Food Ethnography
My family’s procurement of food always fell under two categories: eating out at a restaurant or buying food from the grocery store. With the exception of buying some select produce items from a farmer’s market, stores such as Kroger and Trader Joe’s were generally the go-to. In fact, it wasn’t until just this year that I even realized that local markets could supply full grocery needs, as opposed to just a supplement to a larger supermarket chain. As soon as I began observing people, realizing trends, and personally exploring the other options, I was able to see through the façade that was keeping my worldview so narrow. Keeping in mind the complexities surrounding how people obtain their food, I observed hundreds of patrons at a nearby farmer’s market, a Meijer, and a locally-owned grocery store with the goal of carefully observing the cultural phenomena surrounding me, gaining a more nuanced understanding and respect for the social behavior encouraged in various environments, and comparing the various factors that differentiate each establishment.
Possibly the biggest factor that any family looks at when choosing their grocery store is whether or not the prices are affordable for them. Upon observing each of the food establishments for this assignment, I immediately noticed a prominent price difference between each of the stores. Especially when dealing with meats, cheeses, and other “specialty” goods, the farmer's market prices were much higher than Meijer and slightly higher than the local grocery store for the most comparable product they offered. Unlike farming in the past, agricultural policy today “generously reward[s] farmers for producing as much corn and soy as they possibly can” (Nestle, 97-98) and the vast majority of meat production is controlled by a small number of large corporations, making locally grown produce and ethically sourced animal products harder to find and more expensive. This reality makes ultra-processed, unhealthier products more affordable for the average person than local goods, which is reflected in the crowds of people shopping at Meijer during my observations compared to the much smaller number of people at the other stores. This system also favors large corporations, like Meijer, so locally-owned grocery stores, like Foods for Living, are forced to charge higher prices for all of their products in order to compete. Although a major barrier preventing many from locally sourcing their food is this high cost, individuals at the farmer’s market seem to share a common set of values, regardless of status. Based on my experience, these include a careful and intentional love for food in its most natural form, respect for the human body and its health, the importance of community, and the value of local farmers in that community. Although the customer base for each location differs greatly, some of these shared values exist amongst them all.
Possibly the biggest factor that any family looks at when choosing their grocery store is whether or not the prices are affordable for them. Upon observing each of the food establishments for this assignment, I immediately noticed a prominent price difference between each of the stores. Especially when dealing with meats, cheeses, and other “specialty” goods, the farmer's market prices were much higher than Meijer and slightly higher than the local grocery store for the most comparable product they offered. Unlike farming in the past, agricultural policy today “generously reward[s] farmers for producing as much corn and soy as they possibly can” (Nestle, 97-98) and the vast majority of meat production is controlled by a small number of large corporations, making locally grown produce and ethically sourced animal products harder to find and more expensive. This reality makes ultra-processed, unhealthier products more affordable for the average person than local goods, which is reflected in the crowds of people shopping at Meijer during my observations compared to the much smaller number of people at the other stores. This system also favors large corporations, like Meijer, so locally-owned grocery stores, like Foods for Living, are forced to charge higher prices for all of their products in order to compete. Although a major barrier preventing many from locally sourcing their food is this high cost, individuals at the farmer’s market seem to share a common set of values, regardless of status. Based on my experience, these include a careful and intentional love for food in its most natural form, respect for the human body and its health, the importance of community, and the value of local farmers in that community. Although the customer base for each location differs greatly, some of these shared values exist amongst them all.
The most prominent similarity that I found between the three establishments was the “health-labeling”, which is a term I use when referring to labels such as organic, free-range, pasture-raised, farm to table, non-GMO, locally-sourced, and more. With the assumption that shoppers at the farmer’s market or Foods for Living care about their health and what they are eating, the prevalence of similar signage in Meijer indicates that the desire to prioritize healthy eating is independent of socioeconomic status. In fact, I saw far more health-labeling used as an advertisement at Meijer, which can be attributed to the fact that “nutrition and convenience are sometimes deeply at odds with each other” (Warner, 59) and thus the healthful options are so sparse that people must be intentionally directed towards them.
The sense of community felt at the farmer’s market is further supported by the common etiquette and socialization practices shared by its customers and sellers. Unlike Meijer or Foods for Living where the customers select goods from the storefront and congregate in the front to check out, the farmer’s market is set up with many individual vendors each selling their own products. With that system in mind, customers moved around the vendors in a rotational fashion, typically walking past each table and deciding which ones to approach. In contrast to the typical supermarket which is designed to get people in and out as quickly as possible, this approach fosters genuine human interaction between the vendors and customers, in turn strengthening the sense of community within each group. Each vendor has a unique product that they created or grew by hand, making them extremely passionate about what they are selling. When customers approach with interest, vendors are quick to engage in thoughtful conversation about their products. This is not the reality at Meijer—no matter how well-trained the staff is, there is no one telling customers where a product is from, how it was produced, or the origins of its ingredients. When the food or goods being sold are meaningful, real, and truly beneficial to the consumer, genuine customer-seller relationships can form. While this connection did not exist at all in the Meijer setting, I did feel it, in many ways, at Foods for Living. The types of products offered, including a large selection of produce and a focus on organic and ethically sourced products, and its local ownership revealed to me a lot about its customer base. These key features suggested to me that most people who frequently shop there either have a strong sense of community, find importance in maintaining their health, or both.
Although the complex social system that exists at the farmer’s market cannot be perfectly emulated with the modern grocery store design, I see Foods for Living as the “next best option” for people who may not be able to buy directly from the farmer or for people in search of culinary goods that the farmer’s market does not offer. That conclusion reveals one main factor that differentiates the farmer’s market and Foods for Living from Meijer; while some Meijer shoppers may have no other choice to shop there because of financial constraints, every frequent customer at local farmers markets or locally-owned grocery stores is making a conscious choice to shop there, despite having more convenient or cheaper options available.
The sense of community felt at the farmer’s market is further supported by the common etiquette and socialization practices shared by its customers and sellers. Unlike Meijer or Foods for Living where the customers select goods from the storefront and congregate in the front to check out, the farmer’s market is set up with many individual vendors each selling their own products. With that system in mind, customers moved around the vendors in a rotational fashion, typically walking past each table and deciding which ones to approach. In contrast to the typical supermarket which is designed to get people in and out as quickly as possible, this approach fosters genuine human interaction between the vendors and customers, in turn strengthening the sense of community within each group. Each vendor has a unique product that they created or grew by hand, making them extremely passionate about what they are selling. When customers approach with interest, vendors are quick to engage in thoughtful conversation about their products. This is not the reality at Meijer—no matter how well-trained the staff is, there is no one telling customers where a product is from, how it was produced, or the origins of its ingredients. When the food or goods being sold are meaningful, real, and truly beneficial to the consumer, genuine customer-seller relationships can form. While this connection did not exist at all in the Meijer setting, I did feel it, in many ways, at Foods for Living. The types of products offered, including a large selection of produce and a focus on organic and ethically sourced products, and its local ownership revealed to me a lot about its customer base. These key features suggested to me that most people who frequently shop there either have a strong sense of community, find importance in maintaining their health, or both.
Although the complex social system that exists at the farmer’s market cannot be perfectly emulated with the modern grocery store design, I see Foods for Living as the “next best option” for people who may not be able to buy directly from the farmer or for people in search of culinary goods that the farmer’s market does not offer. That conclusion reveals one main factor that differentiates the farmer’s market and Foods for Living from Meijer; while some Meijer shoppers may have no other choice to shop there because of financial constraints, every frequent customer at local farmers markets or locally-owned grocery stores is making a conscious choice to shop there, despite having more convenient or cheaper options available.