost six years ago now, I have volunteered a little over 100 hours of my time on weekends to helping set up and run culture exchange programs. Most of these programs take place near Valdosta State University, a college near where I live, and in these programs, I have the opportunity to meet and talk to people from around the world. The programs have helped me grow a greater sense of cultural appreciation by constantly reminding me that the world is full of different points of view. The basic ideals I learned on the trip to D.C. have helped to understand that there is more to the world than I can possibly know. That makes it essential for me to keep an open mind when facing new